W-8BEN Help

[md2]

Hi,

I usually end up posting in the wrong area, so ‘General Questions’ seemed the best place to post.

I live in the UK and have joined a U.S. library that requires me to complete a W-8BEN form otherwise the IRS will make them withhold 30% of my royalties as tax.

With another library a few years ago I had to do the same but needed to get and EIN number from the IRS (which I did completing an SS-4 form).

Anyway the new IRS W-8BEN form ( https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf ) part 1 section 5, is asking for either a SSN or ITIN (but NOT an EIN number anymore?)

I found this article : http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/about/taxforms.html
which appears to say I don’t need to obtain a SSN or ITIN from the IRS, as the U.S. has a tax treaty with the UK , and just need to give my UK National Insurance (tax number) and quote the treaty article 12.1 so no tax will be deducted by the IRS.

Any UK people or anyone else out there done the same when submitting an W-8BEN?

Cheers
Mark

[Art Munson]

Bump

[PatrickM]

Hey markdorricott, I use my Unique Tax ID number on the W8 BEN (part 1 section 6) form and has been working fine.

[Author]

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