> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.referly.so/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Submit a tax form

> Fill out and sign a W-9, W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E tax form in your Referly affiliate portal: find requests in the Tax Forms tab, claim treaty benefits, download a PDF copy, and resubmit an expired W-8.

Some programs ask you to fill out a US tax form, a **W-9** or a **W-8**, so they have your tax details on file. You fill it out and sign it inside your affiliate portal, and afterwards you can download a filled-in PDF copy for your own records.

You only need to do something here when a program sends you a request.

## Find your tax forms

Open **Settings** in the left sidebar of your affiliate portal, choose the **Payouts** tab, then **Tax Forms**. The tab is always there, even before a program has asked you for anything.

If nothing has been requested yet, you'll see **No tax forms requested**. A request shows up here as soon as the program sends it.

## When a program requests a form

You hear about a new request in two places:

* **In your portal.** A **Tax form requested** notification appears in the bell at the top right. Select it to go straight to the **Tax Forms** tab. See [Notifications](/docs/help-center/affiliates/notifications.md).
* **By email.** The program emails you to say it has requested a tax form, naming the form it needs, with a **Fill out** button (for example **Fill out W-9**) that opens the **Tax Forms** tab.

Each request appears as a card showing:

* The program's name and the form it needs: **W-9**, **W-8BEN**, or **W-8BEN-E**.
* A status: **Action required** until you send the form, then **Submitted**.
* **Requested** and the date the request was sent.
* **Note from the program**, if they added one.

![A tax form request card in the affiliate portal showing the program name, the W-9 form, the Action required status, the request date and the Fill out form button](https://mintcdn.com/pushlapgrowth/jK9J04jKTjhvGI20/images/help-center/affiliates/tax-form-request-card.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=jK9J04jKTjhvGI20\&q=85\&s=cc62d6d8a82e6c1e959ec252f77d6962)

If a program cancels a request, it disappears from your list.

### Which form you're asked for

The program chooses which form to request. As a general guide:

| Form | Who it's for |
| - | - |
| **W-9** | US persons, whether individuals or companies. |
| **W-8BEN** | Individuals based outside the US. |
| **W-8BEN-E** | Companies and other entities based outside the US. |

If you think you've been sent the wrong form, message the program through **Messages** in the left sidebar before you fill it out.

## Fill out the form

Select **Fill out form** on the request. The form opens inside the card. Fields marked with a red asterisk are required, and the fields you see depend on the form.

![The W-9 form open inside the request card, with the Legal name, Federal tax classification, address, Taxpayer identification number and E-signature fields filled in](https://mintcdn.com/pushlapgrowth/jK9J04jKTjhvGI20/images/help-center/affiliates/tax-form-fill-out.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=jK9J04jKTjhvGI20\&q=85\&s=165d6418879cc1b0a4845abd7f50b1fa)

### W-9

* **Legal name**, and **Business name (if different)** if you trade under another name.
* **Federal tax classification**, for example **Individual/sole proprietor**, **C corporation**, **S corporation**, **Partnership**, **Trust/estate**, one of the LLC options, or **Other**.
* Your address: **Street address**, **City**, **State / province**, and **ZIP / postal code**. **Country** is already set to **United States (US)**.
* **Taxpayer identification number**. Choose **SSN** or **EIN**, then enter the number. A W-9 can't be sent without it.

### W-8BEN

* **Legal name** and **Country of citizenship**.
* Your address: **Street address**, **City**, **State / province** (optional), **ZIP / postal code**, and **Country**. Type the country, for example `DE`.
* Your tax number: **Foreign tax identifying number** and **Country that issued the tax number**, or your **Date of birth**. You need to give one or the other.

### W-8BEN-E

* **Legal name of entity**, and **Disregarded entity name (if any)**.
* The entity's address: **Street address**, **City**, **State / province** (optional), **ZIP / postal code**, and **Country**.
* **Foreign tax identifying number** and **Country that issued the tax number**, if you have one.

### Claim tax treaty benefits

This option is on the W-8BEN and W-8BEN-E only. If your country has a tax treaty with the US, you can claim a reduced withholding rate. Tick **Claim tax treaty benefits**, then fill in the **Treaty country**, **Treaty article**, **Withholding rate (%)**, **Type of income**, and **Reason for eligibility**.

## Sign and submit

Under **E-signature**, type your full legal name in **Type your full legal name to sign**. By signing, you certify under penalties of perjury that the information on the form is true, correct, and complete.

Select **Submit form**. You'll see **Tax form submitted**, and the request changes to **Submitted**.

If the form won't send, the message tells you what's missing:

* **Please fill in all required fields**: a field with a red asterisk is still empty.
* **A taxpayer identification number is required for this form**: a W-9 needs your SSN or EIN.
* **Provide a foreign tax ID and its country, or your date of birth**: a W-8BEN needs one of these.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Check everything before you submit. Once a form is sent you can't edit it yourself. If you spot a mistake afterwards, message the program. They can cancel the request and send you a new one.

## Download a copy of your form

Once you've submitted, the card shows a summary: your **Legal name**, **Country**, **Tax ID** (only the last four digits), the date it was **Signed**, and the **Form revision**.

Select **Download form (PDF)** to save the official IRS form, filled in with the details you submitted. It's worth keeping a copy with your own tax records.

![A submitted W-9 request card showing the Legal name, Country, the last four digits of the Tax ID, the Signed date, the Form revision and the Download form (PDF) button](https://mintcdn.com/pushlapgrowth/jK9J04jKTjhvGI20/images/help-center/affiliates/tax-form-submitted-summary.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=jK9J04jKTjhvGI20\&q=85\&s=540eb3d8d9451520aeb73d3d6a06590e)

## When a W-8 form expires

W-8 forms expire on December 31 of the third year after you sign them. A W-9 has no expiry date.

While a W-8 is still valid, its card shows **Expires** and the date. Once that date has passed, you'll see **Expired, please submit a new form** with a **Submit a new form** button. Select it, fill in the form again with your current details, and sign and submit it as before.

## How your information is protected

* Your tax ID is encrypted the moment you submit it, and it's never stored or displayed in full.
* The program sees only the last four digits. Any time the full number is accessed, that access is logged.
* No document copies are stored. Your form exists only as encrypted data, and the PDF is created when you download it.

> [!NOTE]
>
> This page explains how to use the **Tax Forms** tab. It isn't tax advice. If you're not sure which form applies to you or how to answer a question on it, check with an accountant.

## Related

> **[How you get paid](/docs/help-center/affiliates/payouts.md)**
>
> Follow a reward from referral to payout and see what each status means.

> **[Invoice details](/docs/help-center/affiliates/invoice-details.md)**
>
> Add the details that appear on the invoices for your payouts.

> **[Cash payouts](/docs/help-center/affiliates/cash-payouts.md)**
>
> Choose how you receive money and add your payment details.

> **[Notifications](/docs/help-center/affiliates/notifications.md)**
>
> Catch up on requests and updates from your programs.


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