ASCAP Payment System

Performance Periods and Payment

For purposes of processing and paying out on performances, ASCAP divides the year into three-month periods, or performance quarters. ASCAP pays its members for U.S. performances approximately 6-7 months after the end of each three-month performance quarter.

Royalty Thresholds
The cost associated with processing checks, bank fees, administrative charges and manual handling expenses, makes issuing checks and statements for less than $100.00 uneconomical. Therefore, beginning with the September 2010 distribution and continuing thereafter, if your total net earnings are below $100.00, ASCAP will apply all amounts previously earned to future distributions, and will not issue a check or statement until at least $100.00 in royalties has accumulated. At the end of a calendar year, if the cumulative $100.00 threshold has not been reached, outstanding amounts will be rolled over into the following year. However, if you select to receive your royalties via Direct Deposit, ASCAP will distribute all amounts of $1.00 or more. Setting up Direct Deposit is simple. You may sign up for Direct Deposit on-line from your Member Access account. Please go to https://members.ascap.com/, log in and follow the instructions. Beginning with the September 2010 domestic publisher distribution, ASCAP will not send a paper statement if you earn less than $100.00 in a distribution. Please go to your Member Access account to view all statements in PDF format or to download electronic data Direct Deposit royalties and statements are available in Member Access on the date of distribution.

Methods of Payment
There are two methods of payments available to ASCAP writers: the "current performance" plan and the "averaged performance" plan. Most writers and all publishers are paid on the 100% current performance plan, which means they receive 100% of their royalties in the distribution for all performances in a specific performance quarter. All new writers are automatically paid on a current performance basis. The averaged performance plan averages the dollar value of a writer's performances over an extended period of years. The calculation of royalties described on this website refers to the 100% current performance plan, which applies to most writers and all publishers.

For more information on the averaged performance plan, please contact your ASCAP representative or call Member Services at 1-800-95ASCAP or inquire via email to Member Services.

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