Author/editor death notification policy
What happens in the event of an author or editor’s death? Find out everything you need to know about what we need to know below.
In the event of an author or editor’s death, Emerald will continue to pay royalties for published work to the beneficiaries of the author or editor’s estate until expiry of copyright in the work. The length of the copyright in the work depends upon applicable laws, although in the UK, the duration of copyright is generally 70 years from the death of the author or editor (Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988).
In order for us to transfer payment of royalties to the beneficiaries of a deceased’s author or editor’s estate, the executor of the author or editor’s will or the next of kin should contact [email protected] in the first instance providing the following information:
- Author’s/Editor’s full name.
- Author’s/Editor’s address.
- The name of the book(s) published.
- Date of death.
- Contact details (name/email/address) for the person best placed to obtain any necessary documentation.
Emerald will then advise you on the next steps required to transfer payment of royalties from the author or editor to the beneficiaries of their estate. It is likely that we will require additional documentation from you to enable the transfer, such as:
- Copy of the Death Certificate.
- Copy of the Will and Probate (if applicable).
- Details of the beneficiaries (full name, address, bank details etc).
If you have any queries in relation to the above, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] for assistance. Emerald reserves the right to update this policy at any time.
