Every Glimmer creator, regardless of location, can use the Reports tab to download all earnings receipts from the previous year for their own reporting purposes. We highly recommend consulting a tax advisor if you have any questions about how to properly declare earnings in your jurisdiction.
The content below, meanwhile, applies specifically to U.S. persons and entities. If you are not a U.S. person, you are responsible for complying with the rules and regulations within your own jurisdiction. We recommend that you consult with a trusted tax expert or advisor, as Glimmer cannot provide tax advice.
If you are a creator whom the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines as a “U.S. Person” and earn money working with your client through Glimmer, you need to report this income on your tax return.
In 2021 Glimmer started issuing 1099-Ks instead of 1099-NECs. As the paying agent for work you do through the Glimmer platform, we issue 1099-Ks as a record of payments, not earnings. In accounting terms, this is a “gross” total rather than “net.” It includes all payments you received including funds you may have then paid to Glimmer as fees or to your clients as refunds rather than withdrawing. It also includes any payments for project expenses that were paid to you. Because the 1099-K is a record of payments only, what you report as income/earnings to the IRS may differ from the amount on this form.
For the work you did in 2023, you will not receive any type of 1099 form from Glimmer, unless the following was true:
You are a U.S. Persons and receive over $20,000 with more than 200 transactions through Glimmer. In that case you will receive a form called the Form 1099-K (not to be confused with the more common 1099-MISC). Under the Internal Revenue Code Section 6050W, Glimmer will file a Form 1099-K form with the IRS for you, and you will receive a copy of your Form 1099-K or 1099-NEC via U.S. Postal Service by January 31. Remember that only those who have received over $20,000 in gross payments across more than 200 incoming transactions will receive a 1099-K. If you don’t meet the minimum payment threshold AND transaction count, you will not receive any type of 1099 form. For example, if you:
Earned $25,000 as 25 payments of $1,000 each? No 1099-K would be sent
Earned $2,500 as 250 payments of $10 each? No 1099-K would be sent
Earned $25,000 as 250 payments of $100 each? U.S. persons would receive a 1099-K
As a reminder, a 1099-K is a record of payments, not earnings. In accounting terms, this is a “gross” total rather than “net.” As such, it includes all payments to the creator on all contracts. You can always use the Reports tab to download receipts for the year's earnings if needed.
Starting in 2024, the rules will change again and you will receive a 1099-K if you receive at least $5,000 in payments from clients on Glimmer in 2024. If you reach this amount, you will receive a 1099-K from Glimmer by the end of January 2025. This will be for 2024 payments only and does not impact your tax return for 2023.
Once again, this article does not address all the tax issues for creators and it cannot and should not be relied upon as legal or tax advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek tax advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.