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Post by JesusNinja on Jun 18, 2020 17:21:06 GMT
I had contacted Lulu over two books that seemed under paid. I sent them a two jpegs showing the discrepancies. Finally after one month I heard back and this is what she said.
"I do apologize for the delay in following up with your support inquiry. We are experiencing a rather high volume of cases and our support team is working hard to assist customers as quickly as possible. I've reviewed the sale from order USD-31258, and I can confirm that this net revenue paid of $3.39 is correct. The gross revenue collected from this sale is your set $4.46. However, because your book has a Lulu ISBN attached to it, it is subject to US Tax Withholding. After these withholdings are deducted, the revenue that is owed is $3.39. Prior to our updates, the advertised Unpaid Revenue amount if our author's accounts did not account for US Tax Withholdings. It was only after the payment was issued that the US Tax Withholdings deduction was listed and the "take home" revenue amount was shown. On our new platform, we have made changes to be more transparent about these withholdings by showing revenue for each sale for products with Lulu ISBNs with the impact of US Tax Withholdings. You can read more specifics about US Tax Withholdings here: help.lulu.com/s/article/Tax-and-Withholding-FAQ?language=en_USI hope this information is helpful, and please feel free to contact us if you have any other questions. Kind regards,"
Just in case someone else had the same problem thinking they were getting cheated. I like the new change. You can see from the report each month exactly what you are getting paid. If we ever do get a report that it  |
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sirram
Senior Printer
No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money
Posts: 269
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Post by sirram on Jun 18, 2020 20:23:20 GMT
US Withholding tax is difficult. I have written or edited around twenty titles and only with the most recent one did I use a Lulu ISBN. Some weeks ago (I live in the UK), I received a letter from the USA (IRS? Is that what they are called over there?) enclosing various tax forms. The typeface of all three sheets was unbelievably minuscule (I'd guess about 5 point at best - obviously designed to deceive (but why?) and I can certainly vouchsafe that my eyesight is not what it used to be).
To be honest, I have no idea what these forms wanted from me. Some boxes were filled in (e.g. my name and address) while others were left blank. Bizarrely, there was no covering letter explaining what they wanted. Was this a statement or a request for information? No idea.
I am probably now on the USA's most-wanted list. In the 1980s, on business in San Francisco, I misunderstood a parking restriction and received a parking ticket on my hire-car. On getting home (UK), I wrote to ask how I should settle the bill (e.g. currency, when this was long before the age of Internet banking). I never did receive a reply. So, now with this latest nonsense, there is probably an American warrant out for my arrest.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2020 20:30:22 GMT
US Withholding tax is difficult. I have written or edited around twenty titles and only with the most recent one did I use a Lulu ISBN. Some weeks ago (I live in the UK), I received a letter from the USA (IRS? Is that what they are called over there?) enclosing various tax forms. The typeface of all three sheets was unbelievably minuscule (I'd guess about 5 point at best - obviously designed to deceive (but why?) and I can certainly vouchsafe that my eyesight is not what it used to be). To be honest, I have no idea what these forms wanted from me. Some boxes were filled in (e.g. my name and address) while others were left blank. Bizarrely, there was no covering letter explaining what they wanted. Was this a statement or a request for information? No idea. I am probably now on the USA's most-wanted list. In the 1980s, on business in San Francisco, I misunderstood a parking restriction and received a parking ticket on my hire-car. On getting home (UK), I wrote to ask how I should settle the bill (e.g. currency, when this was long before the age of Internet banking). I never did receive a reply. So, now with this latest nonsense, there is probably an American warrant out for my arrest. My cousin got a ticket 25 years ago. I was with him in the car, and we were loving the music and riding it up. Anyway, he never paid it. They have too many people over there; they can't even keep track -- so I wouldn't worry.
Just in case, Do Not visit the US.  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2020 20:31:03 GMT
I had contacted Lulu over two books that seemed under paid. I sent them a two jpegs showing the discrepancies. Finally after one month I heard back and this is what she said.
"I do apologize for the delay in following up with your support inquiry. We are experiencing a rather high volume of cases and our support team is working hard to assist customers as quickly as possible. I've reviewed the sale from order USD-31258, and I can confirm that this net revenue paid of $3.39 is correct. The gross revenue collected from this sale is your set $4.46. However, because your book has a Lulu ISBN attached to it, it is subject to US Tax Withholding. After these withholdings are deducted, the revenue that is owed is $3.39. Prior to our updates, the advertised Unpaid Revenue amount if our author's accounts did not account for US Tax Withholdings. It was only after the payment was issued that the US Tax Withholdings deduction was listed and the "take home" revenue amount was shown. On our new platform, we have made changes to be more transparent about these withholdings by showing revenue for each sale for products with Lulu ISBNs with the impact of US Tax Withholdings. You can read more specifics about US Tax Withholdings here: help.lulu.com/s/article/Tax-and-Withholding-FAQ?language=en_USI hope this information is helpful, and please feel free to contact us if you have any other questions. Kind regards,"
Just in case someone else had the same problem thinking they were getting cheated. I like the new change. You can see from the report each month exactly what you are getting paid. If we ever do get a report that it That's a good response. |
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Post by JesusNinja on Jun 18, 2020 23:13:12 GMT
I don't think you should have been sent U.S. tax documents. I know Lulu support is working on sending documents to those who needed them. But it says no tax document is needed to publish. In the U.S.A. you can publish without a tax document. As long as they have your SS number. They with hold 28 percent and then at the end of the year send you a 1099 form showing what you earned. They also send one to the IRS. It's up to you then to file with them. I think it's different with non U.S. writers. There's a different tax thing for that is I'm not mistaken. Don't think the American IRS should be writing you. I might be mistaken though so don't quote me.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Jun 19, 2020 11:54:22 GMT
US Withholding tax is difficult. I have written or edited around twenty titles and only with the most recent one did I use a Lulu ISBN. Some weeks ago (I live in the UK), I received a letter from the USA (IRS? Is that what they are called over there?) enclosing various tax forms. The typeface of all three sheets was unbelievably minuscule (I'd guess about 5 point at best - obviously designed to deceive (but why?) and I can certainly vouchsafe that my eyesight is not what it used to be). To be honest, I have no idea what these forms wanted from me. Some boxes were filled in (e.g. my name and address) while others were left blank. Bizarrely, there was no covering letter explaining what they wanted. Was this a statement or a request for information? No idea. I am probably now on the USA's most-wanted list. In the 1980s, on business in San Francisco, I misunderstood a parking restriction and received a parking ticket on my hire-car. On getting home (UK), I wrote to ask how I should settle the bill (e.g. currency, when this was long before the age of Internet banking). I never did receive a reply. So, now with this latest nonsense, there is probably an American warrant out for my arrest. The IRS usually encloses a cover letter to explain the information they're after. In a situation where they didn't you can look up IRS forms by their numbers to see what the form in question is used for.
As for a parking ticket in San Francisco from the 80s, odds are they tossed it years ago due to you being a foreign national since the cost to collect would far exceed any revenue the city might have realized. The only way any has a warrant issued over parking tickets is when the individual involved has a lot of them in one jurisdiction.
For some fun reads on parking tickets in the U.S. there are a couple.
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