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faideswart
Community Member

Doing projects and not withdrawing money until freelance registration is finalized

Hi, I have just registered at Upwork but have a question about the payment and the W-8BEN form. I am citizen from the Netherlands and am planning to do some freelance work through Upwork but I am currently living in China (as I have been working here as an expat). I am planning to move back to the Netherlands in June and will register as a freelancer there, at that time I will also get the legal name of my business and a registered VAT number. I saw that at Upwork earnings are 'saved' in your account until you withdraw it. Is it possible for me to already start doing assignments and then accept the payment but not withdraw money until I move back and have myself registered with a business name and VAT number? So that I would leave the money stored in my Upwork account until I have fully registered everything in the Netherlands in June? 

If there are any implications please advise on legal/financial effects of doing it in this way. 

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jr-translation
Community Member


Fai D wrote:

Hi, I have just registered at Upwork but have a question about the payment and the W-8BEN form. I am citizen from the Netherlands and am planning to do some freelance work through Upwork but I am currently living in China (as I have been working here as an expat). I am planning to move back to the Netherlands in June and will register as a freelancer there, at that time I will also get the legal name of my business and a registered VAT number. I saw that at Upwork earnings are 'saved' in your account until you withdraw it. Is it possible for me to already start doing assignments and then accept the payment but not withdraw money until I move back and have myself registered with a business name and VAT number? So that I would leave the money stored in my Upwork account until I have fully registered everything in the Netherlands in June? 

If there are any implications please advise on legal/financial effects of doing it in this way. 


The invoices created by Upwork will show the date it was issued and include the VAT due that date. You need to finish you paperwork first and check with the authorities in the Netherlands. It might be possible to register already or you register oin China while you live there and then move your business to the Netherlands.
What you can not do is work and use Upwork as a bank. The is one rule to keep in mind no matter where you live: If you have income, you need to pay taxes.

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