I recently got email from Google Adsense that I am eligible to monetize my Youtube videos (Wohooo!). It’s very exciting for anyone who reaches that initial goal but there is some setup required e.g. verification, tax information etc. I will walk you through the process so do not worry.
The first email you get is regarding verification of your identity. The email looks something like this:
So basically you need to submit a valid government issued document stating you are who you say you are. Once you do that then you will get another email after a couple of days, if everything looks good.
How to submit tax information to Google?
The next email is about setting up your payment and tax information. The tax information was a bit confusing to me but I will explain the important details to you. Once you login to your Google Adsense account click Payments > Manage Settings. Scroll to Payment Profile and click edit next to ‘United States tax info‘. You can read more here.
There you will be asked a bunch of questions such as Name of individual (should be same name as appears on your tax documents). Now under the Taxpayer identification number (TIN) enter the Business number that you got from your government. For example since I live in Canada it’s the Business number for me. Yours could be different. If you are unsure then I would highly recommend to consult an accountant. If you are curious about submitting US tax info then read this.
Does my country have a tax treaty with the US?
If your country has a tax treaty with the US then under the ‘Select W-8 tax form type‘ you need to check ‘W-8BEN‘ option. Again check with a professional e.g. a lawyer or an accountant if you are unsure. You an check here if you would like to find out regarding tax treaty.
You will be given an option to verify the document generated and sign a certification. And after a few simple questions you will be able to submit the documents and see an Accepted sign.
Congratulations!
I would highly suggest you consult an accountant or a lawyer in case you are unsure about anything. I am not a tax expert and this is strictly my opinion.