What's my tax identification number?

[ChrisHarrison]

As a result of selling an ebook on the US Amazon site I'm being asked to fill in a tax registration form. Some of you selling ebooks on Kindle may have gone through this process already.

One of the questions is asking for my tax identification number for my country of residence. I'm in the UK so would that be my National Insurance number, or the ten digit reference number you're given on a self assessment tax form?

Thanks.

[Lin]

That's the number on your tax assessment form not your NI number.

[ChrisHarrison]

Okay. Thanks Lin.

[Tony_A20]

I think if you check the Amazon.com online interview questionaire closely, you will find providing your national tax ID is optional.

If your government has a tax agreement with the USA, you may be able to avoid the tax-withholding the US Internal Revenue Service requires Amazon.com to collect on book sales. Providing a foreign tax number is not required (see your tax agreement), it's just the IRS being nosey.

I've just completed the Amazon questionaire myself, and the important thing is to state that you are not a US resident under any of the definitions used by the IRS, and that you are a resident of a country that has a tax agreement with the USA.

How you declare book royalities as part of your personal income on your national tax form depends on the tax law of your country, not the IRS.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

Tony

[Lin]

My national insurance number and my bank account number I know off my heart and oddly enough my old National Health Service No has stuck in my head for many many years.  Can't remember names though!