what is form w 9 used for 
form w 9 is used to furnish tax information from one party to another it s a way of formally gathering personal information having a standard method of transmitting information and requiring the furnisher to certify that the information they are providing is correct form w 9 is then used to issue specific tax statements to non employees that earned certain types of payment throughout the year who needs to fill out a w 9 broadly speaking anyone who will receive compensation as a non employee is required to fill out a w 9 there are many situations that may arise when form w 9 is required for example a taxpayer who is set to collect interest receive proceeds from a real estate transaction pay home mortgage interest pay student loan interest or have debt canceled is also required to receive specific types of either form 1098 or 1099 in order to accurately furnish the tax form an opposing party may request your tax information via form w 9 