Aussie without US SSN

Congratulations on the sale!

As I understand it (a dangerous phrase) not only don't you need an SSN, you aren't even eligable for one.

You get asked for an SSN simply because it is on the forms they normally use, not because it is actually needed. (Although the poor person filling out their paperwork probably doesn't realise that)

For a start, you aren't working in the USA ... you are effectively exporting goods to them. They may 'need' an SSN for tax purposes, but in that case then they should accept an 'Individual Taxpayer Identification Number' (ITIN) . However from my incredibly meager experience, you can simply tell them that you don't have an SSN (as you are a foreigner) and they'll mutter a bit before finally realising that they don't need one for their paperwork.

Good luck,

Mac

Let us know what happens.

When I read your thread title, It thought you lost one of our nuclear submarines.

And this would be a silly place to ask for advice on how to find it - because we all know the FBI keeps track of this forum...

What, you don't think the FBI would know where the sub was? Or where Jenny was?

Or you are....

LOL!

Please can we get back to the OP before I get banned?

Get to an accountant with international experience.

Now for $60 I think you might be below the threshold, but you might as well find out about this stuff now rather than waiting.

When I first started practicing law (about 20 years ago), the firm I worked for had a client who died. In his will, he left one half of a mortgage payment that he had received to his nephew who was a resident of the Azores. The interest portion of a mortgage payment is taxable income to the recipient.

I don't remember the details, but basically the firm became a withholding agent, required by US law to withhold I believe 30% of the taxable income. We then needed to get him a tax payer ID (there's a specific office of the Internal Revenue Service ((IRS)) that deals with this) and he had to fill out a tax form each year.

You might want to check with some of our authors who have been published overseas. I believe they have tax liability in each country in which they are published. However, I'm not sure, which is why I suggest talking to an accountant with international experience.

By the way, further complicating this are various international treaties on taxes.

Remember, writing is fun!!!

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

There should be a tax exemption form they can send to you to complete.

If it is anything like New Zealand so long as you are both living, earning and paying tax overseas they basically don't want to know about it.

They may want you to fill out an IRS W-8BEN form. Some US payors won't process payments to non-US residents without the form on file.

Yes, I was going to mention that it's below the earnings threshold anyway. They may still need to report it as a payment.

Irysangel is like an encyclopedia when it comes to the ITINs and such, you might try sending her a PM. She'll be able to send you to the right webpage and tell you what you need; according to her it's quite simple. (She's very nice and doesn't bite, and you can tell her I said so.)

Congrats on the sale!

It never hurts to have a US ID number, not just for sundry bureacracy now but to expedite payments from US publishers in the future regardless of where you reside.

Great thread!

I'm from Slovenia, Europe - & I wonder how it's done here too... I thought you just report any income in the local 'IRS' yearly form, when it comes to it...

Yup, checked again.. It seems so... If I understood it right.. & if the payer pays some $ toward taxes, you can claim them as $ return or tax writeoff, if there is proof of payment.. I think I may need to print that out & read a couple more times lol... some things seem a bit tricky/to pay attention too...

Whether or not your earnings are below the threshold, I've found that more companies now are requiring a tax form or tax exemption form before paying their writers. After all, the companies have to report to the IRS too.