Getting Paid as a Tutor

Tutors receive direct payouts to their bank account through Stripe Connect. Here's everything you need to know about getting paid.

How Tutor Payments Work

Payment Timeline

Understanding the flow:

Total time: ~11 days from session to bank account

Platform Fee

Sentuent charges 5% on all transactions:

What you keep:

• Session rate: $60
• Platform fee: -$3 (5%)
• Your payout: $57 (95%)

Fee covers:

• Payment processing (Stripe fees)
• Platform hosting and maintenance
• Customer support
• Calendar integration
• Video infrastructure
• Marketing and student acquisition

Viewing Your Earnings

Earnings Dashboard

Access: Dashboard > Earnings

Shows:

• Available balance - Ready to be paid out
• Pending balance - Waiting for security hold to clear
• Total earnings - All-time total
• This month - Current month's earnings
• Last payout - Most recent transfer

Transaction History

View all payments:

Earnings > Transaction History

Details for each transaction:

• Date and time
• Student name
• Session subject
• Gross amount (before fee)
• Platform fee
• Net amount (your payout)
• Status (pending, available, paid)

Export:

• CSV download
• Date range filters
• Tax year summary

Payout Schedule

Weekly Payouts

Standard schedule:

• Every Monday - Automatic payout initiated
• Minimum payout - $20 (if below, rolls to next week)
• Transfer time - 2-5 business days to bank
• Holiday delays - Payouts delayed if Monday is bank holiday

Example:

• Week 1: Earn $45 → Payout Monday
• Week 2: Earn $15 → Below minimum, no payout
• Week 3: Earn $30 → Payout Monday for $45 total ($15 + $30)

Instant Payouts (Premium)

For Premium tutors only:

How it works:

• Request payout anytime
• Minimum $50
• Arrives in minutes to hours
• Fee: 1.5% of payout amount

Enable: Upgrade to Premium ($9.99/month) + complete Instant Payout setup

Manual Payout

Request payout on-demand:

Earnings > Request Payout

Requirements:

• Minimum $20 balance
• Stripe account in good standing
• Bank account verified

Processing:

• Same as weekly (2-5 business days)
• No additional fee
• Resets weekly schedule

Bank Account Setup

Required for payouts:

Settings > Billing > Payout Methods

Add bank account:

1. Click "Add Bank Account"
2. Enter routing number
3. Enter account number
4. Confirm account type (checking/savings)
5. Verify via micro-deposits (2 small deposits to confirm)

Verification:

• Stripe sends 2 small deposits (< $1 each)
• Check your bank in 1-2 business days
• Enter the amounts in Sentuent
• Account verified, payouts enabled

International Payouts

Supported countries: 40+ countries via Stripe Connect

Requirements vary by country:

• Bank account in local currency
• Tax ID or equivalent
• Proof of address
• Additional verification documents

Payout timing:

• Varies by country (typically 3-10 business days)
• Some countries support instant payouts

Check eligibility: Settings > Billing > Supported Countries

Managing Multiple Payout Methods

Add multiple bank accounts:

• Set one as default
• Change default anytime
• Useful for:
  • Business vs personal account
  • Backup if one account has issues
  • Different accounts for different tax purposes

Payout Failed

Common Reasons

Why payouts fail:

• Bank account closed
• Routing/account number incorrect
• Bank doesn't accept ACH transfers
• Account verification incomplete
• Fraud hold (rare)

What happens:

• Email notification
• Funds returned to available balance
• Update payout method
• Request new payout

Resolving Failed Payouts

Taxes & Reporting

Tax Forms

US tutors:

• Earn $600+ per year → Receive 1099-K form
• Sent by January 31 for previous tax year
• Also available in Stripe Express dashboard

International tutors:

• Tax requirements vary by country
• Consult local tax professional
• Keep records of all earnings

Download tax documents: Settings > Billing > Tax Forms

Tracking for Taxes

What to track:

• Gross earnings (before fees)
• Platform fees paid
• Any expenses (equipment, materials, training)

Export for accountant:

• Annual earnings summary
• Transaction history (CSV)
• 1099-K form

Earnings Analytics

Understand your tutoring business:

Dashboard > Analytics > Earnings

Metrics:

• Average hourly rate - What you actually earn per session hour
• Sessions per week - How many sessions you're completing
• Top students - Who books most frequently
• Popular subjects - Which subjects earn most
• Growth trends - Week-over-week and month-over-month

Use data to:

• Optimize your schedule
• Decide which subjects to focus on
• Justify rate increases
• Plan your tutoring business

Maximizing Earnings

Increase Your Rates

When to raise rates:

• After 10+ positive reviews
• Fully booked for 2+ weeks
• Gained new credentials
• 6-12 months at current rate

How much:

• Start with 10-15% increase
• Grandfather existing students (optional)
• Announce 2-4 weeks in advance

See: Setting Your Rate guide

Fill Your Calendar

More sessions = more earnings:

• Update availability weekly
• Enable instant booking
• Respond to inquiries within 2 hours
• Offer package deals
• Market your services

Reduce No-Shows

Protect your earnings:

• Require 24-hour cancellation notice
• Send session reminders (automated)
• Enforce your cancellation policy
• Charge for no-shows

Disputes & Chargebacks

Student Disputes

If a student disputes a charge:

1. Stripe notifies you via email
2. You have 7 days to respond
3. Provide evidence (session recording, messages, etc.)
4. Stripe makes final decision

Types of disputes:

• "Service not provided" - Show session recording
• "Not as described" - Show conversation/agreement
• "Charged wrong amount" - Show rate agreement

Best protection:

• Keep session recordings
• Save all messages
• Be clear about rates upfront
• Follow through on commitments

Refunding Students

Voluntary refunds:

Earnings > Transaction History > [Select Session] > Refund

Refund options:

• Full refund (100%)
• Partial refund (any amount)

What happens:

• Student receives credits back
• Your payout reduced by refund amount
• Platform fee not refunded to you

Account Holds

Stripe may hold your account if:

• High dispute rate (>1% of transactions)
• Unusual activity pattern
• Identity verification incomplete
• Suspected fraud

If your account is held:

1. Email from Stripe explaining reason
2. Provide requested information
3. Review completed within 3-5 business days
4. Funds released if resolved

Prevent holds:

• Complete verification fully
• Maintain low dispute rate
• Deliver quality sessions
• Communicate clearly with students

Payment Issues

Missing Payment

If you don't receive expected payout:

1. Check pending balance (may not have cleared 7-day hold)
2. Verify bank account is verified
3. Check transaction history for payout status
4. Look for "Payout Failed" notification
5. Contact support with session details

Incorrect Amount

If payout amount seems wrong:

• Review transaction history
• Check for refunds or disputes
• Verify platform fee (should be 5%)
• Check for any adjustments

Formula:

Payout = (Session Rate × 0.95) - Refunds - Disputes

Delayed Payout

Bank transfer taking longer than expected:

• Normal: 2-5 business days
• Weekends don't count
• Bank holidays add delay
• International: Up to 10 business days
• Contact your bank if >7 business days

Need Help?

• Payout issues: support@sentuent.com
• Stripe questions: Login to Stripe Express Dashboard
• Tax questions: Consult a tax professional
• Missing payments: Include transaction ID in support request