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Glossary

Exempt Payee Code

Definition

A code on Form W-9 indicating whether a payee is exempt from backup withholding under specific IRS categories.

Why it matters operationally

Selecting the wrong exempt payee code can cause improper withholding or missed B-notice responses. Validating the code at collection prevents year-end corrections.

Handle exempt payee code in a workflow

Collect W-9s without email chains.