alot of affiliate programs and ad services that pay you, even fiverr requires a "tax id" but if you don't have a business license or tax id for a business yet you can use your social security number. I believe Amazon Associates also requires your tax or EIN number. Hope this helps

Hi Craig not to discourage you, however, you will find that will be an essential part of doing business as a "Sole Proprietor" a they will need to issue you a 1099 and not a W-2, This will be a requirement for all affiliate programs operating in US and using US -Internet & Domains.

Hope this helps, I wrote a training on how to obtain your EIN in few easy steps let me know if you need the link.

I personally would be leary giving my Social Security number to a website before I even find out if I earn any money or not (or earn over the limit that needs to be reported). This is where you have to decide - do I want to get a business and LLC first where you can use a TIN number instead (and that cost money)? Or move on to another program that doesn't ask for a W-9 until it is actually needed?

I have CJA account long ago and revised after joining WA. when I interested on one of the merchant and click apply. It replied approval is from merchant and till today no new from them. JVZoo apply the same principle as CJA they need to see whether your site is relevant and perhaps up to their mark. However I found out that I received more promo than help (none) from JVzoo.. I signed up one of JVzoo program b4 WA, all I have is upswell, cross sell and down sell. Up to a point that I received 3-4 sales pitch email a day. So I ununsubribed all email from them and that may include news or useful info, may be?

I didn't have all that hassle with CJ when I signed up about seven years ago. However, I found CJ not to be all that great in that information on products, as well as suitable images, just didn't work for me. I only made a few dollars commission and lost that due to not reaching the required level within six months. I hope you find something better Craig.

Good evening Craig,

I made the same experience. I also struggled with the tax form, being a foreigner, got it done in the end but as I have had no sales I got a letter similar to Amazon. A 1-month deadline to make a sale and if not out one goes.

Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske

in most cases of online income .... you'll need to track ALL your earnings and then be sure to put 25% of all earrings aside while your starting out.... after you begin to make regular income you'll need to adjust this figure and getting a bit of tax advice would be prudent.....

Sorry about that Craig...will have to keep those things in mind. Just about to apply to affiliates soon myself. i was thinking about Share a Sale because they have several I want to promote, being in the journaling, scrapbooking, short story writing niche.

Thanks for the heads up...what is your niche?

:)

lol..good I'm not the only one...lol..I don't do the tax information stuff even though I took accounting in college...My husband doesn't want all that info on the internet, even in a secure site, but I was even getting confused because I have none of what they wanted as I work from home doing this stuff!! lol I just join programs that don't ask for that stuff!!

Another option might be Rakuten. I've signed with them and they seem to be quite attentive. I had initially signed up with CJ but quickly became discouraged. I'm with you, I want the sign up to be simple and I don't want to jump through a huge maze of hoops. I still want to check out Clickbank and JVZoo as well. Good luck with your search. Glad all of this is not discouraging you.