Understand IRS tax forms issued by Microsoft
Appropriate roles: Global admin
You might receive one or more tax forms from Microsoft each year. This depends on your location and the amount of sales or payments you receive. Microsoft is required to issue these forms and file them with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
This article explains more about these forms, including who will receive them and when they are made available.
Types of tax forms
| IRS tax form | Description | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1099-MISC, 1099-K | Related to sales activity and/or payments made to you for participation in Microsoft's marketplaces | Printed forms will be postmarked on or before January 31, and .pdf copies will be available in the Partner Center Payout and tax profiles. |
| 1042-S | Related to payments made to you that are subject to United States withholding tax | Printed forms will be postmarked on or before March 15, and .pdf copies will be available in Partner Center (in Partner Center Developer Settings under Payout and tax > Payout and tax profiles) at the same time |
Note
The address we use on IRS tax forms comes from the address in your tax profile when you set up your payout account and tax forms. If your address has changed, make sure to update the address in your Tax profile.
The tax forms will be sent to you from the following addresses:
US Citizens:
| Business Group | Legal Entity | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Windows, Office, Azure | Microsoft Corporation | One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 USA |
| Advertising | Microsoft Online Inc. | 6880 Sierra Center Parkway Reno, NV 98511 USA |
Non-US Citizens:
| Business Group | Legal Entity | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Windows, Office, Azure | Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited (Payment is made by Microsoft Corporation via Microsoft Ireland acting as qualified intermediary for Microsoft Corporation) | One Microsoft Place South County Business Park Leopardstown, Dublin 18, D18 P521, Ireland |
| Advertising | Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited (Payment is made by Microsoft Online Inc. via Microsoft Ireland acting as payout agent for Microsoft Online Inc.) | One Microsoft Place South County& Business Park Leopardstown, Dublin 18, D18 P521, Ireland |
| Advertising | Microsoft Online Inc. | 6880 Sierra Center Parkway Reno, NV 98511 USA |
Note
* Citizens of the following countries earning Advertising revenue will be paid through Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
For developers located in the United States
| If I'm a United States developer selling paid apps and... | I should receive this form: |
|---|---|
| I had greater than 200 app sales with a total purchase amount of these sales greater than $20,000 USD in the applicable tax year (not counting sales made in Brazil and China through the Microsoft Store on Windows 10.) | 1099-K: Filer: Microsoft Corporation EIN: *****4442 Important: Form 1099-K contains gross purchase amounts, not payments made to you. |
| I received at least $10 in payments for (i) app sales made in Brazil and China through the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 or (ii) sales in the Minecraft Marketplace. OR I received at least $600 in payments not related to app sales from Microsoft in the applicable tax year (for example, incentive payments or payments from a contest or promotion) |
1099-MISC: Payer: Microsoft Corporation EIN: *****4442 Important: Certain business entities will not receive 1099-MISC forms regardless of the payment amounts received from Microsoft. Consult your tax professional for further information. |
| None of the above apply. | None |
If I'm a United States developer selling ads in apps and... |
I should receive this form: |
| I received at least $600 in payments from ads in apps in the applicable tax year. | 1099-MISC: Payer: Microsoft Online Inc EIN: *****0505 Important: Certain business entities will not receive 1099-MISC forms regardless of the payment amounts received from Microsoft. Consult your tax professional for more information. |
| I received less than $600 in payments from ads in apps in the applicable tax year. | None |
For developers located outside of the United States
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| I received a form 1042-S from Microsoft. What is it for? | Microsoft has provided you with a 1042-S form or forms because we paid you revenue that is considered reportable to the United States tax authorities and was subject to withholding tax. Form 1042-S is used for this reporting requirement. |
| What should I do with the forms? | Generally, no specific action is required on your part. The form 1042-S may be useful to you if you want to apply to your local tax authorities for any form of tax credit. Consult with your own tax advisors to get more information on this subject. |
| Why was tax withheld on my payments when I completed a W8 form? | Taxes will be withheld if either: 1. You did not complete the tax treaty section of the W8 correctly, or 2. You are resident in a country that does not have a tax treaty with the United States. You can visit Partner Center at any time to submit an updated W8 form. Note: Not all income is subject to tax withholding. |
| I submitted an updated W8 form with valid treaty information. Can Microsoft refund me the tax that was withheld? | Once tax has been withheld, it cannot be refunded. Contact your tax advisers to discuss whether you can claim a local credit for these taxes, or whether you can seek a refund from the IRS. |
| What sales are reported on form 1042-S? | Only sales made to buyers located in the United States that were classified as subject to tax withholding are reportable. All other sales are not considered reportable. |
| Why did I get three copies of the same form 1042-S in one envelope? | IRS regulations require three copies of the form to be provided: - One for the recipient's records - One for filing with a United States Federal tax return (if applicable) - One for filing with a United States state tax return (if applicable) |
Note
If you have additional questions or concerns related to IRS tax forms, go to Help + support in the Partner Center dashboard. Microsoft cannot answer questions related to your specific tax circumstances; for those questions, please seek advice from your tax professional.