Freelance Graphic Design: My Client Has Asked Me To Fill Out A W-9 Form?

[shanin666]

I am not making much with with him, $600 a month tops. I explained to him that I was currently on unemployment and I would have no issue filling a w-9 out as long as he could offer me so many hours/money a month. He has been paying all along since February under the table, now all of a sudden he refuses to pay me what he owes me $520 for projects completed until I fill out this form which could affect my unemployment. He even went as far as to say to me that if he were any other employer he would "report me". Am I missing something here? Is what he is doing illegal, unprofessional and unorthodox or am I?

[joko]

this is a british site - so most will have no idea what a w9 form is

however, you are both out of order - you should not be working while claiming and he should not be paying you under the table

if he has already done that you could threaten to report him for not putting it through the books, if he doesnt pay you.

really as you are freelance its none of his business - you sort your own business out

[1ozzy]

As Joko says, you are both in the wrong. It could be difficult for either of you to prove what has happened previously but it is disappointing when one party reverses on a deal. If you are freelancing then is it possible for you to have some earnings before it affects your unemployment. Might be worth researching.

[Buenchico]

As has been indicated above, very few people on this UK-base site will have any knowledge of the US tax system or of the way that support for the unemployed works in your country.

You're far more likely to get an authoritative response by posting on one of these US sites:
http://www.answerbag.com/
or
https://answers.yahoo.com/

However it appears to me that you can hardly complain if you've been fraudulently failing to declare your earnings (however small they may be), in order to claim benefits, and your client now simply wants you to 'go straight'.

[joko]

i would think things have turned sour here, so i would just tell him he is in a much trouble as you would be if he reports you - so just pay up and call it quits and go your separate ways