Creator contract guides · Updated November 7, 2026
Does my manager get commission after I leave? (Sunset clauses)
Short answer
A sunset clause lets your manager keep earning commission after the contract ends, usually on deals signed while they represented you. A fair one is limited to those deals, lasts a set time, and often steps the percentage down. Commission "in perpetuity" or on renewals of every deal forever is the version to push back on.
What the clause usually says
Following the expiration or termination of the Term, Manager shall continue to receive its full commission on all gross income derived from agreements entered into or substantially negotiated during the Term, including any renewals, extensions or replacements thereof, in perpetuity.
Manager shall receive fifty percent (50%) of its commission rate for the first twelve (12) months following the Term, and twenty-five percent (25%) for the following twelve (12) months, after which no commission shall be due.
The first version never ends. "Substantially negotiated" can cover deals the manager only emailed about, and "renewals, extensions or replacements" can catch a brand you keep working with for years. The second version is a real sunset: it steps down and then stops.
What's normal
- Commission only on deals signed during the term, not on anything "discussed".
- A fixed end: commission stops after a set number of months.
- A step-down: full rate for a while, then a reduced rate, then nothing.
- Renewals of a deal counted only if they're on the same terms and happen soon after.
- A list of the deals that are still commissionable, agreed when the contract ends.
Red flags
- "In perpetuity" or no end date at all.
- Commission on "replacements" or "any future agreements with the same brand".
- "Substantially negotiated" or "introduced" with no definition.
- The manager keeps collecting the brand's payments after you leave.
- Post-term commission at the full rate for years.
Why it matters
Your best brand relationships are often the long-running ones. If a manager signed your first deal with a brand, a perpetual clause can mean they take a share of that relationship long after they've stopped working on it. A new manager may also want commission on the same deals, so you could end up paying twice.
What to send the brand
Copy, adjust the numbers, and send. Brands expect pushback on these; asking doesn't make you difficult.
“Post-term commission should apply only to agreements signed during the term, and end 6 months after the term ends.”
“Can we replace "in perpetuity" with a step-down: full commission for 6 months after the term, half for the next 6, then none?”
“When the agreement ends, let's list in writing which deals remain commissionable.”
Got the actual contract?
Paste or upload it and get every clause like these flagged in plain English in about a minute — usage, ads, exclusivity, payment, and scam signs. Your first check is free.
Questions
Is a sunset clause normal?
Yes, some post-term commission is common, since the manager did work on deals that pay out later. The question is how long it lasts and what it covers.
What if my new manager also wants commission on those deals?
Raise it before you sign with the new manager. Many agree not to take commission on deals the previous manager is still paid on, for as long as the old sunset runs.
My brand renewed my contract a year after I left my manager. Do they get paid?
Only if your contract says renewals count and the sunset period hasn't ended. Read the exact wording of the post-term clause.
Related guides