UK companies and businesses who sell goods and services in the US will need to complete a W-8BEN form for the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) in the States in order to obtain an EIN number. This number is necessary to allow the company who is selling your goods to pay you free of US federal taxes.

What is an active NFFE W-8BEN E?

FFI = Foreign financial institution • NFFE = Non-financial foreign entity • Active NFFE = an NFFE that has less than 50% of its gross income from the preceding calendar year from passive income and less than 50% of the assets held by the NFFE are assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income.

What do you need to know about the W-8BEN-E form?

All foreign (non-U.S.) businesses that are receiving payment from an American company must fill out the W-8BEN-E. The W-8BEN-E is used to prove that the company providing the services is indeed a foreign entity. The W-8BEN-E is a new form that came about thanks to the The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

Do you need a w8ben to open a business in the UK?

The W8BEN form enables those who do not wish to start a business in the US or even open a satellite office and want to be able to pay their tax via the UK tax system. In fact, you will need to fill in the W-8BEN form regardless of whether you want to open a US business or not! It is just a lot easier if you don’t.

Do you have to provide a W-8BEN to the IRS?

These individuals must provide a completed W-8BEN form to their U.S. client in order to avoid paying tax to the IRS. Your country of origin has a tax treaty with the U.S. In this case, you avoid double taxation. You don’t pay tax on your U.S. income to the IRS. But you will pay tax on that income in your country of origin.

What are the guidelines for completing the w-8imy?

In those cases, please refer to the Form W-8IMY. The following guidelines are provided for reference purposes and do not represent tax advice. Please consult with your tax or legal advisor should you need additional assistance in completing this Form. The Form W-8BEN-E should only be completed by a non-U.S. entity.