What is an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form?

  • An I-9 Form is the Employment Eligibility Verification Form required by the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) to verify your identity and your eligibility to work. All employees must complete this form and provide valid original identifications. You are not eligible for pay until Payroll Services receives a satisfactory I-9.

How do I complete Form I-9?

  • Fill out and sign Section 1 of the I-9 Form on your first day of employment. By the 3rd day, submit it with valid identification documents to your Home Department Coordinator, who will complete the rest of the form. Valid documents for proof of identification and of employment eligibility are categorized into 3 lists. You may submit originals of either:
  • one document from List A,   or
  • one document from List B   and  one document from List C.

For details on what are the valid documents in each list, see theĀ I-9 FAQ.

What is a W-4 Personal Withholding Allowance Form and how do I fill it out?

  • You use W-4 Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate Form to establish your withholding allowances for Federal income taxes. If you do not submit a DE-4 form, the withholding allowance on your W-4 will be used to determine your State income tax as well. Read W-4 Form on completing this form.
    To claim student exemption, you must file the Student W-4 Form.
    If you are a Non-Resident Alien, you must file the NRA W-4 form. Refer to the NRA FAQ for additional information.

What is Form DE-4 and do I have to file one?

  • Form DE-4 is the tax withholding allowance certificate for California State Taxes. Filing this form is optional; however, if you don’t file a DE-4, the same allowance you claimed on Form W-4 will be applied to the State of California taxes.

What is a W-5 Advanced Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC) Form and how do I fill it out?

  • The EITC is a special credit that reduces the amount of tax you owe (if any) and is intended to offset some of the increases in living expenses and social security taxes. For further information, refer to the Earned Income Tax Credit page at the IRS websiteW-5 Form is available at University Payroll Services, or the IRS web site. Submit the complete and signed W-5 Form to Payroll Services.

What is the NRA Questionnaire?

  • The NRA Questionnaire is used by Payroll Services to collect certain personal data not otherwise available, which is needed to ensure the NRA is taxed properly.

What is the Form W-8BEN?

  • Form W-8BEN is an IRS tax document used to establish proper tax status for Non-Resident Aliens receiving a Qualified or Non-Qualified Scholarship.

What is a 8233 NRA Withholding Exemption Form and how do I fill it out?

  • “Exemption from Withholding on Compensation for Independent Personal Services of a Non-Resident Alien Individual” is an IRS-issued form that must be filed by any NRA claiming exemption from Federal income tax withholding based on a tax treaty. It must be filed at the time of hire, as well as each December for the following tax year, if still eligible, and whenever an employee changes jobs or visa types. Failure to file a Form 8233 will result in not getting the treaty and being taxed. If the 8233 is filed late, NO refund will be granted. For further information, see the NRA FAQ and go to the Forms page to download the Form 8233, official IRS Instructions for completing the form, and simplified Payroll Services Intructions for the form.

What is a W-9 Form?