Getting a US Taxpayer Identification Number

Captcha · Oct 24, 2010

To any 'nonresident aliens' who've received income from a US Publisher - help?!?

I'm trying to fill out the form to request an ITIN from the IRS, and I'm a little frustrated. The instructions for the form say that:

If the SSA will not issue you an SSN, you must get a letter of
denial and attach it to your Form W-7. This applies whether you
are attaching your federal tax return or requesting an ITIN
under one of the exceptions. However, students, professors,
and researchers, see information for box “f” on page 3.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw7.pdf

But this seems absurd. I'm not in the US, I'm not in ANY way eligible for a US SSN - do they really mean that I have to go through an application process for which I'm clearly ineligible? And there's no mention of the SSN-refusal on the form itself, that I can see, so maybe I'm just being too conscientious, reading the actual instructions?

Has anyone else gone through this lately? Any insight to add? There's no e-mail address for IRS questions, and the phone number is not toll-free outside the US, AND it's only manned during business hours. Frustrating.

Thanks for any help.

scarletpeaches · Oct 24, 2010

I'm going through this right now. Send me a PM; we can exchange email addresses. I got a lot of help from another member, Darklite, but I'd be happy to talk you through the process, or at least as far along as I am at the moment (which is waiting to hear back from the IRS about my ITIN).

Scriptissima · Oct 28, 2010

Kate_Sherwood said:
To any 'nonresident aliens' who've received income from a US Publisher - help?!?

I'm trying to fill out the form to request an ITIN from the IRS, and I'm a little frustrated. The instructions for the form say that:

If the SSA will not issue you an SSN, you must get a letter of
denial and attach it to your Form W-7. This applies whether you
are attaching your federal tax return or requesting an ITIN
under one of the exceptions. However, students, professors,
and researchers, see information for box “f” on page 3.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw7.pdf

But this seems absurd. I'm not in the US, I'm not in ANY way eligible for a US SSN - do they really mean that I have to go through an application process for which I'm clearly ineligible? And there's no mention of the SSN-refusal on the form itself, that I can see, so maybe I'm just being too conscientious, reading the actual instructions?

Has anyone else gone through this lately? Any insight to add? There's no e-mail address for IRS questions, and the phone number is not toll-free outside the US, AND it's only manned during business hours. Frustrating.

Thanks for any help.

So just for clarification: You are located outside the U.S. and do not live in the U.S.? And you (will) pay taxes in your country of residence?

In that case, you don't need an ITIN (and most certainly no SSN), but you should provide the U.S. publisher with a W8-BEN form instead. You can find that form right here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf

Afaik, ITINs are only issued to peple who actually reside in the U.S.

Captcha · Oct 28, 2010

Check out line six on that form - it wants an ITIN.

I'd love to not go through the nuisance of this, but it looks like I have to. Am I misreading that form?

Darklite · Oct 29, 2010

ITINs are issued to people who live outside of the US.

You need to fill in form W8-BEN after you get your ITIN. I'm in the UK and went through the process a little while ago. All I sent the IRS was my passport for ID, and an original (not photocopy) letter from my publisher stating why I need the number.

Feel free to PM me if you need more help

Nickie · Oct 29, 2010

Indeed, if you don't live in the USA you don't have to pay taxes there. You can - or choose not to (depends on how much it is) - better declare your foreign earnings in your declaration form for your own country. There will be a bow for such options.
Just make inquiries on how to do it. Your local tax office will (kindly?) provide information. You can also find info at your bank office.

Nickie

Shara · Oct 29, 2010

I am a UK author with a US publisher, and I had to get an IT1N number as well.

I confess I don't know how it works, but as far as I understand it, IT1Ns are issued to non-resident non-US citizens who are earning American money.

I took my passport and publishing contract down to the American Embassy, and they were very helpful and assisted me in filling in the form.

Shara

Alitriona · Oct 29, 2010

So far I can't get hold of anyone in our revenue (Irish)that has been able to tell me how to get this sorted or what I need to do. There is the added complication of artist exemption in this country meaning I don't actually have to pay tax on it. So basically I have to go through all this to pay nothing anyway. I'm going to visit the American embassy and see how I get on there.

jjwolfe · Nov 29, 2010

Hi,

So anyone got any wiser on this subject? I'll have to get a ITIN number too, any help on this is welcome. Thanks.

JJ

Captcha · Nov 30, 2010

Who's your publisher, jjwolfe? According to mine, they have to send a letter documenting the need for the ITIN, and they were actually really helpful in terms of how to fill out the form. Maybe your publisher has a similar system already in place?

scarletpeaches · Nov 30, 2010

I just got an email from Loose Id regarding my advance, too. Because I don't have the ITIN yet they have to withhold 30% of it. Bah.

It's really just a matter of waiting for the IRS to get their arses in gear, isn't it? I hate waiting for someone else to get around to something that affects my life and, more importantly, my finances!

scarletpeaches · Nov 30, 2010

By the by, once I have my ITIN, I plan to blog about this in the hopes it'll help other non-US residents. I know Darklite did that, and very helpful she's been too.

Galaxy · Aug 20, 2015

Did anyone receive income from a US publisher recently? I read this tread and I'm afraid to ask... all of you try to avoid to pay taxes in US because they are 30%? Are taxes in your countries lower? In Serbia, taxes are 51%, so if I ever publish a book in US, I will rather pay taxes in US not in Serbia. And if I understood correctly, if author pays taxes in one country he/she doesn't have to pay in another country? Author can choose country? And, please, tell me that Serbia is not the worst country for taxes (51%!!!). :Headbang:

Getting a US Taxpayer Identification Number

Captcha

scarletpeaches

Scriptissima

Captcha

Darklite

Nickie

Not too old to learn

Shara

Fix it in the Rewrite

Alitriona

Attends The School of AW

jjwolfe

Captcha

scarletpeaches

scarletpeaches

Galaxy