Understanding your tax obligations is an important part of managing your music income. SongDis provides royalty statements that you can use for tax purposes.
If you are not a US resident or entity, US-sourced royalties may be subject to withholding tax by the IRS. The standard withholding rate is 30%, but this can be reduced by a tax treaty between your country and the US.
To benefit from reduced withholding rates, you must submit a completed W-8BEN form (for individuals) or W-8BEN-E form (for entities) in your SongDis account settings. This form certifies your country of residence and allows SongDis to apply any applicable treaty rate.
US artists and entities must submit a W-9 form in their account settings. This allows SongDis to report royalty payments to the IRS. You are responsible for reporting your royalty income on your annual tax return.
If US withholding tax has been deducted from your royalties, you may be eligible to reclaim some or all of this withholding from the IRS, depending on the tax treaty your country has with the United States. To reclaim withheld amounts, you would typically file a US non-resident income tax return (Form 1040-NR) with the IRS. SongDis recommends consulting a tax professional familiar with international tax obligations for guidance.
SongDis provides annual royalty statements in your dashboard that summarise your total earnings for the year. These can be used when completing your tax return. If you require additional documentation, please contact our support team.
SongDis does not provide tax advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.