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> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
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# Tax forms: W-9 and W-8BEN

Before we can pay you, we need a tax form on file: a **W-9** if you're a US person, or a **W-8BEN** if you're not. You don't fill it in inside AMM Distro. You tell us your tax residency and address, and we email you a secure link to complete the form with our tax-form provider.

## Which form you need

| You are | Your form |
|---|---|
| A US citizen, green card holder or resident alien, wherever you live | **W-9** |
| Anyone else | **W-8BEN** (or **W-8BEN-E** for a company) |

Where you live doesn't decide this. US persons complete a W-9 even when living outside the US.

## When you need to do it

You don't need to do anything until your first royalty statement is finalized. After that, the **Tax form** step in the **Getting paid** checklist on the **Money** page asks you to confirm your tax details.

## Complete your tax form

1. On the **Money** page, click **Confirm tax details** in the checklist. This opens **Settings → Tax Documents**.
2. Answer **Are you a US person for tax purposes?** with **Yes, I'm a US person** or **No, I'm not**.
3. If you're not a US person, choose your **Country of tax residence**.
4. Enter your mailing address and confirm it's correct.
5. Save. We then email you a secure link to your tax form. The checklist says **Complete your tax form**.
6. Open the email and complete the form. If you can't find it, check your spam folder.
7. We review your form. The checklist says "AMM is reviewing your form. You don't need to do anything."
8. Once it's approved, the checklist shows **W-9 approved** or **W-8BEN approved**.

![The tax residency question with Yes, I'm a US person and No, I'm not, and the country of tax residence field](https://ammdistro.com/helpdesk/distro-tax-residency-question.webp =1200xauto)

| Enter your legal name and taxpayer number only on the secure tax form, never in a chat or email.

If you've confirmed your details and still haven't received the form, click **Request tax form** on the Tax Documents page.

## What we keep

We only keep the last 4 digits of your taxpayer number. **Settings → Tax Documents** shows what we have on file under **What we have on file**.

## Year-end tax forms

Under **Year-end forms** on the Tax Documents page, choose how you get your forms:

* **Send electronically**: "You'll get your forms electronically as soon as they're filed."
* **Switch to paper**: "Without electronic consent we mail a paper copy, which arrives later."

## Common questions

### Something on my tax form is wrong.
Send us a message from the chat on this page, or email team@ammdistro.com, and tell us what needs to change. Don't include your full taxpayer number in the message.

### My form says it can't be used for a payout yet.
If you see "Your form is on file but can't be used for a payout yet. AMM will contact you about the fix.", wait for us to contact you. If the checklist shows **Resolve**, click it and follow the steps.

### I'm a US person. What if the IRS can't match my details?
If the name and taxpayer number on your W-9 don't match IRS records, payouts are subject to 24% backup withholding until it's corrected. Contact us to fix the form.

### Does a W-8BEN expire?
Yes. A W-8BEN is valid for three calendar years. We send you a new form before your next payout when yours expires.

### Can you help me with my taxes?
We can't give tax advice. Talk to a tax professional in your country.

**Related:** [Tax withholding for artists outside the US](https://help.ammlabs.io/en/article/06-tax-withholding-for-artists-outside-the-us-1wwjwzq/) · [When do I get paid?](https://help.ammlabs.io/en/article/03-when-do-i-get-paid-1undybi/) · [Set up payouts](https://help.ammlabs.io/en/article/02-set-up-payouts-1fx08xy/)