1. Parties and purpose
• This Self-Billing Agreement is made between Katie Suzuki Music Ltd (the "Studio") and the undersigned teacher (the "Teacher").
• Its purpose is to establish a self-billing arrangement under which the Studio will create and issue invoices on the Teacher's behalf for teaching services delivered through the Studio.
2. Scope
• This Agreement applies to all invoices for teaching services provided by the Teacher to the Studio while this Agreement is in force.
• It does not apply to any other goods or services the Teacher may provide outside the Studio.
3. Consent to self-billing
• The Teacher consents to the Studio issuing invoices in the Teacher's name, on the Teacher's behalf, for teaching services delivered through the Studio.
• The Teacher acknowledges that each invoice issued under this Agreement is the Teacher's tax invoice for the relevant services and may be used for the Teacher's own tax and accounting purposes.
4. Invoice approval process
• All communications relating to this Agreement, including monthly invoice approval links and renewal notifications, will be sent to the Teacher's @katiesuzukimusic.com email address provided by the Studio.
• For each calendar month, the Studio will prepare a draft invoice based on lesson data recorded in the Studio's booking system.
• The Studio will send the Teacher a link to an online approval form, pre-filled with the invoice details, on or around the 6th of the following month.
• The Teacher agrees to review the invoice details and either approve them, or query them, within 5 business days of receiving the approval link.
• Approval is given by submitting the online approval form. The Studio's record of that submission is the Studio's record of approval.
• If the Teacher queries any detail, the Studio will correct the invoice and send a new approval link. The original draft is not paid against.
5. Payment timing
• Once an invoice is approved, the Studio will pay the Teacher within 5 working days of receiving the approval form submission.
• Payment will be delayed until approval is received. The Studio is not obliged to pay invoices that have not been approved.
6. Self-billed invoice marking
• All invoices issued under this Agreement will be clearly marked as "self-billed invoices" and will state that they are issued by the Studio on the Teacher's behalf.
• Each invoice will identify both the Studio and the Teacher and will include the period, hours, rate, and total payable, along with any applicable tax (such as GST or VAT) where relevant.
7. No separate invoicing by the Teacher
• The Teacher agrees not to issue separate invoices to the Studio for any work covered by this Agreement.
• Issuing a separate invoice for the same work could result in duplicate payments and tax record discrepancies for both parties.
8. Tax responsibilities and notifications
• The Teacher is responsible for their own tax obligations in their country of residence.
• The Teacher is responsible for checking that each invoice issued under this Agreement accurately reflects their current tax registration status.
• The Teacher must promptly notify the Studio of any change to their tax registration status, including becoming, or ceasing to be, registered for GST, VAT, or an equivalent tax, so that invoices can be corrected.
• The Teacher must provide any required tax identification number (such as a New Zealand GST number, UK VAT number, or US TIN) for inclusion on invoices where legally required.
9. Income declaration
• The Teacher is responsible for declaring all income received under this Agreement to the tax authority in their own jurisdiction and for complying with their own tax filing and record-keeping obligations.
• The Studio does not withhold tax from payments unless legally required to do so.
10. Currency
• All invoices issued under this Agreement will be in New Zealand dollars (NZD) unless otherwise agreed in writing.
• The Studio is responsible for any currency conversion fees or exchange-rate differences involved in paying the Teacher in their local currency.
11. Term and renewal
• The initial term of this Agreement is 12 months from the date of signing.
• This Agreement automatically renews each year on the anniversary of signing for a further 12 months on the same terms, unless the Teacher opts out.
• Approximately 30 days before each anniversary, the Studio will send the Teacher a renewal reminder and give the Teacher 30 days to opt out.
12. Withdrawal of consent
• The Teacher may withdraw consent to this Agreement at any time by written notice to the Studio.
• The Studio may end this Agreement at any time by written notice to the Teacher.
• Withdrawal or termination takes effect immediately upon receipt of the notice.
• Any invoices already approved by the Teacher under the process in clause 4 before the date of withdrawal will still be paid in accordance with clause 5.
• From the date of withdrawal or termination onward, the Teacher will issue their own invoices for any further teaching services.
13. End of engagement
• This Agreement automatically terminates when the Teacher's engagement with the Studio ends, whether by either party giving notice, immediate termination for cause, or any other reason.
14. Record keeping
• The Studio will retain self-billed invoices and approval records for at least 7 years from the date of issue, in accordance with New Zealand Inland Revenue Department requirements.
• The Teacher may request copies of any self-billed invoice or approval record relating to their own services at any time, and the Studio will provide these within a reasonable timeframe.
15. Governing law
• This Agreement is governed by the laws of New Zealand.
