What a Creator's Payment Account Status Means, and What Actually Unblocks It

Overview

Payment Account Status is the column that tells you where a creator is in their own payout setup. It is the fastest way to see why a creator cannot be paid yet, and it is also a common source of confusion, because the status is driven entirely by what the creator has done on their side rather than by anything you can change.

What the values mean

The label has two parts: the state, and the payout method it applies to. On accounts using bank transfer you will see Active - Bank Transfer, Incomplete Tax - Bank Transfer and Not Started - Bank Transfer. Accounts still on PayPal show the same three states with a PayPal suffix, and accounts on Stripe show a Stripe suffix. The state is the part that matters:

• Not Started: the creator has not begun their payout setup.
• Incomplete Tax: the creator has a payout method in place, but their tax form is not finished being reviewed.
• Active: the creator is set up and can receive payment.

On accounts where PayPal payouts have been turned off, creators who are still on PayPal show as Needs Bank Account instead of the states above.

Why a creator sits at Incomplete Tax after submitting their tax form

Submitted is not the same as reviewed. The status only moves to Active once the creator's tax form has been reviewed, so a creator who has genuinely filled everything in can still show as Incomplete Tax while that review is outstanding. This is the case behind most reports of a creator saying they finished their setup while your side still shows them as incomplete.

There is no published turnaround time for the review, as covered in tax form review and payment processing time. Waiting on the review is the normal path, not a sign that something failed.

What you can and cannot do as a brand

You cannot complete or edit a creator's payout method or tax form. Creators manage both themselves from the Payouts page on their Live Site, which is walked through in the Creator Payment Guide. There is no brand-side setting that finishes it for them.

What you can do:

1. Add the Payment Account Status column to your Creators or Payments view, using the steps in the Bank Transfer Transition FAQ.
2. Read the status before assuming a payment failed, since it distinguishes a creator who never started from one who is only waiting on review.
3. If it reads Not Started, ask the creator to complete their payout setup. If it reads Incomplete Tax, the creator has already done their part and the review is what is outstanding, so there is nothing for either of you to re-submit.