Every year a handful of my clients ask for a W9. I explain to the that in no way am in a 1099 relationship with them. I am merely a merchant selling his wares. I give them a sign, they give me money. Very simple. Do they demand a W9 from the local green grocer? From the dealer if they buy a new vehicle? From the USPS for postage? I think not.
It matters not a whit whether I make $6 or $60,000 from someone, there is no basis for a W9.
I further explain that, this being the case, they are not getting a W9 from me. If that makes their account wet itself and run out into traffic, not my problem. No W9 no way no how.
I had one local city government refuse to pay me for a banner until I gave them a W9. They maintained that they had to have a W9 because that's how their accounting system worked and there was some sort of law in their village mandating this behavior.
I explained, once again, the relationship between us and told them that there would not be a W9 from me, ever, that my lack of interest in their accounting system as well as their local legal code was total, that they were indeed going to pay me, and if payment wasn't forthcoming immediately the next stop is going to be small claims court. I received their payment in two days after that particular temper tantrum. Apparently their cast-in-stone inviolate accounting system was a bit more flexible than even they knew.
There was going to be a new regulation, part of the insane obamacare legislation, that would indeed require a W9 anytime anyone did more than $600 business with anyone. That particular provision was repealed last December. Sanity prevailed.
