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Aspen Mountain Press

san_remo_ave

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OMG, seriously?

Just when you thought the train wreck couldn't get worse. I'm so sorry for all of the authors and editors who are caught up in this debacle.
 

Dominique Eastwick

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OMG, seriously?

Just when you thought the train wreck couldn't get worse. I'm so sorry for all of the authors and editors who are caught up in this debacle.

It does feel like someone keeps dumping salt into a wound that is just about to heal. Hopefully for those of us involved this may be the last bump in the road. I am ever hopeful.
 

mscelina

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I've heard from several authors in the past couple of days who've had the same thing happen to them. Whatever the publisher's reason is for doing something this stupid, it's pretty cold-blooded to make them pay taxes on money they never received.
 

JulieB

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They don't need to pay taxes on money they haven't earned as long as they're keeping good records. The advice given before to contact a tax professional still holds. I still think if enough tax specialists (and an attorney or two) contact AMP and put some heat on, that the odds of getting an amended 1099 will increase.
 

mscelina

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I don't think so. Quite frankly, I'm surprised 1099s were even sent out from this publisher, which doesn't even begin to nullify the absolute idiocy of sending out deliberately incorrect tax forms. The publisher is certainly not going to AMEND these 1099s after refusing to send royalty statements, to send royalty payments, to send and sign contracts, to send reversion of rights letters, not to mention refusing to respond to emails, certified letters, phone calls, more certified letters etc etc etc.

That would be my take on it at least.
 

JulieB

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Even when faced with a nastygram from an attorney or two?

While I'm no tax professional, I do know you're only liable for taxes on the money you've earned, and that cuts both ways. Keep good records, and in a situation like this where the IRS may see a red flag on your return, seek professional help. At the very least ask someone at the IRS what to do. A professional tax preparer should stand behind you in case of an audit, and that will be worth every penny you spend.
 

Cyia

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I am definitely not an attorney or a tax pro, but what I would do is:

Call the IRS and tell them the situation. Have the 1099 you were sent ready when you do. If possible, have more than one author call. When asked, provide them AMP's TIN, and tell them how wide the discrepancies are. "I was given a 1099 for XXX, but my actual earnings are YYY, and several others are reporting the same scenario." Explain why you think there's no hope of getting an amended form.

File your taxes through an accountant, and let the IRS handle the rest.
 

BenPanced

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That line about 60 days is a new one on me. I don't remember it back in October or so, when the site originally went down.

ETA: Nope. I'm looking at my screen print dated 10/17/11. The 60 days line is new.
 

michael_b

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That line about 60 days is a new one on me. I don't remember it back in October or so, when the site originally went down.

ETA: Nope. I'm looking at my screen print dated 10/17/11. The 60 days line is new.

Fast and dirty way to return rights to the authors left hanging.
 

Jamiekswriter

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Would a screen shot of that serve as proof that the authors have their rights back? I.e. if they went to submit elsewhere and a publisher wanted proof - would the screen shot suffice?
 

Terie

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Would a screen shot of that serve as proof that the authors have their rights back? I.e. if they went to submit elsewhere and a publisher wanted proof - would the screen shot suffice?

I seriously doubt it. That would be incredibly easy to manufacture, and no publisher is going to risk legal action when the only proof is something so easy to fake that I myself could do it. :)
 

Fae Sutherland

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Having been in a very similar situation once upon a time (anyone remember Chippewa/Lady Aibell?) I'll say that no, that wouldn't suffice as proof of rights returned. I resold my Chippewa/LAP book to another publisher and they required a reversion letter from the dead company. Luckily, I got it after three months of daily emails hounding the woman. I know some of the authors never got letters at all and just gave up.

So sad for the AMP authors. I know how you're feeling but you can come back from this, with a bigger and better publisher than this.