[For readers outside the USA: This question refers to the “Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification” form that employers request from employees, and that direct sales companies that pay commissions to agents request from their agents.]
Yes, no problem. For several decades, we have filled out those forms for companies that request them, and it has never generated a tax liability for any of our Natural Law Trusts. The form is not sent to the IRS. It is requested by companies that pay salaries or commissions or royalty payments so they can show in their accounting that they have complied with what they perceive to be the IRS rules about collecting payee tax identity information. Signing such a form does NOT change the status of the trust to a taxable entity.
On line 1, “Name (as shown on your income tax return)”, leave it blank.
Line 2: Business name – put the trust name there.
3: “Check appropriate box” – check the box that says “Trust/estate”.
4: “Exemptions” – leave blank. We don’t want “exempt” status, because that is statutory and can be revoked.
5 & 6: “Address” – put the mailing address you use for the trust.
7: “List account numbers (optional)” – leave blank. Generally anything that is “optional”, leave blank.
“Part 1 – Taxpayer Identification Number” – “Social Security Number” – leave blank.
“or Employer Identification Number” – fill in your EIN for the trust there.
“Part II – Sign Here” – Where it says “Signature of US person”, mark out “US person” and write instead “Trustee”. Write “All Rights Reserved” under your signature, so close to your signature that it is touching it and almost a part of it (so they cannot be separated). Write a comma and “TTE” after your signature, which stands for “Trustee”. ALWAYS sign “, TTE” on any document pertaining to the trust, when you are signing as trustee on behalf of the trust.
