Commercial tenant (non-profit) asking for W-9 from my LLC - should I provide it?

This is actually completely normal! Commercial tenants often request W-9 forms from their landlords because they may need to report certain payments to the IRS. For non-profits specifically, they have strict reporting requirements and need to document all their significant expenses. The W-9 just provides your taxpayer identification information (either your SSN or your LLC's EIN) which they likely need for their own tax filings. They're not asking for any sensitive financial information beyond what's on the standard W-9 form. If they pay you more than $600 in rent during a tax year (which I'm assuming they do since it's a commercial space), they might need to issue you a 1099-MISC form reporting those payments to the IRS. To do this properly, they need your tax information from the W-9.

I was in almost this exact situation last year. I have an LLC that owns a small office building, and one of my tenants is a local charity. They asked for a W-9 and I was also confused at first. I did some research and found this amazing tool that helped clarify everything - taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). I uploaded the W-9 form they sent me and asked about my obligations, and it explained everything clearly. Turns out it's completely normal for them to request this. The non-profit needs it for their own recordkeeping and potential 1099 reporting. I was hesitant at first because I didn't want to give out my tax info unnecessarily, but after getting a clear explanation through taxr.ai, I felt comfortable providing the W-9. They just need it to properly document their expenses as a non-profit.

Had to come back and admit I was wrong about taxr.ai. After being skeptical in my earlier comment, I decided to try it anyway since I was stuck with a similar W-9 situation with one of my commercial tenants. I uploaded the W-9 form and asked specifically about landlord obligations when commercial tenants request the form. The explanation was actually really thorough and cited specific IRS publications. It explained that non-profits have extra reporting requirements and need to document expenses properly, which is why they request W-9s from landlords. What impressed me was that it actually pointed out that in my state there are some additional documentation requirements that wouldn't have occurred to me. Saved me from potential headaches down the road. So yeah, definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with tax form confusion!

I've been a commercial landlord for over 12 years and constantly struggled with getting through to the IRS when I had questions about these exact situations. Last year I discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it completely changed how I deal with these tax questions. When I had a non-profit tenant asking for tax forms, I used Claimyr to actually get through to an IRS agent in under 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The IRS agent confirmed that non-profits often need W-9s from their landlords for their own compliance requirements. You can see how the service works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me hours of frustrating hold music!

Have to eat my words about Claimyr. I tried it yesterday after being skeptical in my reply earlier. I had a question about reporting rental income from my LLC and didn't want to spend my entire afternoon on hold with the IRS. The service actually worked exactly as advertised. I entered my info, and they called me back in about 20 minutes when they had an IRS agent on the line. The agent confirmed that yes, it's normal for commercial tenants (especially non-profits) to request W-9s for their records and potential 1099 reporting. The time saved was absolutely worth it. Instead of being stuck listening to the same awful hold music for hours, I was able to keep working and just picked up when they connected me. For anyone dealing with tax questions that need official IRS answers, it's definitely worth checking out.

As someone who works for a non-profit, I can tell you we request W-9s from ALL our vendors and lessors. It's required for our internal accounting and annual reporting. We need to track all payments over $600 annually and potentially issue 1099s. It's not personal - just standard accounting practice for 501(c)(3) organizations. Also, providing a W-9 isn't risky. Your EIN is not confidential information - it's on tons of documents. The form just formally confirms your tax info so we can report accurately. We'd be a lot more suspicious of a landlord who REFUSED to provide a W-9, honestly.

Im actually surprised at all the ppl saying to give your tax info out. I own 3 commercial properties and NEVER give W9s to tenants. Regular rent payments are NOT reportable on 1099s!! I confirmed this with my CPA. Only if they're paying you for special services beyond normal rent do they need to send a 1099. The only entities that should get your W9 are banks, brokers, and people paying you interest, dividends or non-employee compensation. The non-profit might be confused about their requirements. Just politely let them know that standard rent payments don't require 1099 reporting so you won't be providing a W9.

I think there's some confusion in the thread about 1099 reporting requirements for rent payments. While it's true that residential rent payments typically don't require 1099s, commercial rent paid by businesses and non-profits can have different reporting requirements. According to IRS guidelines, businesses (including non-profits) may need to issue 1099-MISC forms for rent payments made in the course of their trade or business if they exceed $600 annually. This is especially common with non-profits who have strict documentation requirements for maintaining their tax-exempt status. The W-9 form is just requesting your basic tax identification information - either your SSN or EIN. This isn't particularly sensitive information that would put you at risk. Your EIN appears on invoices, contracts, and other business documents regularly. I'd recommend providing the W-9 to maintain a good relationship with your tenant. Non-profits have rigorous accounting standards they must follow, and refusing could create unnecessary friction. If you're still concerned, you could always ask them to explain specifically why they need it for their records.

I've been dealing with commercial tenants for about 5 years now, and I can confirm that W-9 requests from non-profits are extremely common. In my experience, they're usually more diligent about documentation than regular businesses because they face regular audits to maintain their tax-exempt status. One thing I learned the hard way is that it's actually better to be proactive about this. Now when I sign lease agreements with non-profits or businesses, I include a clause that I'll provide necessary tax documentation (like W-9s) upon request. This sets expectations upfront and avoids any awkwardness later. The reality is that refusing to provide a W-9 can create tension with an otherwise good tenant. Your EIN isn't secret information - it's basically like a business phone number. The form itself is pretty straightforward and doesn't ask for anything sensitive beyond your tax ID and business structure. I'd suggest just providing it and maybe asking them to explain their specific reporting requirements so you understand the process better for future reference.

I've been managing commercial properties for about 15 years now, and W-9 requests from non-profits are absolutely routine. In fact, I'd be more surprised if they DIDN'T ask for one. Non-profits have to be extremely careful about their documentation because the IRS scrutinizes their spending closely to ensure they maintain tax-exempt status. They need to account for every dollar they spend, and rent payments to landlords are definitely part of that accounting. The confusion in this thread about 1099 reporting seems to stem from mixing up residential vs. commercial rules. When a business or non-profit pays rent as part of their operations, different reporting thresholds can apply compared to personal residential rent. Your EIN is really not sensitive information - it's printed on business checks, invoices, contracts, and tons of other documents. The W-9 is just formalizing what they probably could find in public records anyway. I'd recommend just providing it promptly. Good commercial tenants who pay on time and take care of your property are worth keeping happy, especially non-profits who tend to be very stable, long-term tenants. Fighting over a standard business form isn't worth potentially damaging that relationship.