Please note that the information below is for informational purposes only and should not be considered tax advice. We recommend consulting with a tax advisor for guidance on your specific tax situation.

In this article:

• Tax Forms for Rights Holders
• Understanding Royalty Share
• Tax Cover Letter
• Tax Forms for Producers 
• How to Retrieve Your Tax Documents

Tax Forms for Rights Holders

Rights Holders receive Form 1099-MISC, or Form 1042-S for non-US persons.

Understanding Royalty Share

For Royalty Share arrangements, Audible makes payments to Producers on the Rights Holder’s behalf as compensation for the Producer's services rendered when recording the audiobook. When royalties are shared 50/50, the gross royalty split is evenly divided between the Rights Holder and Producer. However, the net payment each party receives may vary based on their respective withholding tax rates. This means the actual payment amounts deposited to each party may differ from a perfect 50/50 split after tax withholding is applied.

Tax Cover Letter

In addition to tax forms, Rights Holders receive a Tax Cover Letter that includes a section called "Royalty Share Service Expenses." This shows the total amount Audible paid to Producers on your behalf under your Royalty Share and Royalty Share Plus arrangements. These payments are important for your tax records because they were made in your name as the Rights Holder.

Tax Forms for Producers

Producers receive Form 1099-K (or Form 1042-S for non-US persons) for their share of royalties earned from Royalty Share arrangements. US Producers receive Form 1099-K if their earnings exceed the reporting thresholds of $20,000 in unadjusted gross sales and 200 transactions. Note that some states have lower reporting thresholds, and thresholds are subject to change if tax laws change.Non-US Producers receive Form 1042-S if they indicate in their tax interview that they are a non-US person and their services are performed in the US.

How to Retrieve Your Tax Documents

1. Log into your ACX account, click on the drop-down arrow to the right of your name then click on Account Settings.
2. Select the Tax Info tab at the bottom (If you’re a Rights Holder, you can download your Tax Cover Letter for the relevant tax year here).
3. After downloading the Tax Cover Letter, click on Go to Tax Dashboard. This will open a new tab.
4. Scroll down to the bottom in the Tax Profile section and click on Update tax profile.
5. In the Tax Forms section, select the appropriate form for the relevant tax year and click Download.

Note that electronic delivery is the default method for receiving your tax forms. If you requested a physical copy through the mail, we will mail it to the most recent address on file. If you need to update your address you must retake the Tax Interview, here.

For more information about tax forms, visit the IRS website.