General Tax Information

Tax Form Submission

International Authors

1099-MISC

 


When is my book's price set?


The price of your book is set just prior to manuscript and cover approval, because the final page count, cover and book size help determine the price.

Back to Top


I found out a bookstore ordered a large quantity of my books. I want to know if this order has shipped. Can I call Insights Publisher and find out?


When an order is placed directly through Insights Publisher, as soon as the order ships you will be able to view the order details in the Sales Activity Detail on your myIPaccount. If an order is placed through Ingram, the order details will appear in the Sales Activity Detail at the end of Ingram's monthly accounting period.

Back to Top


How do I verify my direct deposit was posted to my account? Do I get a receipt from Insights Publisher?


You are welcome to call your financial institution to verify that the deposit has been posted to your account. Direct deposit, which provides an efficient way to get your royalties to you, can take up to five days to post to your account.

Back to Top


I sent in my direct deposit information. Why did I receive a check?


We make every effort to quickly process all direct deposit forms we receive. However, if we did not receive the completed form in time for the current quarter's dispersal, the direct deposit will not begin until the next payment cycle.

Back to Top


How do I set up others as royalty participants from my book?


During the submission process, we provide you with the opportunity setup each individual or entity that will receive a portion of the royalties generated from the sale of your published book.

Back to Top


Can other contributors access my reports?


Only the primary contact can access the data from your reports. Nonprimary contributors cannot access the data at the present time.

Back to Top


I didn't find the answer to my question. Who can I ask?


Contact us through Contact Us. We will respond as quickly as possible. To help us expedite and provide a complete answer to your question, please include the following information in the text of your message:

  • Author name (Include full name, as well as any pen name used
  • Insights Publisher ID (located on the top right-hand corner of your royalty statement
  • Agent name (if applicable)
  • Title and ISBN of your book
  • Current mailing address

Back to Top


Why is it important to give Insights Publisher my tax ID or Social Security Number?


We require your Social Security number to comply with the government’s tax regulations. Since you have the opportunity to earn additional income from book sales, the government requires that you pay taxes on the total earnings. The W-9 form allows you to provide a Taxpayer Identification Number, or TIN. If you are receiving royalties for your book as an individual, your TIN is your Social Security number. If the royalties for your book are going to a business, a business account must be created and W-9 should be supplied for the business that includes an employer identification number instead of your personal Social Security number.

If you do not supply your taxpayer ID number, we are required to withhold taxes at the rate of 28 percent of total earnings.

If you supply us with your taxpayer ID at a later date, we cannot return the withheld tax money because we do not retain it — it is passed on to the government by law. You can speak to a tax professional about how to report this at the end of the tax year in order to receive a tax return for any additional amount that you are due.

Back to Top


Do I earn royalties when I buy my own books?


All author purchases are royalty exclusive. The author does, however, receive discounts on all purchases.

Back to Top


How does Insights Publisher calculate royalty payments?


Your royalty rate calculations are based on the date you signed your author agreement.

Royalties are based on the net payments we actually receive from the sale of printed or electronic (e-book) copies of your book, minus any shipping and handling charges or sales and use taxes. Since retail and wholesale customers purchase on a discount, the royalty amount you receive depends on what type of customer bought your book, the channel through which they purchased, and any discount they received. Royalty percentages for printed, electronic (e-book), or audio copies are as follows:

  • 25 percent of the retail price for sales of printed copies or audiobook copies directly through the Insights Publisher website bookstore.
  • 10 percent of the retail price for sales of printed copies or audiobook copies through one of our distribution channels, such as Amazon.*
  • 50 percent of digital net received for each e-book copy sold.

Here is an example of a common sales transaction of a printed book:

  • The retail price (list price) for your softcover book is $15.95.
  • Your Insights Publisher royalty rate for retail transactions is 10 percent.
  • A retailer, such as Barnes & Noble, places an order for your book through Ingram Book Company, a wholesaler.
  • Ingram then resells the book to the retailer.

Please be aware that the largest retailers, including Barnes & Noble, place orders for print copies of Insights Publisher titles through Ingram, so those orders will appear as wholesale sales on your royalty statement.

Minimum Threshold for Payments

If your quarterly determination of royalties in any calendar year exceeds seventy-five ($75) dollars, the payment shall be issued according to the quarterly payment schedule. If the quarterly royalties due are equal to or less than seventy-five ($75) dollars, the quarterly royalty amount will be carried forward and added to the subsequent quarterly royalty amount due. Until cumulative author royalties exceed seventy-five ($75) dollars, each quarterly author royalties will be carried forward and added to the cumulative author royalties. Cumulative author royalties at the end of a calendar year will be issued by February 28.

* Please note: The 25 percent royalty rate only applies to consumer orders placed with Insights Publisher. A retail order placed with Insights Publisher qualifies for the 10 percent royalty.

Royalties are based on the net payments we actually receive from the sale of printed or electronic (e-book) copies of your book, minus any shipping and handling charges or sales and use taxes. Since retail and wholesale customers purchase at a discount, the royalty amount you receive depends on what types of customer bought your book, the channel through which they purchased, and any discount they received.

You should be aware that the largest retailers, including Barnes & Noble and Amazon, place orders for Insights Publisher titles through Ingram; those orders will appear as wholesale sales on your royalty statement.

Please refer to your author agreement for details regarding your royalty calculations.

Back to Top


I have less than $75 in my earned royalty account. I know my publishing agreement states that this will be carried over to the next quarter. Can I get an early payment sent to me so I don't have to wait another three months? Is there a minimum royalty payment?


Minimum Threshold for Payments

If your quarterly determination of royalties in any calendar year exceeds seventy-five ($75) dollars, the payment shall be issued according to the quarterly payment schedule. If the quarterly royalties due are equal to or less than seventy-five ($75) dollars, the quarterly royalty amount will be carried forward and added to the subsequent quarterly royalty amount due. Until cumulative author royalties exceed seventy-five ($75) dollars, each quarterly author royalties will be carried forward and added to the cumulative author royalties. Cumulative author royalties at the end of a calendar year will be issued by February 28.

Back to Top


On what types of book sales do I earn royalties?


You will earn royalties on all books sold, except for author and co-author purchases. Because we offer significant discounts to authors for book purchases, these sales are royalty exclusive.

Back to Top


Will I make money when my books is sold online through Insights Publisher?


Yes, you will have the opportunity to earn money from book sales when you self-publish a book with Insights Publisher. We do not license exclusive rights to publish your book from you, nor do we give you an advance against royalties like a traditional publisher. However you will earn royalties from each book sale; these royalties are taxable income for you. Please read other FAQs below to determine how book pricing and royalty calculations are determined.

Back to Top


When are my royalties paid?


First Quarter: January 1 to March 31 (checks are mailed in late May)
Second Quarter: April 1 to June 30 (checks mailed in late August)
Third Quarter: July 1 to September 30 (checks mailed in late November)
Fourth Quarter: October 1 to December 31 (checks mailed in late February)

You are only paid for the books sold and shipped in the given time frame. If a book was purchased online on March 30, but the book was not actually printed and shipped until April 2, then you would be paid in the second quarter, not the first, since the book did not ship until the second quarter. E-book purchases are recorded when the sale is made.

Please note that you will only generate royalties from the original book sale. For instance, if a book is resold in any kind of second-hand store, you will not earn a royalty on that sale. Also, for retailers, you earn a royalty when the book is sold to a retailer who purchases your book for their store, not when a consumer actually purchases the book from the retailer. 

Back to Top


How am I paid for my book sales?


Your royalties from book sales are paid on a quarterly basis (four times a year). For check payments, royalties are paid when your royalty earnings reach $75.00 or more. Authors requesting electronic funds transfer (EFT) will receive payments electronically.

Back to Top


When is my EFT information updated?


We update new or modified EFT information on January 31, April 30, July 31 and October 31. To ensure your royalty funds are transferred to your preferred account, please make sure your account information is accurate prior to these dates. Changes made after these dates will be reflected on the following pay cycle.

Please note: You must reference a U.S.-based bank routing in order to take advantage of EFT.

Back to Top


How does Insights Publisher compare to the rest of the publishing industry in the area of royalty statements?


Almost all traditional publishers pay royalties and provide sales and royalty information on a semi-annual basis. Very few publishers—large or small—provide regular sales details to authors. So, because Insights Publisher pays royalties on a quarterly basis, authors receive their earnings more quickly from Insights Publisher than they would from a traditional publisher.

Back to Top


I have a general question about my royalty statement. Where can I go to get the answer?


If you have questions, please contact us through Contact Us.

Back to Top


I have an agent who represents me. Can Insights Publisher give me royalty information directly, or do I have to contact my agent?


Some publishing agreements state your agent is to receive all correspondence and statements. In this situation, we cannot provide any information to you. Please contact your agent.  If your publishing agreement states you are to receive your information directly, we will post your royalty statement within your myIPaccount.

Back to Top


I need to change my address. How can I do that?


You can easily change your contact information or e-mail address at any time by logging in to your myIPaccount and visiting the myAccount page.

Back to Top


Will I still see a royalty statement if there were no sales in a month or quarter?


No. We currently are not displaying statements for periods with no sales.

Back to Top


When will my royalties be posted to myIP?


Insights Publisher will post your quarterly royalty statement and pay royalties according to the royalty disbursement schedule in your myIPaccount. If your royalties are less than $75 in a given period, Insights Publisher will hold your payment until you reach the minimum of $75. However, if you sign up for our convenient direct deposit program, we will deposit royalty payments for any amount (including amounts less than $75) directly into your bank account.

Back to Top


Why does it take so long for Insights Publisher to post sales from Ingram or other retail bookstores?


All companies have a month-end close process to collect and validate financial information, and Insights Publisher is no exception. At the close of each month, Insights Publisher must collect sales and printing information from each of our business partners. We reconcile book orders and book sales with printing information to ensure that every single copy that is printed is accounted for. Then, we consolidate sales from many different sources into a single monthly statement for each author.

The process of collecting, consolidating, closing and posting sales information from our partners can take more than four weeks. It is important to remember that the sales statements are not final, however, because information posts to them as it is received. This process may take time, but we think it is essential to provide you with information that is 100 percent accurate and to account for each and every sale.

Although we strive to post sales statements as quickly as possible, four times per year it takes us six weeks to post statements due to our royalty payout schedule. During these quarterly payment periods, our staff is busy preparing quarterly statements and arranging individual royalty payments.

Back to Top


A bookstore ordered copies of my book at the end of last month, but those sales aren't appearing on my monthly statement. Why?


There are two reasons this might occur. First, like many publishers, Insights Publisher records a sale and pays royalties only after books are physically shipped. We may have an order in process at the end of a month, but if the books haven't shipped that month, then the sale will not be recorded until the following month.

What's more likely, however, is that the bookstore ordered either through the largest wholesaler, Ingram Book Company, or directly through its printing arm, Lightning Source, Inc. (LSI). Ingram and LSI are on a 4/4/5 accounting cycle. This means that they operate on a four-week, four-week, five-week financial calendar rather than a monthly calendar. The financial month-end close always occurs on a Friday and therefore is not always at the calendar end of the month. LSI reports monthly sales to Insights Publisher according to the Ingram financial calendar, and Insights Publisher in turn reports those sales to authors in the sales statement. Any sales in a calendar month that occur after the financial month end will not appear on your statement until the following calendar month.

Back to Top


I would like to refer a friend to Insights Publisher. How do I go about doing this?


To refer a friend to Insights Publisher, have your friend tell their Publishing Consultant your name (or the name of the referring published Insights Publisher author, if it is not you). When your friend's book is completed, the referring author is eligible for a $100 referral payment.

Back to Top


What can the myIPaccount do for me?


Your myIP Account provides you with several valuable tools to help you track your sales and royalties. Here is a brief explanation of each of those tools located in the Sales and Royalties Overview.

Monthly Sales History Report
This section includes details of your book sales by accounting month and provides a breakdown of sales for each of your titles by type.

Royalty Statement
This section allows you to review your current and prior royalty statements. The royalty statement shows all sales recorded during the current royalty period.

Sales Activity Detail
Book orders processed directly through Insights Publisher will appear in this report as soon as we have received shipping confirmation. Please note: the sales data posted on this page is provided for informational purposes only and is not the final record of sales. Your final record of sales is provided in your Quarterly Royalty Statement.

Back to Top


Where do I see my sales?


We'll help you track sales and royalty information in online reports in your account dashboard on the Insights Publisher website.

Back to Top


What information is available in the online sales and royalty reports?


In the Sales & Royalties tab of your Insights Publisher account dashboard, you will be able to view a variety of information regarding sales of book(s) and royalties earned.

We update these reports for you as frequently and as accurately as we can. However, please note that because external retailers operate on their own schedule, it can take time for them to report their sales information to us. This means your online report cannot be updated in real time for each sale.

  • Sales Reports: In the sales activity reports, we provide you with information regarding your book sales to give you an estimate of how and where your book is selling.
  • Royalty Reports: In the "Royalty Report," you can find your book sales for each quarter.

Back to Top


How long does it take for a sale to be listed in my online “Sales Activity Report”?


The information in the “Sales Report” is updated throughout the quarter to give you an idea of how and where your book is selling. We deliver sales information to you as soon as we can, however this data cannot be updated in real time and may not reflect finalized information.

The time it takes a sale to be listed in your sales report is determined by the type of sale:

Sale type

Time until listed

Insights Publisher Bookstore

72 hours

Consumer sales (i.e., call-in purchases through Insights Publisher)

72 hours

Retail sales (e.g., Amazon.com)

Four weeks or more

Please note: External retailers — Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. — operate under their own schedules, and Insights Publisher cannot control the frequency with which they report sales information.

Back to Top


Will I still see a royalty statement if there were no sales in a quarter?


Once the statement for a quarter in which you have made no sales has been finalized, you will see the reporting period for that quarter available in the dropdown report menu with $0.00 indicated in parenthesis. If you choose to run that report, you will see a message that says “No sales reported for the period selected.”

Back to Top


Can you provide me with the names of customers who bought my book?


Consumer privacy rules and Insights Publisher business policy do not allow us to provide this information to you or to anyone else. While we and our retail partners protect the identities of individual customers, we do provide you with as many details as we can in your "Sales Report."

Back to Top



 GENERAL TAX INFORMATION



Insights Publisher will mail a Form1099-MISC to each U.S. author who earned more than $10.00 in royalties (or incurred withholding greater than $0.00) during the calendar year. The income and withholding represent royalties from Quarter 4 of the previous year through Quarter 3 of the Form 1099-MISC year. The form will be mailed by Jan. 31, and should be delivered to the author in February.  This form is required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to report royalty income and withholding.  If the author was not paid any monies during the calendar year, then he or she will not receive a Form 1099-MISC. The IRS requires Insights Publisher to have the form mailed/postmarked by Jan. 31, not delivered by Jan 31.

International authors will receive a Form 1042-S instead of a Form 1099-MISC for the royalties earned and the amount withheld during the calendar year. The Form 1042-S will be mailed by March 15.

The IRS requires Insights Publisher to have a Form W-9 or Form W-8BEN on file for each author who may earn royalties. The tax form must include the individual or company’s U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN, EIN, or ITIN).  If the author refuses to provide the form or the digital equivalency, Insights Publisher will begin withholding taxes at the rate of 28% for U.S. citizens (or resident aliens) or 30% for nonresident aliens living outside the U.S. in accordance with U.S. tax law.

Back to Top


What tax information can Insights Publisher provide for me?


Insights Publisher will provide a Form 1099-MISC or Form 1042-S stating royalties earned during a calendar year and the amount of withholding, to assist you in accurately reporting your royalty income. For further information please consult your professional tax consultant.

Back to Top


When does Insights Publisher mail the 1099-MISC or 1042-S?


By law Insights Publisher is required to mail the previous year’s Form 1099-MISC by Jan. 31 of the current year. For non-U.S. persons, the previous year’s Form 1042-S will be mailed by March 15 of the current year.

Back to Top


Why didn’t I get a 1099-MISC this year?


If you were paid less than $10.00, and did not have withholding in the previous calendar year, you will not receive a 1099-MISC.

Back to Top


If I was paid under $10.00 in royalties, do I have to report it on my income tax?


For any questions on reporting your income to the IRS, please consult your professional tax consultant.

Back to Top


Why is the income stated on my 1099-MISC or 1042-S form not equal to the sum of my royalty payments for the calendar year?


The tax form reports the total royalties income earned over the calendar year and taxes withheld. “Royalties income earned” is the amount of your checks before withholding. Your payments equal the difference between your total income on the form and any taxes withheld. 

Back to Top


When will Insights Publisher post Quarter 4 royalties so I can complete my income tax return?


Quarter 4 royalties will not be paid to you until the following calendar year; therefore, Quarter 4 royalties will be included on the Form 1099-MISC or 1042-S you receive the following year.  Please refer to the Form 1099-MISC or 1042-S you may receive from Insights Publisher to learn the amount of money that has been reported as royalty income (and withholding) for tax filing purposes. Form 1099-MISC will be mailed by Jan. 31of the current year, and Form 1042-S will be mailed by March 15.

Back to Top



TAX FORM SUBMISSION



I submitted a Form W-9 or a Form W-8BEN in the past.  Why am I being asked for it again?


If you receive a request from Insights Publisher to submit your tax information, then we do not have your Form W-9 or W-8BEN in our system, and we need you to resubmit the appropriate form. We may not be able to assign a received tax form to your account due to an issue with matching your tax form with your author account, the tax form may include an incomplete address, or it could be another reason.

Back to Top


I opted-out of submitting my tax information. Why does Insights Publisher continue to request my tax information?


The IRS requires that we have a complete tax Form W-9 or W-8BEN on file even if an author has opted-out of submitting tax information. We are required to request the tax form annually.

Back to Top


If my company should receive the royalties instead of me, as the author, what do I need to do?


First, an account for your company must be created in our system. To have an account created for the company, speak to customer support about a reassignment of rights. Second, a Form W-9 needs to be filled out for the company using the company EIN for the tax ID. Third, the company’s W-9 must be submitted either online through the company’s Insights Publisher account, or by mail (be sure to reference the company’s Insights Publisher account number).

Back to Top


My company’s W-9 was accidentally added to my individual account (or vice versa). How can I correct this?


If your company’s W-9 was added to your individual account, please correct by submitting your individual W-9 and referencing your individual Insights Publisher account. Also, make sure that your company’s W-9 is connected to your company’s account. If your individual W-9 was added to your company’s account, please correct by submitting your company W-9 and referencing your company Insights Publisher account.  

Back to Top



INTERNATIONAL AUTHORS



I am an international author, what do I need to do regarding the tax forms and ID numbers?


You will need to submit a Form W-8BEN to Insights Publisher. When filling out the form, please remember to include your IRS issued U.S. taxpayer identification number (ITIN for individuals, EIN for companies), your author account number, your country of citizenship, and claim to a lower tax treaty rate (if applicable). Even if you don’t have a U.S. taxpayer identification number yet, you should still submit an initial Form W-8BEN to establish that you are not a U.S. person. Submit the Form W-8BEN once you have a U.S. taxpayer identification number in order to claim a reduced rate or exemption from withholding if your country has an income tax treaty with the United States.

Back to Top


How do I know if my country has a tax treaty with the United States that allows me to claim a lower rate of withholding?


If applicable, you may claim a reduced rate of withholding as a resident of a foreign country with which the United States has an income tax treaty. See the Tax Treaty Tables within Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 515 (see the helpful links below), “Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities”, under “Copyrights” for your country’s tax treaty rate. Submit Form W-8BEN when requested by Insights Publisher whether or not you are claiming a reduced rate of withholding.

Back to Top


What if I don’t have an ITIN?


If you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN) and are not eligible to get one, you must obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to claim your country’s reduced tax treaty rate (if applicable). To apply for an ITIN, file Form W-7, “Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number” (see helpful links below) with the IRS. It usually takes 4-6 weeks to receive an ITIN from the IRS.

Back to Top


What if I don’t have an EIN?


Companies may apply for a U.S. Employer Identification Number (EIN) by filing a Form SS-4 with the IRS.

Back to Top


How do I file Form W-7 with the IRS (to obtain an ITIN)?


The W-7 tax form needs to be submitted by you, the author, to the IRS directly. This form is not processed or submitted by Insights Publisher. Insights Publisher can supply you with a support letter that will need to be submitted with Form W-7. Once this process is completed, the IRS will supply you with an ITIN. The ITIN will need to be included on the W-8BEN form that can be completed online through your secure author account or sent to Insights Publisher directly. If you require a W-7 support letter, please make the request with customer support and be sure to include your author account number, legal name, and mailing address.

Back to Top



1099-MISC



What is a 1099-MISC form?


Form 1099-MISC is used to report royalty income and backup withholding. The form is for each person who earned at least $10 in royalties during the past calendar year or anyone paid who had any amount of backup withholding regardless of the $10 minimum.

Back to Top


Who will receive a 1099-MISC form?


Authors who have been paid at least $10 in royalties or who have had any backup withholding during the past calendar year will receive a 1099-MISC form. Form 1099-MISC applies to U.S. residents and U.S. resident aliens ONLY and is not sent to nonresident aliens or foreign persons. Nonresident aliens and foreign persons receive Form 1042-S.

Back to Top


What if there is an error on the 1099-MISC form? Is it too late to make changes?


1099-MISC forms are not due to be filed with the IRS until March 31, so we still have time to make changes if necessary. Even after that, we can still file corrected forms with the IRS, so do not panic if something might be wrong.

Back to Top


The amount on my 1099-MISC form doesn’t match my checks; what is wrong?


The amount of royalties reported on the 1099 is the gross amount of royalties paid before any backup withholding. The royalty amount should match the amount of royalties on your statements from Q4 of the previous year to Q3 of the 1099 year, plus any iPad or offset distribution royalties wherever applicable. Subtracting the withholding (box 4) from the royalty income (box 2) should equal the total monies paid to you during the 1099 year. If after careful analysis, you still believe there is an error, please contact Insights Publisher customer support.

Back to Top


One of my checks was not received during the tax year. May I request a corrected 1099-MISC?


If the check was sent to the address on-file during the tax year, the 1099-MISC must include the income (and withholding if applicable) associated with the payment. If the check has still not been received, please contact customer support and request a re-cut.

Back to Top


Why isn’t there a “Recipient’s Identification Number” on my 1099-MISC form?


The “Recipient’s Identification Number” is the box that should include your U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). U.S. persons should submit a Form W-9 to Insights Publisher to report their Social Security Number (or EIN for a business). If we receive the update before the IRS filing deadline, March 31, we can guarantee that the updated form with the new identification number will be submitted to the IRS. We encourage online submission of the Form W-9 through your secure author account.

Please note: authors may incur a penalty from the IRS for failing to report their TIN or for providing an invalid TIN.

Back to Top


The “Recipient’s Identification Number” on my 1099-MISC form is incorrect; what do I do?


Submit a Form W-9 to provide Insights Publisher with your corrected Social Security Number (or EIN for a business). If we receive the update before the IRS filing deadline, March 31, we can guarantee that the updated form with the new identification number will be submitted to the IRS. We encourage online submission of the Form W-9 through your secure author account.

Back to Top


The “Recipient’s name” on my 1099-MISC form is incorrect; what do I do?


The recipient name on your Form 1099-MISC is the person or entity who earned royalties income during the tax year. In most cases, the name must remain unchanged.

However, if you were the recipient of the royalty income during the year and there is a spelling error with the last name, then we may be able to issue a correction before filing with the IRS on March 31. To request a 1099-MISC name correction, contact Insights Publisher customer support. 

Back to Top


The “Recipient address” on my 1099-MISC form is incorrect; what do I do?


The IRS does not match addresses. If you have received the form, then there is no need to request a new form with an updated address. If you would like to update your address for future mailings, please contact Insights Publisher customer support.

Back to Top


I cannot locate my 1099-MISC form; how can I request a copy?


Please contact Insights Publisher customer support and request a copy of your 1099-MISC form. Be sure to indicate the tax year. The copy can be e-mailed with the Taxpayer Identification Number masked, or sent by the post if necessary.

Back to Top


Where can I find more information about my tax forms?


Check out these helpful links:

Back to Top