MicrostockGroup

Could Fotolia come up with any more bad news for contributors.

We've had

reduction in % commission
increase in the canister levels
taxation stupidity
the worst communication plan in the world

To offset this we've had amazing announcements like

The idiots who got lost in the desert who submit photos to fotolia
Fotolia university

In the last 6 months fotolia has been Istocks best friend tipping many people over the edge to exclusivity.

I wish they would just sort this taxation mess out the same way everybody else has.

Mina was, too  
BUT how will we (meaning those of us from the US) find out the total $ paid to the IRS so we can deduct that amount from our 2010 income tax payments? Employers send W-2 forms, will Fotolia send us W-2's in January 2010? It should count as part of our income taxes.

What? Did you actually read any of this thread before posting? FT has been deducting taxes from our earnings, that's what all the complaining is about, and the subject of this thread! Your response makes no sense.

Perhaps I missed something (your post?). I do not see any withholding on my (rare) sales, though I already got couple "tax" messages.
 
Sorry for possible misleading, my reply was from my understanding of IR code, not from one of FT practices.

From the way I read it, photographers from non-treaty countries will pay 28% on all sales IF they don’t fill out W8 tax form. If they fill out a W8 tax form, they will get taxed 30% only on US sales. I guess this is an IRS requirement to show that you are not a US resident.  In my case my US sales in 2009 amounted to 14% of my total Fotolia sales. US sales have always been a small percentage with Fotolia...lets hope for your sake it stays that way  . Denis

I did a search and found this that might be worth checking out.

http://www.brasilemb.org/index.php?Itemid=176&id=187&option=com_content&task=view

I still pay income tax in my country, but it's around 8%.
My concern is why I pay 30% of tax at fotolia?,  meanwhile Shutterstock give me 10% tax with same W-8 BEN form with out ITIN?

everybody need to ask this matter to fotolia.

Sharpshot,

I have been checking that information, and apparently what it means is that I must only declare the net earnings I had abroad.  That is, if I earn 100 and 12 is paid in taxes in the USA, in the Brazilian tax report I say I earned 88 and will be taxed on this value only.

I wil check with the revenue service, if they ever reply...

Madelaide,

If you are refering to the IRS then you may be in for a disappointment. I can't remember if I already posted the following on this forum before or not, so apologies if I've repeated myself.

I emailed the IRS via the US Embassy in London, about the whole ITIN issue, explaining that I am a contributor to multiple stock agencies and fotolia was the only one saying that we must have an ITIN to have 0% tax for treaty countries. I asked them detailed questions explaining that I was very confused and asked them to confirm whether or not an ITIN is necessary when submitting a W8BEN. I waited for 2 weeks and got this reply:

"Your W8BEN would be valid forever with an ITIN.  To apply use form W-7
and follow instructions implicitly."

I hope the IRS department you contact will be a lot more helpful!!!!!