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Tax forms are a core part of compliance in Plane. Depending on a worker’s type and location, different federal and state forms need to be collected, signed, and filed. Plane determines which forms each worker needs, collects them during onboarding or on an ongoing basis, and connects everything to payroll so withholding and reporting are handled correctly.

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Which tax forms Plane collects

Plane supports the full range of US federal tax forms needed for employment and contractor payments:

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For US employees (W-2 workers)

  • W-4—Employee’s Withholding Certificate. Sets federal income tax withholding based on the worker’s filing status, dependents, and other adjustments.
  • I-9—Employment Eligibility Verification. Confirms the worker’s identity and authorization to work in the United States. This is a two-section form that requires both the worker and employer to complete their parts.
  • State withholding forms—State-specific forms that set state income tax withholding. The required forms vary by state.

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For US contractors and vendors

  • W-9—Request for Taxpayer Identification Number. Collected from US-based contractors to capture their name, address, and tax ID (SSN or EIN) for 1099 reporting.

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For international contractors

  • W-8BEN—Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner. For individual non-US contractors claiming foreign status for US tax purposes.
  • W-8BEN-E—For non-US entity contractors (organizations rather than individuals).
  • W-8ECI—For foreign persons claiming income effectively connected with a US trade or business.
  • W-8EXP—For foreign governments, international organizations, and other exempt entities.
  • W-8IMY—For foreign intermediaries, flow-through entities, and certain US branches.

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For year-end reporting

  • 1099-NEC—Nonemployee Compensation. Generated by Plane for contractors who were paid $600 or more during the tax year. Plane tracks compensation amounts automatically and prepares these forms for filing.

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When forms are collected

Tax forms are collected at different points depending on the form type and situation:

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During onboarding

Most tax forms are collected when a worker first joins. Plane includes the right forms as part of each worker’s onboarding flow:
  • Employees complete their W-4, I-9 (Section 1), and state withholding forms during onboarding
  • US contractors complete a W-9 during onboarding
  • International contractors complete the appropriate W-8 form during onboarding
The worker fills out these forms directly in Plane. For W-8 and W-9 forms, the worker can either complete the form using Plane’s guided experience or upload a pre-signed copy.

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Ongoing and annual

Some forms are needed after initial onboarding:
  • W-4 updates—Workers can update their W-4 at any time when their withholding needs change (marriage, new dependents, etc.)
  • 1099-NEC—Generated annually by Plane based on the year’s payments to each contractor
  • Replacement forms—If a worker’s information changes, you can request an updated form

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The I-9 verification workflow

The I-9 is a multi-step process that involves both the worker and the employer. Plane manages this workflow end to end.
1

Worker completes Section 1

The worker fills out Section 1 of Form I-9 during onboarding. This includes their personal information, citizenship or immigration status, and their signature attesting to the information.
2

Employer is notified

Once the worker submits Section 1, a task is created for the employer (you or your designated admin) to complete Section 2.
3

Employer completes Section 2

You review the worker’s identity and employment authorization documents in person. Then you complete Section 2 in Plane, recording the document details (title, issuing authority, document number, and expiration date).Section 2 requires documents from either:
  • List A—Documents that establish both identity and employment authorization (like a US passport)
  • List B + List C—One document establishing identity (like a driver’s license) plus one establishing employment authorization (like a Social Security card)
4

Form is finalized

Once both sections are complete, Plane generates the final I-9 form and stores it as a document in the worker’s profile.
Section 2 of Form I-9 must be completed within three business days of the worker’s start date. Plane creates a task and notifies you so this deadline is not missed.
There are also alternative options for the I-9 workflow. As an employer, you can choose to:
  • Request the worker to complete the form—Plane sends the worker a notification to fill out Section 1, then routes Section 2 to you
  • Upload a completed I-9—If you already have a signed I-9 on file, you can upload it directly as a document

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Withholding setup

For US employees, withholding forms determine how much federal and state tax is deducted from each paycheck.

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Federal withholding (W-4)

The W-4 captures the worker’s filing status, dependent information, and any additional withholding adjustments. Plane uses this information to calculate federal income tax withholding for each pay period. Workers complete the W-4 during onboarding as part of the withholding setup step. The form is presented through a guided experience that walks through each section.

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State withholding

State tax withholding requirements vary by state. Some states use the federal W-4 for state purposes, while others have their own forms. Plane determines which state forms are required based on the worker’s work location and presents the correct forms during onboarding. Workers complete all applicable withholding forms (federal and state) together in one step, signing once at the end to confirm all entries.

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How tax forms integrate with payroll

Tax forms are not just compliance checkboxes—they directly drive payroll calculations:
  • W-4 data determines federal income tax withholding amounts on each paycheck
  • State form data determines state income tax withholding
  • W-9 / W-8 data determines the worker’s tax classification for 1099 reporting and any applicable tax treaty rates
  • 1099-NEC forms are generated based on actual payment totals, so the information flows from payroll data into the form automatically
If a worker’s tax forms are missing or incomplete, it can block payroll processing for that worker. The compliance dashboard shows you which workers have outstanding tax form requirements.

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Requesting form updates

When a worker’s tax situation changes, you can request an updated form:
  • W-4 changes—Workers can initiate a W-4 update themselves, or you can prompt them to update their withholding
  • W-9 / W-8 updates—You can create a new compliance request for a worker to submit an updated W-9 or W-8 form
  • Replacement forms—If a form was submitted with errors, you can request a replacement. The new form links back to the original for audit purposes
Updated forms take effect for future payroll processing. Historical payroll runs use the form data that was in effect at the time.
The choice depends on the contractor’s US tax status. US persons (citizens and resident aliens) complete a W-9. Non-US persons complete the appropriate W-8 form. Plane’s onboarding flow guides the worker to the correct form based on their answers during setup.
Plane prepares 1099-NEC forms based on payment data and handles the filing process. You can review each form before it is filed, skip forms that should not be filed, and make corrections if needed.
State withholding is based on the worker’s work location. Plane determines which state forms are required and includes them in the onboarding flow. If a worker moves to a different state, you may need to update their withholding setup.
Yes. Completed tax forms are stored as documents in the worker’s profile. You can download them from the documents section or from the tax forms view.