Estate Information

This page provides information for families, executors, and heirs of Reynolds Communications authors regarding royalty payments, rights management, and estate matters.

Royalty Payments to Estates

When an author passes away, Reynolds Communications continues to pay royalties generated from their published works to their estate. Royalties continue to be earned and paid as long as the books remain in print and sales continue to be made.

Royalty Payment Details

Payment Schedule: Royalties are paid biannually (twice per year) in accordance with the original publishing agreement.
Account Access: A designated estate representative or heir can obtain access to the author's royalty statements and account information.
Payment Methods: Royalties are paid via check, direct deposit, or wire transfer according to estate preferences.
Continuing Sales: As long as books remain in print, royalties continue to be earned and paid to the estate.

Updating Account Information

After an author's passing, it's important to update account information to ensure royalties are paid to the correct party and the estate receives all necessary communications.

Changes You May Need to Make

Update primary contact information for the estate or executor
Change payment address for royalty checks or deposits
Designate an estate representative or heir as the primary contact
Update tax information and W-9 forms as needed
Arrange for estate documents and correspondence

Required Documentation

To process estate matters and authorize changes to author accounts, we typically require the following documentation:

Documentation Checklist

Death Certificate: An official copy of the author's death certificate (required)
Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration: Court-issued documentation showing your authority to manage the estate (required for account changes)
Tax Identification Documents: Estate tax ID (EIN) or SSN and updated W-9 form for tax reporting purposes
Proof of Executor/Administrator Status: Court documentation or will excerpt proving your appointment as executor
Identification: Valid photo ID for the primary representative or executor

Transfer of Rights

Publishing rights and literary property pass to the author's estate upon death. The estate retains all rights to the author's works and any future subsidiary rights opportunities (translations, adaptations, etc.).

Rights Management

The estate can make decisions regarding:

Licensing of subsidiary rights (translations, film/TV options, audio editions)
Permissions for excerpts and uses of the author's work
Future publications or editions of existing works
Estate's publishing and licensing priorities and preferences

Out-of-Print Considerations

If a book goes out of print, the publishing rights typically revert to the estate (unless your publishing agreement specifies otherwise). An out-of-print title may become available again if market conditions change or the estate seeks a new publisher.

If you're interested in reissuing an out-of-print work by your author, please contact our publishing team to discuss options and terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once we receive complete documentation (death certificate and letters testamentary), we can typically process the transfer within 5-10 business days. We'll confirm receipt of your documents and provide an estimated completion date.

Yes! Royalties continue to be earned and paid on all sales of the author's books. As long as books remain in print and generating sales, the estate receives royalty payments. Our publishing agreement terms remain in effect with the estate as the rights holder.

If there's no will or designated executor, you may need to go through probate court to be named administrator of the estate. The court will issue letters of administration giving you authority to manage estate matters. We can work with you once you have this court authorization.

Yes! The estate retains rights to license translations, audio editions, film/TV adaptations, and other subsidiary rights to third parties. Our rights department can provide information about currently available rights and help facilitate licensing opportunities for your author's catalog.