Do I have to register a business name if I'm only freelancing part-time at the moment?

[tully_virginia]

Hello,

     First off, I'm new to freelancing in general. So, please forgive me if this is a rudimentary question. Do I, as a US based freelancer, have to register a business name with my local government if I'm only freelancing part-time to supplament my income? Moreover, is registering the aformentioned business name required to recieve payments through Upwork? Thank you, in advance, for answering my questions!

[BojanS · Accepted solution]

Hi Virginia,

If you're not filing as a company entity, you can use your own legal name as it appears in your passport or other official documents. Please note that the W-9 form is required for freelancers to be able to withdraw their earnings from Upwork. You will select what filing status you are filing for in the drop-down. If you have any questions about your filing status, we advise you to contact your local accountant or tax advisor. You can also read this and this help article for more information.

[5742f2a4]

Virginia, Iwould add --
If your business is already established or setup, then you can actuall setup as a independent freelancer or business. 

My point is that if you want to setup as and individual freelancer, then your SSN should suffice, otherwise use your company TIN(Tax Identification Number);
In your particular case,and mine as well -- the choice has more to do with how you want to appear to the IRS.

Upwork wants it for their own tax reporting purposes. 

Hope this helps, because I am new also, but have been in business for few years.

Regards,

Wendell D.