Who Must Withhold

The partnership, or a withholding agent for the partnership, must pay the withholding tax. A partnership that must pay the withholding tax but fails to do so may be liable for the payment of the tax and any penalties and interest.

The partnership must determine whether a partner is a foreign partner. A foreign partner can be a nonresident alien individual, foreign corporation, foreign partnership, foreign estate or trust, foreign tax-exempt organization, or foreign government.

U.S. partner. A partner that is a U.S. person should provide Form W-9 to the partnership.

A partnership may rely on a partner’s certification of nonforeign status and assume that a partner is not a foreign partner unless the form:

• Does not give the partner’s name, U.S. TIN, and address; or

• Is not signed under penalties of perjury and dated.

The partnership must keep the certification for as long as it may be relevant to the partnership’s liability for tax under section 1446.

The partnership may not rely on the certification if it has actual knowledge or has reason to know that any information on the form is incorrect or unreliable.

If a partnership does not receive a Form W-9 (or similar documentation), the partnership must presume that the partner is a foreign person.