This FAQ explains how Statusphere payouts work, why you might see certain issues, and what to do next. It is written for creators and reflects real payout scenarios.

To receive cash payouts, you must complete the required payout steps in your Wallet.

In your Wallet, you must complete all of the steps below:

1. Confirm whether you are eligible to complete a W-9

2. Choose a payout method:

• PayPal, or

• ACH bank transfer

3. Select ONE of the following (required):

• Opt out of submitting a W-9 until you reach $600 in cumulative cash payouts, or

• Submit your W-9 now

Important: If you do not select one of the two W-9 options above (opt out or submit your W-9), you will not be eligible to receive cash payouts.

If you opt out and later exceed $600 in cumulative cash payouts, you will become non-payable until a W-9 is submitted. For this reason, we strongly recommend submitting your W-9 now.

At this time, Statusphere can issue cash payouts only to creators who are eligible to complete a W-9 through our payment provider, Tipalti. Creators who are not W-9 eligible may still participate in PR gifting campaigns, which do not include cash payouts.

Cash payouts are available only to creators who are eligible to complete a U.S. IRS Form W-9.

To receive cash payouts, you must:

• Be eligible for W-9 reporting

• Complete the required payout steps in your Wallet, including selecting whether to submit a W-9 or opt out until you reach $600 in cumulative cash payouts

• Select a payout method (PayPal or ACH bank transfer)

Important: If you do not complete the required W-9 selection in your Wallet (submit a W-9 or opt out), you will be non-payable and cannot receive cash payouts.

If you opt out of a W-9 now and later exceed $600 in cumulative cash payouts, you will remain non-payable until a W-9 is submitted. For this reason, we strongly recommend submitting your W-9 now.

If you are not eligible to complete a W-9, you are not currently eligible for cash payouts.

You may still:

• Participate in PR gifting campaigns

• Receive non-cash compensation (such as products)

We are working toward expanding payment options, but there is no timeline to share yet.

Eligible creators receive cash payouts through PayPal or ACH bank transfer using Tipalti, our secure payment platform.

During Statusphere’s transition to cash payouts:

• Some collaborations may still be paid via gift card

• Gift cards are being phased out for incentive compensation

• Gift cards may still be used when a product cannot be shipped directly to you (virtual fulfillment)

We will always be clear about how each collaboration is paid.

If your Wallet is active, you are set up to receive cash payouts when they are available.

Statusphere is transitioning from gift cards to cash payouts. During this transition, different creators may be paid in different ways.

• Earlier collaborations were often paid via gift card

• Newer collaborations may be paid via cash payout or gift card, depending on availability and fulfillment method

Receiving a gift card while another creator receives cash payout is expected and does not mean there is an issue with your account or payout setup.

We will always clearly show how each collaboration is paid.

Cash payouts are typically issued about 30 business days after your collaboration’s posting due date.

This timing does not change based on:

• When your content was approved

• When payout setup was completed (as long as it was completed before payout)

• Support questions or review delays

Delays do not cancel or reduce your payout.

At this time, payout status is not shown in your Wallet.

When a payout is issued through Tipalti, you will receive a confirmation email with payout details. This email is the primary way to know that your payout has been sent.

We are working on adding payout status tracking to the Wallet in 2026.

After you receive the payout confirmation:

• Funds have been released

• Delivery time depends on your payout method

  • PayPal: usually faster

  • ACH bank transfer: may take several business days

Even after you receive the confirmation email, banks and PayPal may take additional time to post the deposit.

Before reaching out, check the following:

• Confirm the posting due date for your collaboration

• Count business days only (weekends and holidays do not count)

If fewer than approximately 30 business days have passed since the posting due date, your payout is still processing normally.

If you expect to earn less than $600 in total cash payouts, you may choose to opt out of submitting a W-9 for now.

This option exists to make payout setup easier for creators who:

• Expect to earn a small amount, and

• May not reach the IRS reporting threshold

Opting out does not block your payout if your total cash payouts remain under $600.

Tax reporting rules vary based on federal and state requirements.

At the federal level, some tax forms (such as the 1099-K) have higher thresholds (for example, $20,000 and 200 transactions). However, many states have lower reporting thresholds, with some requiring reporting starting at $600.

Because creators may be subject to state-specific reporting rules, Statusphere is required to use the lowest applicable threshold to ensure tax forms are issued correctly and on time.

As a result:

• A W-9 is required once your cash payouts exceed $600 in a calendar year

• This allows Statusphere to:

  • Report payouts accurately to the IRS and state tax authorities

  • Continue issuing cash payouts without interruption

This requirement applies only to paid collaborations, not to PR gifting campaigns.

Yes — but only in specific situations.

You will continue to receive cash payouts if either of the following is true:

• You are under $600 in total cash payouts and have opted out of submitting a W-9, or

• You have submitted a valid W-9

If you exceed $600 in total cash payouts and do not have a W-9 on file:

• You will become non-payable

• Cash payouts will pause

• Cash payouts will resume only after a W-9 is submitted

This applies to cash payouts only and does not affect PR gifting campaigns.

It depends on your payout method and your total cash payouts for the year.

If you are paid through PayPal, PayPal is responsible for issuing any required tax form (such as a 1099-K).

Whether you receive a tax form depends on:

• Federal thresholds, and

• State-specific thresholds, which may be lower (some states require reporting starting at $600)

PayPal determines whether a tax form is issued based on the applicable federal and state rules.

If you are paid via ACH bank transfer, Statusphere (through our payment provider) will determine whether a tax form is required based on applicable federal and state reporting rules.

In general:

• If your cash payouts meet or exceed the required reporting threshold for your situation, and

• You have a valid W-9 on file

You may receive a tax form (such as a 1099) at year-end.

Maybe. It depends on how your payouts are reported and the state you live in.

In some cases, you may receive more than one tax form if:

• You receive cash payouts for client-sponsored collaborations, and

• You also receive cash payouts for Statusphere-sponsored campaigns, and

• Each type of payout meets the applicable reporting threshold

For example:

• If you live in California, and

• You receive $600 or more in cash payouts for client work, and

• You receive $600 or more in cash payouts for Statusphere-sponsored campaigns

You may receive two separate tax forms, one for each type of work.

Important notes

• Tax form requirements depend on state and federal rules

• Not all creators will receive multiple tax forms

• Receiving more than one tax form does not change how you were paid

Statusphere does not withhold taxes. You are responsible for your own tax obligations.

Who issues your tax form depends on how you were paid.

• If you were paid via PayPal: PayPal will issue any required tax form directly to you, based on applicable federal and state reporting rules.

• If you were paid via ACH (bank transfer): Statusphere (through our payment provider) will issue any required tax form, based on applicable federal and state reporting rules.

Which tax form you receive, and whether you receive one at all, depends on:

• Your total cash payout amount

• Your state’s reporting requirements

• Your payout method

Statusphere does not withhold taxes. You are responsible for your own tax obligations.

A Form W-9 is used to provide your tax information so cash payouts can be issued and, if required, reported correctly.

You can find the official IRS instructions for Form W-9 on the IRS website. If anything below conflicts with IRS guidance, the IRS instructions always control.

Choose the option below that best matches your situation.

This applies if:

• You do not have an LLC, or

• You earn income personally under your own name

Complete your W-9 as follows:

• Line 1 (Name): Your legal name (exactly as it appears on your tax return)

• Federal tax classification: Individual / Sole Proprietor

• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): Your SSN

Important notes

• Do not enter a business name if you do not have an LLC

• Your name must match IRS records to avoid verification issues

This applies if your LLC:

• Has one owner, and

• Has not elected to be taxed as an S-Corp or C-Corp

In this case, the IRS treats your LLC as a disregarded entity, meaning the income is reported under your personal tax return.

Complete your W-9 as follows:

• Line 1 (Name): Your legal name (the owner)

• Line 2 (Business name): Your LLC name

• Federal tax classification: Individual / Sole Proprietor

• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): Your SSN (not your EIN)

Important: Using an EIN for a single-member, non-elected LLC often causes verification to fail.

This applies if your LLC:

• Has more than one owner, or

• Is required to file a separate business tax return

In this case, the LLC is not a disregarded entity. The IRS treats it as a separate business for tax reporting.

Complete your W-9 as follows:

• Line 1 (Name): The legal name of the LLC

• Federal tax classification: LLC (usually Partnership (P) unless another election was made)

• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): EIN of the business

If you’re unsure, the IRS instructions for Form W-9 provide the definitive guidance.

This applies if your LLC:

• Has elected to be taxed as an S-Corporation or C-Corporation, and

• Files a separate business tax return under that election

Complete your W-9 as follows:

• Line 1 (Name): Your LLC’s legal name

• Federal tax classification: S or C (based on your election)

• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): EIN

Important notes

• Do not select Individual / Sole Proprietor if your LLC is taxed as an S-Corp or C-Corp

• Do not use an SSN for this setup

• Your selection must match your IRS election to avoid verification issues

This is common and usually not your fault.

If:

• You entered your information exactly as it appears on IRS records, and

• Verification still fails

Please stop retrying and contact support so the issue can be reviewed manually. Retrying multiple times does not usually resolve automated verification failures and may delay resolution.

To help resolve your W-9 issue as quickly as possible, include:

1. Your creator setup (choose one):

• Individual / Sole Proprietor (no LLC)

• Single-member LLC (one owner)

• Multi-member LLC (more than one owner)

• LLC taxed as an S-Corp or C-Corp

2. If you have an LLC:

• Legal name of the LLC

• Whether the LLC has one owner or more than one owner

• Whether the LLC is taxed as an S-Corp or C-Corp (if applicable)

3. What you entered on your W-9:

• Line 1 name

• Line 2 name (if used)

• Federal tax classification selected

• TIN type used (SSN or EIN) — do not include the actual number

4. Verification details:

• Confirmation that the information matches IRS records

• Any error message received (screenshots are helpful)

Providing this information upfront allows the team to review the issue and resolve it faster.

PayPal information does not always prepopulate automatically. This is common and usually related to account setup or mismatched information.

Please check the steps below before contacting support.

• You can log in successfully to PayPal

• Your PayPal account is fully set up and verified

• Any PayPal prompts (email confirmation, identity checks, etc.) are completed

PayPal payouts often require an exact name match.

The following must match:

• The name on your W-9

• The name in your Statusphere Wallet

• The name on your PayPal account

Common issues include:

• Nicknames instead of legal names

• Personal PayPal accounts vs. business PayPal accounts

• Small differences in spacing or punctuation

If these names do not match, PayPal may fail to prepopulate or the payout may fail.

The email address on your PayPal account must match the email address on file with Statusphere.

If the emails do not match:

• PayPal may not prepopulate, or

• The payout may fail or be delayed

If your PayPal email is different, contact support. The team can update the email in Tipalti to match your PayPal account.

To receive cash payouts:

• Your PayPal account must be set to United States

• The country must match what is on file with Statusphere

If the country does not match, PayPal may not connect or may reject the payout.

If everything above looks correct:

• Log out of PayPal

• Reconnect PayPal from your Wallet

• Make sure you log into the correct PayPal account when prompted

Contact support and include:

• Confirmation that your PayPal account is active and verified

• Whether your PayPal account is personal or business

• The exact name shown on your PayPal account

• The email address used for PayPal

• Screenshots of any error messages (if available)

This allows the team to update Tipalti if needed and resolve the issue faster.

Yes.

You can:

• Update your tax information

• Change your payout method (PayPal or ACH)

Any changes you make apply to future payouts only. Completed payouts cannot be changed or reissued.

If payout setup is not complete at post submission:

• Your payout is delayed, not lost

• You will receive payment via gift card, to a retailer of your choice via email

There is no penalty.

Each collaboration is paid as its own individual payment through Tipalti.

This means:

• Each collaboration has a separate payout

• Payouts are not combined into a single lump sum

• Each payout will appear as its own PayPal or ACH transaction

Because each collaboration is processed separately, you may see multiple individual deposits if you completed more than one collaboration.

You may receive emails from:

• Statusphere (collaboration updates)

• Tipalti (payout setup, verification, password resets)

These emails are legitimate. You will never be asked for passwords or sensitive information by email.

Banks and PayPal process payouts on business days only.

Delays may occur due to:

• Bank processing times

• Weekends or holidays

• Time zone differences

These delays are normal and outside Statusphere’s control.

If a payout cannot be completed:

• You will be notified

• You may be asked to update information

• The payout will be reprocessed once corrected

You do not lose your payout.

Your account was suspended from participating in campaigns that include cash incentive compensation because we do not have a valid IRS Form W-9 on file for you.

Creators who participate in campaigns that include cash incentives must:

• Be eligible to submit a U.S. IRS Form W-9, and

• Have a completed, valid W-9 on file.

If you submitted a W-8, selected a country outside of the United States, or are otherwise not eligible to complete a W-9, you are not eligible to participate in campaigns that include cash incentive compensation.

As of 2026, due to updated reporting requirements and payment platform changes, we are only able to issue cash payments to U.S. persons with a valid W-9 on file. We are not permitted to process cash payouts to creators who are not W-9 eligible.

If you are a U.S. person and eligible to complete a W-9:

1. Log into your account

2. Navigate to your Payment and Tax Settings

3. Submit a valid W-9

Once your W-9 is reviewed and approved, your eligibility for cash incentive campaigns can be restored.

If you are not eligible to complete a W-9, you may still participate in product-only (seeding) campaigns that do not include cash compensation.

If you believe your account was suspended in error, please contact statussquad@joinstatus.com for assistance.