Tax
Oct. 7, 2025
Should lawyers and clients provide an IRS Form W-9 when asked?
If you want to be paid, refusing to hand over a Form W-9 may not make sense.
Robert W. Wood
Managing Partner
Wood LLP
333 Sacramento St
San Francisco , California 94111-3601
Phone: (415) 834-0113
Fax: (415) 789-4540
Email: wood@WoodLLP.com
Univ of Chicago Law School
Wood is a tax lawyer at Wood LLP, and often advises lawyers and litigants about tax issues.
Before paying you for services rendered, and before paying a legal settlement, many companies will ask for an IRS Form W-9. This form verifies your taxpayer ID number. In the case of individuals, it is your Social Security number, and if you are a company, your employer identification number. If you want to be paid, refusing to hand over a Form W-9 may not make sense.
The IRS says that any time a payor thinks they may have to report a payment on an IRS ...
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