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Author Topic: 2010 Fotolia Tax coming !!  (Read 55316 times)

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« Reply #25 on: January 02, 2010, 11:04 »
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Just got my email !!   ???   So, do we (in the UK) sign !?  or wait and see ??  :-\


« Reply #26 on: January 02, 2010, 11:26 »
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Yes, I would say it is illegal. This thing is handled by FT so poorly that I can't believe business can be run this way. By this time they should have clear answer to if they are really withholding taxes on all sales and if so if it is by mistake or if it is intentional and why and what will be done in case it is by mistake.

However so far there are just uninformed replies from moderators on FT forum (not knowing anything more than normal user). Online business like this has to have 24/7 support being able to trouble shoot such critical issues like this. Or do they think this is something less than critical for people relaying on the income?

Exactly. Not only that but if you live in a 'treaty country' then they should only be withholding a reduced amount anyway __ 10% for contributors in the UK for example.

Are Fotolia actually trying to make us all go exclusive with Istock? They certainly appear to be acting as IS's Chief Recruiting Sergeant.

They need to get their act together very quickly on this issue or they'll be a mass exodus of contributors within a few months when the lock-ins at other agencies have expired __ me included.
It should be 0% for contributors in the UK.  I filled in the form without the ITIN number and I don't think they have withheld any tax yet but perhaps I haven't sold anything in the US.

Edit, I just looked again and I am earning less now for a large file than I was last month.  This is so annoying, I can't see if something is sold in the US or how much tax has been withheld.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2010, 11:32 by sharpshot »

« Reply #27 on: January 02, 2010, 11:33 »
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Yes, I would say it is illegal. This thing is handled by FT so poorly that I can't believe business can be run this way. By this time they should have clear answer to if they are really withholding taxes on all sales and if so if it is by mistake or if it is intentional and why and what will be done in case it is by mistake.

However so far there are just uninformed replies from moderators on FT forum (not knowing anything more than normal user). Online business like this has to have 24/7 support being able to trouble shoot such critical issues like this. Or do they think this is something less than critical for people relaying on the income?

Exactly. Not only that but if you live in a 'treaty country' then they should only be withholding a reduced amount anyway __ 10% for contributors in the UK for example.

Are Fotolia actually trying to make us all go exclusive with Istock? They certainly appear to be acting as IS's Chief Recruiting Sergeant.

They need to get their act together very quickly on this issue or they'll be a mass exodus of contributors within a few months when the lock-ins at other agencies have expired __ me included.
It should be 0% for contributors in the UK.  I filled in the form without the ITIN number and I don't think they have withheld any tax yet but perhaps I haven't sold anything in the US.

Edit, I just looked again and I am earning less now for a large file than I was last month.  This is so annoying, I can't see if something is sold in the US or how much tax has been withheld.

Belgium is 0% ... but they deducted  30 % on my american sales.

Patrick.

« Reply #28 on: January 02, 2010, 11:55 »
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Just realized that I'm stupid.  It isn't 50% that have tax applied it is all of the sales.  It's just that on the sales page each sales is shown twice, once about the tax and once the actual sale.

50% of my sales have had the tax applied to them. I'm suprised by the amount as when they used to show who the buyers were I think that only 1 or 2 % were from America.    I'm liking the 14 and 16 credit sales though.

« Reply #29 on: January 02, 2010, 11:56 »
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It is confusing when they have cut commissions and raised the number of credits for certain sizes as well as bringing in withholding tax.  I see in the stats section they have an option to see how much tax has been withheld and how many images have been sold in the US.  It looks like I haven't sold any in the US yet and I don't have any withheld tax.

Perhaps we should just get all US buyers to use the other sites and the problem is solved :)

« Reply #30 on: January 02, 2010, 12:16 »
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You are correct withholding Tax should only affect the sales made to US Customers,
US customers or US Fotolia site?

« Reply #31 on: January 02, 2010, 12:18 »
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Perhaps we should just get all US buyers to use the other sites and the problem is solved :)
The problem would be totally solved if not only the US buyers used other sites.  ;D

« Reply #32 on: January 02, 2010, 12:33 »
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Hello!

Just wondering if any UK based contributors have managed to sort this out so that they don't get hit for 30% tax?

Also, are there any worthwhile UK or European based microstock companies?

« Reply #33 on: January 02, 2010, 13:25 »
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You are correct withholding Tax should only affect the sales made to US Customers,

US customers or US Fotolia site?

I just tested from the UK, and I typed in www.fotolio.com and the link changed to the US, http://us.fotolia.com/ I do not know how the withholding gets the buyers country code, I would think from the buyers login details, it is only something they can answer, with Istock it knows from my IP and information that I am in the UK as prices are in GBP but Fotolio prices are shown in USD.

http://us.fotolia.com/ = USD
http://uk.fotolia.com/ is not showing any images or price data.
http://de.fotolia.com/ = EUR

Checked the website UK link and it is now http://en.fotolia.com/ and GBP

From the US site I have opened a new account and can purchase credits in USD, also the EN website offers credits in USD, so I would hope that it would be the buyers country that would set the witholding tax rate.

David

« Last Edit: January 02, 2010, 13:36 by Adeptris »

« Reply #34 on: January 02, 2010, 16:03 »
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Screw them so much. I can't even get the W-8 form passed without filling a TIN number, because it keeps popping up in red i  need one.
Anyone found a workaround or something?
Thanks!
(NO WAY i'm applying for a TIN)

« Reply #35 on: January 02, 2010, 16:10 »
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Screw them so much. I can't even get the W-8 form passed without filling a TIN number, because it keeps popping up in red i  need one.
Anyone found a workaround or something?
Thanks!
(NO WAY i'm applying for a TIN)

I didn't have to provide one.  I am in the UK.

Which country are you in?

« Reply #36 on: January 02, 2010, 16:22 »
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Just check 9a and choose your country and it will work without ITN number.

« Reply #37 on: January 02, 2010, 16:57 »
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Thanks guys for your help! :)
I did check 9a before (i'm in belgium with 0%) and did again with still the same TIN error popping up... Turned out the issue was i filled in N/A in both TIN and EIN fields. As soon as i emptied them it got through.

Fotolia, not that you seem to care even a little bit, but the way you're handling this is just a disgrace! Bah.

« Reply #38 on: January 02, 2010, 18:35 »
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Thanks guys for your help! :)
I did check 9a before (i'm in belgium with 0%) and did again with still the same TIN error popping up... Turned out the issue was i filled in N/A in both TIN and EIN fields. As soon as i emptied them it got through.

Fotolia, not that you seem to care even a little bit, but the way you're handling this is just a disgrace! Bah.

Kind of lost here...
What is that 9a form?  The only choices I have are W-9 if I am a US resident, wich I am not (canadian) or the W8-BEN which gives me an error when I submit it.   Arghhhhhhhhh

Claude

« Reply #39 on: January 02, 2010, 21:12 »
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Thanks guys for your help! :)
I did check 9a before (i'm in belgium with 0%) and did again with still the same TIN error popping up... Turned out the issue was i filled in N/A in both TIN and EIN fields. As soon as i emptied them it got through.

Fotolia, not that you seem to care even a little bit, but the way you're handling this is just a disgrace! Bah.

Kind of lost here...
What is that 9a form?  The only choices I have are W-9 if I am a US resident, wich I am not (canadian) or the W8-BEN which gives me an error when I submit it.   Arghhhhhhhhh

Claude


I think 9a is a box, on the W8-BEN.

« Reply #40 on: January 02, 2010, 21:20 »
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Oh thanks!

That's why I take photos...  :)

Claude

« Reply #41 on: January 03, 2010, 01:08 »
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What I don't get is why e have to do this for every agency. US tax authorities seem to live in the medieval ages. In any other country I know about, you register for tax once, and that even goes for some third world countries.

« Reply #42 on: January 03, 2010, 04:48 »
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I presume you only have to apply for the number once and put it on the form for any site that asks for it.  I just don't like the application process or the thought of my details being on another countries government database.  SS and Veer Marketplace  have proved the ITIN isn't necessary, applying for one just for fotolia doesn't make sense, they should be working out the way not to use the ITIN.

Microbius

« Reply #43 on: January 03, 2010, 05:01 »
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I am from the UK, have filled in the form with 9a ticked,(without an ITIN), the form shows as validated and I am still having tax withheld. They definately want that ITIN to release the tax.
There's an option on the stats page now where you can see how much has been withheld.

I hate these guys so much, now I've got to take a day out and fork out a fortune for train ticket to go to the embassy and get my passport copy notarised because there's no way I'm sending off the original!
This is so unnecessary, they need to speak to SS's or veers' lawyers.

« Reply #44 on: January 03, 2010, 05:49 »
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I am from the UK, have filled in the form with 9a ticked,(without an ITIN), the form shows as validated and I am still having tax withheld. They definately want that ITIN to release the tax.
There's an option on the stats page now where you can see how much has been withheld.


I really don't get all this. I'm with Fotolia Germany, I filled in the form, it was confirmed, and I don't have an ITIN, but still no tax was deducted so far. From what is said in the forums, the same holds for other contributors in the same situation. It's only the contributors who didn't fill in the form or haven't received the confirmation yet who are getting tax deducted.

Microbius

« Reply #45 on: January 03, 2010, 05:52 »
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they only started on the first of January, have you had any sales since then?

« Reply #46 on: January 03, 2010, 06:26 »
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they only started on the first of January, have you had any sales since then?

Yes, I have. And no tax was deducted from any of them.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2010, 06:32 by stardust »

« Reply #47 on: January 03, 2010, 06:34 »
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That isn't correct, I am from the UK, I filled in the form without the ITIN and it was accepted but I am still getting tax withheld.

« Reply #48 on: January 03, 2010, 06:37 »
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US tax authorities seem to live in the medieval ages. In any other country I know about, you register for tax once, and that even goes for some third world countries.
Yes but most countries became independent out of some heroic fight for freedom or whatever. The US at the contrary became independent over a tax issue. No taxation without representation, they said, and now they are doing it themselves. ;D

« Reply #49 on: January 03, 2010, 06:42 »
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That isn't correct, I am from the UK, I filled in the form without the ITIN and it was accepted but I am still getting tax withheld.

What isn't correct? That no tax was deducted from my sales? Do you mean that that's a mistake on their side? As I said, other contributors with Fotolia Germany are reporting the same. Also, our moderator, who is also a Fotolia employee, said that he is not going to apply for an ITIN because it's not worth it for him, as he has very few sales from US-buyers which of course indicates that tax is only going to be deducted for US-based sales.


 

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