So You Hired a Freelancer in Another Time Zone—Now What?
Picture this: You’re sipping your morning coffee, reviewing the latest designs your rockstar graphic designer just sent over from Bali, when it hits you—“Wait… am I supposed to file something with the IRS?” Don’t panic. You're not alone.
At Calculated Moves, we help entrepreneurs like you work smarter, grow faster, and stay on the right side of Uncle Sam—without drowning in paperwork. So let’s get real about W-8 forms, the unspoken hero of international contractor compliance.
Spoiler alert: They’re not as scary as they sound.
If your freelancer isn’t a U.S. citizen and is working from their home country (think Tokyo, Toronto, or Timbuktu), then boom—they need to hand over a W-8 form.
Pro Tip: If they’re working from inside the U.S.? Whole different ballgame. Stop reading this and go talk to a pro (hey, that’s us!).
Once you’ve got the form, don’t just toss it in a digital drawer. Review it:
✔ All fields filled in
✔ Signature included
✔ Tax treaty benefits (if applicable) correctly claimed
And no, you don’t send it to the IRS—you just keep it in your records like the good tax-savvy business owner you are.
Keep a scanned copy. Save it in a folder labeled “W8s & Why I’m Awesome.” Set a calendar reminder to request a new one every 3 years.
Because nothing kills a coffee-fueled creative sprint like the IRS asking why you didn’t get documentation for your overseas hires.
Skipping the W-8 could make the IRS think you owe taxes on income you didn’t earn. Talk about a buzzkill. W-8 forms are your financial force field—they show you’re playing by the rules while working with global talent.
W-8 forms are the least sexy part of hiring an international freelancer—but also the most essential.
And with a little prep and guidance (hi 👋), you can dodge tax disasters like a spreadsheet ninja.
Calculated Moves is here to help you:
👉 Ready to take the guesswork out of global hiring?
📅 Book a strategy session
🌎 Keep building your worldwide dream team—we’ll handle the paperwork.
Because you have better things to do than decipher tax forms.
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Donna Bordeaux, CPA with Calculated Moves
Creativity and CPAs don’t generally go together. Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can’t talk with people. Well, it’s time to break that stereotype. Lively, friendly, and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with your CPA, as demonstrated by Donna and Chad Bordeaux. They have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs. They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They have been able to help businesses earn many times more profit than the average business in the same industry and are passionate about helping industries that help families build great memories.