Are You a Non-U.S. Taxpayer? Submit a W-8BEN
Keep your account in good standing and avoid unnecessary withholding by submitting IRS Form W-8BEN. If you're not a U.S. taxpayer, this form helps confirm your status and prevent withholding of interest.
- Form W-8 BEN
- Quick Guide for completing a W-8BEN
- How to Submit Your Form Securely
What Is the W-8BEN Form?
The W-8BEN form is an IRS document that non-U.S. taxpayers use to certify
that they are not U.S. tax residents. This form tells the IRS not to withhold certain taxes from your
U.S.-based income.
You should complete a W-8BEN form
if:
- You are not a U.S. citizen or resident for tax purposes
- You earn U.S. source income (such as interest from your account)
When and Why You Need to Submit a W-8BEN
Best practice requires resubmission of the form every 3 years,
in most cases.
Please view this helpful Quick Guide to aid you with questions about
the form:
Quick Guide
Use this form when your address (Line 3) is different from the country where you are taxed.
Statement of Resident Tax Country
How to Submit the Form
For your protection, we recommend submissions through a secure channel.
Log into Digital Banking.
Go to the Secure Message Center.
Input “Tax Certification – W-8BEN” as the message topic.
Attach your completed W-8BEN form (+ addendum if necessary)
and
click send!
Recertification and How BankFund will Notify You
Certain tax certifications expire after a period of time.
We’ll notify you when:
- Your form is about to expire
- Your current certification is expired/ invalid
You’ll receive reminders through:
- Post mail to your
address on file
W-8BEN FAQs
What is backup
withholding?
It’s a mandatory IRS assessment, applied when tax certification is missing, expired, or invalid.
Do I need to submit this
form if I have a U.S. address?
Yes, your physical address doesn’t determine your tax status. Your tax residency does.
I live in the U.S. but
pay taxes to another country. What should I do?
If you have a permanent resident address in that country, please input it on Line 3. Otherwise, please complete the Statement of Resident Tax Country and submit it along with your W-8BEN.
Can I email my
form(s)?
We do not recommend emailing the form. For your privacy and security, we accept uploads through the Secure Message Center in Digital Banking. If you do not have Digital Banking, let us help you enroll by contacting Member Services.
Glossary
- FTIN: Foreign Taxpayer Identification Number provided by a non-U.S. country
- Tax Resident: Where you pay taxes, not necessarily where you live
- U.S. TIN: Taxpayer Identification Number provided by the U.S. IRS like a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
- Withholding: IRS-mandated amount withheld or deducted from income, like dividends or interest, if your certification is missing or expired. If you see a withholding transaction on your account, please contact the Credit Union for further assistance