Congratulations! Your site is live and generating revenue. However, earning money in your AdSense dashboard is only the first half of the journey. To ensure that money reaches your bank account, you must complete four critical “Action Items.”
Missing even one of these steps can result in a payment hold, where your ads keep running but your funds remain locked. Here is your definitive checklist for 2026.
1. Provide Your Tax Information
Google is required by law to collect tax-related information from publishers. If this step is not completed, Google may be legally obligated to withhold up to 30% of your total global earnings.
- How to complete it: Navigate to Payments > Payments info > Manage settings. Scroll to “United States tax info” (or your local tax section) and click Manage tax info.
- Which form? Most individual publishers outside the U.S. will use the W-8BEN form to claim tax treaty benefits and reduce withholding.
- Pro-Tip: Make sure the name on your tax form matches the “Legal Name” in your AdSense payment profile exactly.
2. Confirm Identity and Address (PIN)
Before Google sends thousands of dollars to an account, they need to verify that you are a real person at a physical location.
- Identity Verification: Depending on your country, you may be asked to upload a government-issued ID. You must do this before Google will mail your PIN.
- The PIN Process: Once your earnings reach the Verification Threshold (usually $10 USD), Google will automatically mail a physical 6-digit PIN to your home address.
- Timeline: It typically takes 2 to 4 weeks for the mail to arrive.
- The 4-Month Rule: You have 4 months from the date your PIN is generated to enter it into your account. If you fail to verify your address in this window, Google will stop showing ads on your site entirely.
3. Select Your Form of Payment
Once you reach the Payment Method Selection Threshold (usually $10 USD), you can tell Google where to send your money.
- EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer): The fastest and most common method. Google deposits funds directly into your bank account.
- Wire Transfer: Often used in countries where EFT is not available. Note that some banks may charge an incoming wire fee.
- Setup: Go to Payments > Payments info > Manage payment methods to add your bank details (SWIFT code, IBAN, or Account Number).
4. Meet the Payment Threshold
You will not receive a payment every time you earn a few dollars. Your finalized balance must reach the Payment Threshold (usually $100 USD or €70 EUR).
The AdSense Payment Timeline (2026)
Note: If you don’t reach the $100 threshold by the end of the month, your balance simply rolls over to the next month until the goal is met.
Summary Checklist
- [ ] Tax Info: Submitted and “Approved” status in dashboard.
- [ ] Identity: Government ID verified (if requested).
- [ ] Address: Physical PIN received and entered.
- [ ] Payment Method: Bank account linked and verified.
- [ ] Balance: Total finalized earnings exceed $100