📌 Introduction
In the event of an author's death, copyright continues to have effects, particularly those of a financial nature. If you are an heir (legal or testamentary), you can request access to manage the author's Soundreef profile and receive any accrued royalties.
Let's see how it works and what documents are needed.
📚 The repertoire remains in the original author's name
Moral rights are inalienable and cannot be transferred.
This means that the deceased author will continue to appear as the rights holder in their Repertoire:
their name, IPI code, and ownership percentages will still be indicated in the distribution schemes
the works will still be associated with their creative identity
Heirs can manage the account and receive the royalties accrued on those works.
📄 What the heir must do
To manage the deceased author's profile and be enabled to receive royalties, you need to contact us via Messenger on the site and provide official documentation.
To start the procedure, you need:
the author's death certificate
the heir's personal data
Legal documentation proving the heir's entitlement (legal or testamentary succession)
The documents must be complete, legible, and related to the author and the heir.
💳 Receiving royalties
Once the documentation is verified, we can:
enable the heir to access account management
allow the heir to enter their payment details into the account
transfer future royalties accrued on that repertoire to the new beneficiary
📨 How to proceed
To activate the procedure, simply contact us via Messenger on the site.
Our team will guide you step by step in sending the documents and managing the position.
❓ FAQ
🔹 Will the author continue to be mentioned in the distribution schemes of the works?
Yes. The deceased author will remain the repertoire holder. The name and IPI code will appear in every musical work.
🔹 But what if I am also an author/composer?
No problem, you can separately create a separate author position (for your repertoire linked to your IPI code) and simultaneously manage the deceased author's account. The two managements do not conflict.
🔹 Can I access the account immediately?
No. First, it is necessary to send the required documentation to verify entitlement.
🔹 What happens if there are multiple heirs?
In the case of multiple heirs, additional documentation will be required to establish shared or delegated profile management.
🔹 Will the collected royalties be transferred to the heir?
Yes, starting from the update of the payment details.
✅ Conclusion
If you are an heir of an author registered with Soundreef, you can manage their account and receive the accrued royalties. The author will remain indicated as the repertoire holder, while you may be assigned the management of the position. Contact us to start the procedure: we will assist you at every stage, from sending the documents to updating the payment details.
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