Writer Tax Questions

General information

Disclaimer: The purpose of this information is solely to provide you with a tax form that you will need to file your tax return. None of the information enclosed is intended to be considered legal or tax related advice, whether expressed or implied. Please consult a certified public accountant (CPA) or attorney for any tax or legal related questions.

Please note that if you are a current writer and have access to the login system, you should visit Tax Center for Helpdesk, a dedicated help section for important tax filing information. Otherwise, please use this page as a primary resource for getting answers to your tax questions.

The time has come for Ultius, Inc. (the "Company") to prepare and send your 1099-NEC tax form (the "Tax Form" or "1099") based on the compensation you earned through the year. The form you will be receiving is a 1099-NEC for compensation earned as a contracted freelance writer (non-employee). Please note that in addition to sending you a 1099-NEC tax form, we are also legally required to report your earnings to the Internal Revenue Service. 

The information contained in this legal section will help get all of your questions answered. Please consult the provided FAQ before submitting a tax support inquiry. 

Tax forms

Every calendar year, you will receive a 1099-NEC form via mail. We highly recommend making copies for your own records. You can expect to receive this form by mid February of the year following the tax period in question.

If you have not received your 1099-NEC tax form from the company by that time, please read the FAQ below for information. 

Where will my tax form be sent to?

Your tax form will be sent to the address you provided to us when you last filled out your W-9.

Address change

Because of federal regulations by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), we are legally required to send you a physical copy of your 1099-NEC to the address that you provided when you completed your W-9. However, we understand that as people move, they may forget to update their address.

For that reason, we have created an online form where you can update your address. It is very important that you update it as soon as possible. 

To access the form, click the link here or copy and paste the URL below into the address bar of your browser:

https://ults.co/taxhelp4u

Important deadline note: The deadline to update your address through the form is January 1st, every year. After that date, we may not be able to honor the form update request and the tax form will be sent to the address we have on file.

FAQ

You have questions, we have answers. These FAQs are the most commonly sent inquiries regarding tax forms and filings.

1. Am I eligible to receive a 1099-NEC from the company?

Per IRS guidelines we are legally required to send independent contractors who earn $600 or more in a calendar year a 1099-NEC form. This also gets filed with the IRS. If you earned less than $600 we are not required to file your earnings with the IRS so we will not send you a 1099-NEC.

2. How do I know that I earned more than $600 and will receive a 1099?

To find out how much you earned for the entire year, there are a few different methods you can use:

(i) Since we usually use PayPal for sending writer payments, you can log into your PayPal account and use their various reporting features.

(ii) If you were paid on other payment platforms, such as Gigwage, you may use the reporting features on the platform from which you received payment from us.

(iii) You may complete an Inactive Writer Form and request an earnings estimate.

(iv) You may wait to see if we send you a 1099, which should be delivered to you by mid-February.

Note: On rare occasions, we have sent manual checks to writers. You would have to check your ledger or online banking system for the past year to see how much you earned.

3. Previous employers have given me a W-2, why am I not getting this document instead?

As a freelance writer for Ultius, Inc., you are an independent contractor as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, not an employee. That is why you filled out a W-9 when you were hired. Please note that you also signed the Writer Terms and Conditions upon being hired, clearly indicating that you understood the nature of contracted work and your relationship with the company. 

4. What address are you sending my 1099-NEC to?

We will send the 1099 form to the address you indicated on your W-9 the last time it was completed. If you are unsure if we have the most up to date address, please submit the address change form and we will update it accordingly. 

5. How are you sending my 1099-NEC to me?

Your tax form will be sent via the United States Postal Service regular mail method. 

6. When can I expect to receive my 1099-NEC?

You can expect the form to be mailed out on or before January 31st. Depending on where you live in the country, it may take upwards of seven to ten (7-10) business days to arrive.

7. I urgently need a copy of my 1099-NEC and cannot wait for it to arrive in the mail, what do I do?

Please submit an inactive writer tax help request and we will send you a digital PDF copy of it.

8. I lost my 1099-NEC form and need to file my taxes, how can I get another copy of it?

Please see the answer above. 

9. I received my 1099 form and the amount listed is incorrect, what do I do?

While the company works really hard to ensure that earnings reporting is accurate, we are human and therefore prone to making mistakes. In the case that you suspect this, we strongly recommend that you reconcile your earnings again. If the previous step does not remedy the situation, simply contact our tax support center explaining the details and we will remedy the situation accordingly. Don't forget to include your name, email address, physical address, last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN) and any aliases you may have used on the website. 

10. Do you report my earnings to the IRS?

Yes, we are legally required to report your earnings to the IRS if you earn $600 or more each year and will do so by the filing deadline per the IRS.

11. What tax rate do I have to pay and where do I send it?

To find out your tax liability, you should consult a Certified Public Accountant and/or an attorney. Ultius, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, cannot and does not offer tax and/or legal advice. For any other questions regarding tax payments, please contact the Internal Revenue Service. 

12. It's past the January 31st deadline and I still have not received my 1099.

If the due date has passed and you have not received your form, it's for one of the following reasons:

(i) You did not earn over $600 and are not eligible to receive one. See question #1 for more information.

(ii) The company is still processing your tax form and it's in the mail. Please wait 7-10 business days before contacting our tax support team.

(iii) The company made an accounting error or misplaced your information, in which case you should proceed to #13 to contact us.

(iv) The address we have on file is not accurate and you didn't update it with us through the Address Change Form we previously provided. Proceed to #13 and contact us. 

13. I need to speak with someone regarding a tax related issue that wasn't addressed here, who do I contact?

If your question or concern was not covered in this FAQ, then please contact the OFFICE OF ACCOUNTING AND ADMINISTRATION using this link and we will respond to you as quickly as possible to address your request. Please note that during the core tax filing period our office may be unable to respond for upwards of four (4) days.

Tax related support

Ultius is deeply committed to complying with state and federal tax authorities regarding proper reporting of earnings. A part of that commitment is being prompt, available and accurate with any writer support questions regarding taxes. Before submitting a support inquiry, please make sure that you have carefully read through the FAQ.