How do I fill out IRS Form W-9 for my IRA LLC?

Fill out the W-9 according to the steps outlined below. Many investment issuers and sponsors will ask you for a completed W-9.

A W-9 is not always needed to complete an IRA investment. Still, many compliance, tax, and legal departments of investment issuers require it to be completed as part of their onboarding process and to take special note of your Self-Directed IRA's tax status and how it might differ from their average taxable clients. When requested, it is best to submit one to make sure your retirement account's tax status is tagged and known by their tax reporting team and at the investment issuer’s internal records.

This article is designed to assist Rocket Dollar customers who custody their IRA at Rocket Dollar’s partner Digital Trust.

Filling out the W-9

1. For Line 1, use the following formula: Digital Trust FBO First Name Last Name IRA. For example, if you have a Rocket Dollar Self-Directed Traditional IRA LLC, your Line 1 will say: "Digital Trust, Custodian FBO John Doe Traditional IRA." Be sure to use the right custodian.
2. For Line 2, enter your LLC name.
3. For Line 3a, check the box for a LLC. Since it is a disregarded entity, you may skip the letter code box
4. For Line 4, enter "1" as the exempt payee code. This is important because this is how you indicate to your investment issuer/sponsor that your account is tax-exempt.
5. For Lines 5 and 6, enter the address for the LLC (e.g., 1111 Anywhere Avenue)  For most customers, this address is the address you used when you signed up for Rocket Dollar. There is no address in Colorado that was given to customers, as your home address is setup as the LLC's business address.
6. For Part 1 Taxpayer Identification Number, enter the EIN of your IRA LLC in the box.
7. For Part 2, sign your name and you can include "Manager" as your title on the signature line if there is room.

Download and print a blank W-9 from the IRS here. See the example below.