What happens to a Shutterstock account when someone dies
Shutterstock publishes its own process for a deceased person's account; a written request goes in through Shutterstock's support ticket system.
Shutterstock's terms allow a Shutterstock account to pass to the estate after the holder dies.
Shutterstock publishes its own process for a deceased person's account: Account transfer after a contributor's death; a written request goes in through Shutterstock's support ticket system. The request takes 4 documents.
How to request a transfer
- •Use the support messenger in the help center.
- •Or use the Contact us page, topic Account Changes.
Required Documents
- Will naming the beneficiary of the portfolio: Reviewed and approved by a lawyer or notary public.
- The full name of the new owner and the reason for the ownership change
- Assignment and Assumption Agreement: A transfer of copyright agreement, which Shutterstock provides.
- W-9 or W-8BEN tax form from the new owner: if the transfer is approved. Which form depends on the new owner's country of residence; payments are not issued without an approved tax form.
What Shutterstock, Inc.'s terms say at death
- The terms
“In the event of a contributor's death, Shutterstock honors the instructions of Estate representatives worldwide. As an example, your portfolio may be transferred over to a beneficiary if it is mentioned in a will that is reviewed and approved by a lawyer or notary public.”1
What Shutterstock, Inc. says happens10
- Who owns the asset
The copyright in all content stays with the copyright owner. Shutterstock holds a worldwide, sublicensable, non-exclusive license to license and market the content it accepts.2
- Transfer at death
The beneficiary contacts Shutterstock through the support messenger; its Fin AI Agent can help or connect the beneficiary with the right team, and Shutterstock helps process the paperwork for an account transfer.1
An account transfer moves both access to the account and the copyright in the portfolio, and the new holder assumes the previous holder's obligations and agreements with Shutterstock.3
- How requests are reviewed
Shutterstock reviews and processes every account transfer request case by case.3
- Balances, payouts and refunds
Pending unpaid earnings are paid to the original account holder before ownership is transferred.3
The Terms set a Payout Minimum of USD $25.00 per accounting period; earnings below it, or with no valid payment account on file, roll over to the next period. The help center says the contributor sets a minimum payout amount in account settings.2, 4
Payments through Payoneer, PayPal or Skrill are usually sent between the 7th and 15th of the month. Both US and non-US contributors need an approved tax form on file to be paid.4
- Tax forms the provider issues
Shutterstock asks a US contributor for a W-9 when earnings reach $10.00 and issues no payment until a completed W-9 is on file, even if the earnings reach the minimum payout.5
- Closing the account
An account with unpaid earnings is paid out before it is closed, through Shutterstock support. Shutterstock cannot issue a payment of less than $1.6
Under the Terms, royalties are forfeited if the account is cancelled before accrued earnings reach the Payout Minimum, and Shutterstock terminates an account no later than 90 days after a written request.2
- Deletion and data retention
After an account is closed, Shutterstock deletes the contributor's information, keeping the personal data it needs for legal and compliance obligations where the contributor licensed content.6
- Continuing a shop, channel or listing
Until an account termination takes effect, its content remains available for license to Shutterstock customers.2
Removing or reactivating a portfolio can take up to 72 hours to show on the website, and content removed from creative marketplace licensing cannot be reinstated on the customer site for 30 days.7
Licenses Shutterstock has issued for content that is later removed stay in effect in perpetuity.2
- Inactive accounts and expiry
Earnings tied to inactive accounts may be turned over to the state as unclaimed property, typically because an expired payment method or tax form prevented payment; the account may also be opted out of licensing.8
- Other ways to reach the provider
Shutterstock's contributor Contact us page carries an Account Changes topic with an option for an account transfer to a person or business.9
Not in Shutterstock's published guidance7
- How long a request takes
- A phone number for this
- Whether a certified death certificate is required
- A mailing address for estate or transfer requests
- Documentation required beyond a reviewed will
- Handling of earnings below the minimum payout at death
- A tax-form transition process for the estate
Sources9
- 1.What happens to my account if I pass away?
- 2.Contributor Terms of Service, Effective as of Tuesday, September 5, 2023
- 3.How do I transfer my account to another person?
- 4.How do I get paid for my work?
- 5.W-9 Frequently Asked Questions
- 6.How do I close my contributor account?
- 7.Can I control how my content is licensed?
- 8.Unclaimed property and escheatment
- 9.Contact us
A written request to Shutterstock can ask it to transfer the accounts to the estate, refund an unspent balance, provide purchase and transaction records for the estate inventory, preserve the account while the estate is opened and close the account.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter for Shutterstock drafts that request from the estate's details.
Sources
Data sourced from Shutterstock, Inc. primary sources (11 pages reviewed). How we research.
Shutterstock estate claims
Shutterstock Contributor Support
Website
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.
Do I Need Probate?
Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.
What Happens to Jointly Owned Property When an Owner Dies?
See what your state records when a joint tenant with right of survivorship dies: an affidavit, the death certificate or a new deed.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
