And just what the fuck is a W-8BEN?

Oh damnitn bureaucracy has found me! It seems my Patreon account is generating such significant amounts of money, that I need to wade through what is called a “W-8BEN” which includes requirements such as a US Tax ID number (but I’m a EU citizen!), my normal Tax ID number (ugh) and the exact treaty with my country that specifies how much to withhold from me.

So OK, I guess  I can provide the last two, but a friggin’ US Tax ID number? Seriously? This guide suggest calling US IRS on the phone and trying to get an employer ID number which should do the job. However I’m not a company! I’m just a bloke getting donations for voluntary making free software on my