max / makenotwork

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1	# Payments & Refunds
2
3	How payments work on Makenot.work.
4
5	---
6
7	## The Short Version
8
9	Stripe handles all payments. You're the merchant of record. We don't take a cut of your revenue. Fans handle refunds with you or dispute via their bank.
10
11	---
12
13	## How Payments Work
14
15	### Fan Payments
16
17	When fans buy your content or join a membership:
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19	1. Fan pays via Stripe (~{{ stripe.percent \| percent }} + {{ stripe.fixed \| money }} per transaction)
20	2. Funds go directly to your connected Stripe account
21	3. Deposits to your bank on your chosen schedule
22	4. We never touch or hold your money
23
24	### Platform Membership
25
26	Your monthly Makenot.work membership (${{ tiers.standard.basic }}-${{ tiers.standard.everything }}) is separate:
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28	- Billed to your payment method
29	- Goes to us for platform access
30	- Has nothing to do with your fan revenue
31
32	---
33
34	## You're the Merchant of Record
35
36	When you connect Stripe, it creates an account for you:
37
38	- You are the merchant - Fans are paying you, not us
39	- You set prices - Including pay-what-you-want options
40	- You handle disputes - Chargebacks and refunds are your responsibility
41	- Your Stripe account is yours - If you leave, it stays with you
42
43	The tradeoff: you absorb the (typically rare) chargeback risk.
44
45	---
46
47	## Payouts
48
49	You control payout timing from your [Stripe dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com): standard (2-3 days), daily, weekly, monthly, or [instant](https://docs.stripe.com/payouts/instant-payouts) (1% fee in CA/EU/UK/SG/NO/HK/MY; 1.5% fee in US/AU/NZ/AE; min $0.50 USD or local equivalent, per [Stripe Instant Payouts docs](https://docs.stripe.com/payouts/instant-payouts)). See [Receiving Payouts](../guide/payouts.md) for full details on schedules, minimums, and international payouts. Payout schedule options are documented at https://docs.stripe.com/payouts.
50
51	---
52
53	## Refunds
54
55	### Our Policy
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57	Refund decisions are yours; you're the merchant of record. You can issue a full refund directly from the sale in your MNW dashboard, or handle full and partial refunds from your Stripe dashboard.
58
59	### How Fans Request Refunds
60
61	Fans should contact you directly. You can:
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63	- Issue a full refund from the sale in your MNW dashboard, or a full or partial refund via your [Stripe dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com)
64	- Offer alternative resolution (access fix, different content)
65	- Decline if the purchase was delivered as promised
66
67	### Our Recommendation
68
69	Clear refund policies reduce disputes. Consider:
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71	- Stating your policy on your page
72	- Being generous with genuine mistakes
73	- Responding promptly to requests
74
75	A $5 refund is cheaper than a $15 chargeback fee.
76
77	---
78
79	## Chargebacks
80
81	If a fan disputes a charge with their bank:
82
83	1. Your balance is debited - Disputed amount plus fee (~$15)
84	2. You respond through Stripe - Provide evidence the charge was legitimate
85	3. Bank decides - You either get the money back or lose it
86
87	### Why This Model
88
89	The alternative (us being merchant of record) would mean we'd take on chargeback risk and price that into fees, hold reserves from your earnings, and have incentive to restrict what you can sell.
90
91	### Reducing Chargeback Risk
92
93	Most chargebacks come from:
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95	- Unrecognized charges (fan forgot they joined a membership)
96	- Unauthorized use (stolen card)
97	- Dissatisfaction (fan expected something different)
98
99	Clear communication prevents most disputes. Make sure fans know what they're paying for, how your billing descriptor appears on statements, and how to cancel memberships. See [Receiving Payouts](../guide/payouts.md#chargebacks-disputes) for dispute resolution details.
100
101	---
102
103	## Taxes
104
105	### What We Provide
106
107	- Transaction records - Exportable history of all payments
108	- 1099-K (US creators) - Issued by Stripe if you meet [reporting thresholds](https://support.stripe.com/topics/1099-tax-forms)
109	- Invoices - For your platform membership
110
111	### Your Responsibilities
112
113	You're responsible for:
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115	- Reporting income from fan payments
116	- Collecting and remitting sales tax if required in your jurisdiction
117	- Understanding tax obligations for digital goods in your location
118
119	### VAT, GST, and Sales Tax
120
121	If you sell digital goods to fans in the EU, UK, Australia, Canada, or other jurisdictions with digital sales tax, you may be required to collect and remit VAT, GST, or sales tax, even if you are outside those jurisdictions.
122
123	Stripe may collect sales tax automatically in some regions depending on your account configuration. Check your [Stripe Tax settings](https://dashboard.stripe.com/tax) to see what's enabled.
124
125	Since we do not act as Merchant of Record, tax collection and remittance is your responsibility. Consult a tax professional if you're unsure.
126
127	### Platform Fee Deductions
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129	Your Makenot.work membership fee may be deductible as a business expense. Keep your receipts.
130
131	---
132
133	## International Payments
134
135	Stripe supports creators in [46+ countries](https://stripe.com/global) and payments in [135+ currencies](https://docs.stripe.com/currencies). See [Receiving Payouts](../guide/payouts.md#international-creators) for currency conversion details and country-specific notes.
136
137	---
138
139	## What We Don't Do
140
141	- Hold creator funds - Money goes directly to your Stripe account
142	- Take a percentage - Our fee is flat monthly membership only
143	- Control your pricing - Set whatever prices you want
144	- Process payments ourselves - Stripe handles everything
145	- Provide tax advice - Consult a professional
146
147	---
148
149	## See Also
150
151	- [You're the Merchant of Record](../about/merchant-of-record.md): what it means, pros and cons, tax tools
152	- [Creator Guarantees](../about/guarantees.md): our commitments on revenue
153	- [Pricing Tiers](../guide/tiers.md): tier features and pricing
154	- [Stripe Global](https://stripe.com/global): supported countries
155	- [Stripe Currencies](https://docs.stripe.com/currencies): supported currencies
156	- [Stripe: What You Need to Know](../guide/stripe.md): Fees by country, currency conversion, Stripe Tax
157	- [Stripe Connect](https://stripe.com/connect): how the payment model works
158