Upwork requires W-8BEN-E before I can withdraw. Does that solve my U.S. tax issues for the LLC?
I am a software freelancer in Pakistan and use a Wyoming single-member LLC to bill U.S. clients on Upwork. Upwork says I have to complete a W-8BEN-E before I can withdraw earnings and that otherwise they may withhold up to 30%. Annual marketplace revenue should be around $72,000.
I can complete the platform form, but I do not understand whether that means the IRS side is handled too, or whether the LLC still has a separate filing requirement because it is foreign-owned and U.S.-formed.
Related Questions
I code from India for a U.S. client through my LLC. Is that normally just Form 5472, or could it be ECI too?
I am a freelance developer in Pune and use a Wyoming LLC for a direct contract with one U.S. startup. Revenue is about $88,000 this year. I do all coding and meetings from India and have not been to t...
My travel calendar has flights and hotels, but not what I actually did each day. Is that a problem?
I can prove where I traveled, but my records are weak on what happened on each day once I arrived. For most trips I know the broad purpose, but if someone asked me which days were meetings, which days...
My U.S. clients pay a monthly retainer even when they do not use all my hours. Does that change the tax analysis?
I am a strategy consultant in Brazil with a New Mexico LLC and two U.S. clients on monthly retainers worth $6,000 and $4,000. Some months they use all the time, but other months they barely use any. I...
I fly to the U.S. a few times a year for client workshops. Does that change my consulting tax situation?
I am a UX consultant in London using a Delaware LLC. Most of my work is remote, but one American client pays me around $110,000 a year and asks me to come to New York three or four times a year for wo...
I spent six weeks in California while still billing my U.S. clients through my LLC. Is that enough to trigger a U.S. filing issue?
I am a freelance software architect based in Singapore with a Wyoming LLC. I normally work remotely, but this year I stayed in California for six weeks and continued doing billable work for two U.S. c...
I flew to the U.S. for a client summit and ended up delivering paid workshop days. Should I isolate those days as U.S. service income?
I am a freelance strategist from Romania and most of my work is remote. During a client summit in the U.S., I ended up adding two paid workshop days that were separately billed. The rest of the trip w...
I run a service LLC from Mexico with U.S. clients but no U.S. office. Is that usually enough to stay out of ECI trouble?
I live in Mexico and use a Delaware LLC for consulting work. All of the client calls, deliverables, and project management happen from Mexico, and I do not have any U.S. office, employee, or contracto...
My LLC earns creator sponsorships and consulting retainers. Is one entity still fine if I split the books cleanly?
I live in Thailand and started with creator work, but consulting now makes up almost half of the business. I still want to keep everything under one U.S. LLC because the brand and audience overlap, an...
I did consulting and app onboarding during a U.S. trip. Should those days be split from my normal remote invoices?
I am based in Spain and use one Delaware LLC for both freelance product consulting and a small app business. Most of my work is remote, but during a recent U.S. trip I spent three days doing client on...
Upwork clients do not send me 1099s, but one direct U.S. client says they will. Is that normal?
I am a graphic designer in Mexico using a Delaware LLC. About $40,000 comes from Upwork and another $28,000 comes from one U.S. direct client outside Upwork. Upwork says clients do not need to file 10...
Have a similar question?
ForeignLLCTax members get expert answers with IRS citations. One CPA consultation costs $200+. Full access is $9.99/month.
Become a Member — $9.99/moDisclaimer: All content on ForeignLLCTax.com is created by a tax professional and is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Every tax situation is different — for advice specific to your circumstances, please consult a licensed CPA, Enrolled Agent, or tax attorney. By using this website, purchasing a subscription, or accessing any tools or services, you acknowledge that no client-professional relationship is established between you and ForeignLLCTax.com or its operators. This website is not affiliated with the IRS.

