Author Topic: Istock tax (Read 3018 times)

joyt · « **on:** June 22, 2016, 07:48 »

Anyone could give me an advice how to get back overpaid taxes on Istock? For about a year Istock have been taking 30% taxes from US sales. I'm Ukrainian and have to pay only 10%. So now I wondering how to get back overpaid taxes.Anyone could give me an advice how to get back overpaid taxes on Istock? For about a year Istock took 30% taxes from US sales. I'am Ukrainian and have to pay only 10%. So now I wondering how to get back overpaid taxes.

ShadySue · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2016, 07:51 »

Didn't you have to fill in a 'tax interview'? I understood people weren't being paid at all until they'd filled it in (at least I've read that on their forum and here). Perhaps that's only those from countries with a US tax agreement.
You'll need to contact iStock's Contributor Relations to see if they can help or advise. No-one else can help.

I think it may be that if your country doesn't have a tax agreement with the US, you may have to pay the 30% and the 10%, but hopefully CR have the facts about that. Possibly the information is available somewhere on the iS background site, but I can't find even the link to the site map at the moment (used to be right at the bottom of each page)

DaRkWeeDo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2016, 07:54 »

And how is it that you only have to pay 10%

30% is automatic for anyone not being US citizen or a citizen of a country that has a Tax treaty with US. As far as I am aware, there is a tax treaty between Ukraine and US but only for double taxation. In this case, and I might be wrong, you are under the 30% - hence my question how is it that you are claiming to be in the 10% bracket.

To answer ShadySue, I believe that all stock agencies put you in the 30% bracket (if registered account is non US) and after filling the Tax forms (tax interview) put you in the appropriate bracket (or leave you in the 30% in my case).

If they filed the Tax forms (which they did, april is deadline), only IRS can help you by filing the Tax return. Good luck with that.

joyt · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2016, 10:18 »

According to tax treaty between Ukraine and US I pay 10% from US sales on all other stock agencies

DaRkWeeDo · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2016, 10:27 »

You are right, I just read a treaty (part about the royalties).
My suggestion is to let it be (unless you overpaid some serious amount of money) and then change the status of your Tax applicant - this part you should check with iStock - or if you did not do the Tax Interview - do it now with the 10%

kingjon · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2016, 11:09 »

anyone know how often these tax interviews have to be completed? I had filled all the tax forms for all the sites initially and no tax was withheld (Canada) but recently found some sites were withholding tax (I let it go - a gift to my neighbours to the south).

Do we have to fill the forms annually?