I was employed by a publishing company as an illustrator. I am being payed in royalties, and submitted my W-9 to them. I did not yet receive payment for the royalties or a 1099 from the company. The income is just under $300. Would I have to report this on my taxes?
Yes, the IRS requires you to report the $300 royalty income even if you didn't get a a1099-MISC Form, if you received payment in the form of cash, check, credit card, crypto or other legal form of payment. If you haven't received any royalty payments, no, don't report the income until you receive it.
To enter your royalty income,
[Edited 03/22/22|11:57 am PST]
I have to report the income even if I have not received it?
To clarify, I have not received any money from the publisher. I only have an Excel spreadsheet that shows what they owe me.
No, you don't have to report it if you did not receive it and they did not issue a payment.
While HelenC12 is correct that you do need to report royalties even if you don't get a 1099-MISC, that doesn't apply if you were not paid by the publisher.
That being said, have you contacted the publisher about when you will be paid? If they tried to pay you last year, but the check was returned, you would need to report it in 2021.