Taxes

Keep in mind the following is not specific tax advice. You should always report in accordance with applicable tax laws.

We do not withhold any taxes and authors are entirely responsible for their own tax obligations.

We will send any required tax forms to US-based authors, but if you have additional questions on how to file or that are specific to your tax situation, we highly recommend consulting a tax professional in good standing with the IRS.

What informations should I provide to GitBook?

Fill out all the fields in Payout settings.

What tax documents should I expect from GitBook?

This only applies to authors based in the United States.

It depends on several factors, but here’s a quick breakdown:

• Authors who sold at least 200 books and earn at least $20,000 in royalties earnings in the last year will receive a Form 1099-K.
• Authors who earn at least $600 in earnings from royalties in the last year will receive a Form 1099-MISC.
• Authors who do not meet either of the above criteria in the last year will not receive a tax form.

How are the amounts on my 1099s calculated?

We know this can get a bit confusing, so let’s break it down by form:

• 1099-K: If you receive a 1099-K from us, the dollar amount you see in Box 1 consists of all earnings collected in the previous year (after we deduct our admin fee).
• 1099-MISC: If you receive a 1099-MISC, the dollar amount in Box 3 is all income from GitBook royalties.

Remember: It’s possible you won’t receive either of these forms, so check out the above criteria.

When will I be receiving my 1099?

We send out 1099s via USPS by the end of January. You will also receive this form by email in January. (Note: If you don’t receive a 1099, it means you didn’t meet the above thresholds and therefore won’t be receiving one.)

What if I didn’t receive any 1099 forms?

In some cases, you may not receive a form at all. There are situations where authors won’t receive a form, depending on amount earned, payout methods used, and the tax information submitted. If you didn’t but were expecting one, please send us an email and we’ll get it sorted out.

Do I need GitBook’s EIN for my tax return?

Since you are not an employee of GitBook, you are not required to provide GitBook’s EIN (Employer Identification Number) on your tax return.