Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET) is a publicly traded master limited partnership (MLP), and it issues Schedule K-1 tax packages to its unitholders. Unlike a corporation that generally reports shareholder distributions on Form 1099-DIV, an MLP allocates partnership tax items to investors. The cash ET distributes and the taxable income allocated to you are different figures; the distribution alone does not tell you what you will owe.

Does Energy Transfer issue a K-1?

Yes. Energy Transfer identifies itself as a publicly traded MLP. Its unitholders receive cash distributions, and their share of partnership income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits flows through for tax reporting. The Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) is the partnership’s annual statement of those allocated items; it is not your tax return. You use it, along with your other tax records, when preparing your return. Energy Transfer’s tax-package page describes this reporting arrangement.

This differs from the usual reporting for corporate stock, where an investor may receive Form 1099-DIV for dividends. With ET units, expect partnership allocations and additional basis and recordkeeping considerations. Neither structure is universally better; the relevant difference is what you must report and track.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

What the K-1 means for your distributions

Do not treat the cash deposited into your account as the amount of taxable income, or assume the K-1 allocation will match the cash received. The partnership reports allocated tax items separately from cash distributions, and your tax treatment depends on the K-1 details, your adjusted basis, and your circumstances. Energy Transfer’s materials do not establish a fixed share of distributions that is tax-deferred or a typical investor tax bill.

#1 Best Overall
Sale
2 Pack Yearly Tax Organizer, 13"x9.65" Spiral Receipt Organizer, 12 Pockets
  • Yearly Tax Organizer: includes 2 spiral bound tax organizer designed to help you collect, sort, and store important tax records throughout the year, keeping receipts, income records, bills, and other paperwork in one easy to manage place
  • Large Size for Everyday Documents: cover measures about 13 x 9.65 inches, with inside pages about 9.65 x 6.5 inches; The spacious pocket design provides room for receipts, statements, records, and tax-related papers without taking up too much desk or shelf space
  • 12 Monthly Pockets for Easy Sorting: the tax record organizer features 12 pockets, making it simple to separate documents by month or category; Useful for organizing medical expenses, charitable donations, prescriptions, invoices, income folders, and monthly bill receipts
  • Spiral Bound for Convenient Access: the secure spiral binding lets pages turn smoothly, so you can quickly add, remove, or review documents whenever needed; A practical design that helps simplify filing and reduce last-minute stress during tax season
  • Widely Applied: this annual tax organizer is suitable for managing annual taxes, tracking receipts and preparing for audits all year round, making your tax preparation more systematic and manageable, and it is very suitable for annual tax returns, document storage and filing, professional tax services and tax agencies

That distinction matters when estimating an investment’s after-tax result: a distribution is cash received, while the K-1 reports tax items that must be considered under applicable rules. Do not assume that all distributions are return of capital, that every investor owes no current tax on them, or that all allocated income is deferred.

What is in Energy Transfer’s tax package?

Energy Transfer reported that its 2025 common-unit tax package became available online on March 13, 2026. The listed materials include more than the main K-1. Package contents and timing can change from year to year, so check the issuer’s current tax page for the relevant tax year. Energy Transfer’s K-1 and K-3 Tax Package Information lists these materials:

  • Schedule K-1
  • State schedule
  • Ownership schedule
  • Supplemental information
  • Individualized reporting package instructions
  • Partner instructions

The issuer says a limited number of holders may also need Schedule K-3 details, primarily some foreign holders, people claiming foreign tax credits, and certain entities. Consult the package and a tax professional if you are unsure whether that information applies to you.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #2
Sale
1 Pack Yearly Tax Organizer, 13x9.65 Spiral Receipt Organizer, 12 Pockets
  • Yearly Tax Organizer: includes 1 spiral bound tax organizer designed to help you collect, sort, and store important tax records throughout the year, keeping receipts, income records, bills, and other paperwork in one easy to manage place
  • Spiral Binding: with spiral security binding, you can sort and access your monthly tax documents all year round; Help simplify tax time
  • Durable: our tax document organizer is made of paper, which is very durable and convenient for you to use frequently in your daily work
  • Large Capacity: this tax document organizer has 12 pockets, which makes it convenient for you to sort and file receipts and records and store them in a centralized manner; With this document organizer, you can organize various documents such as medical expenses, prescription drugs, charitable donations, etc. throughout the year, and face tax season confidently and efficiently
  • Widely Applied: this annual tax organizer is suitable for managing annual taxes, tracking receipts and preparing for audits all year round, making your tax preparation more systematic and manageable, and it is very suitable for annual tax returns, document storage and filing, professional tax services and tax agencies

Energy Transfer also lists tax-package support for missing K-1s and corrections to ownership history or account information. Its page directs holders to their broker for certain account updates. This support is for package and account issues, not individual tax advice.

Why outside basis and loss limits matter

Outside basis is your tax basis in the partnership interest. It is a record you need to maintain; the capital-account amount shown on a K-1 is based on partnership books and records and is not a substitute for adjusted outside basis. The IRS partner instructions explain that basis can change with partnership activity and include a worksheet for adjusting basis. Keep your purchase and distribution records and annual K-1 packages so you can follow those changes. IRS Partner’s Instructions for Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) (2025)

Partnership losses are not automatically deductible just because they appear on a K-1. IRS instructions apply potential limits in this sequence:

Rank #3
Smead All-in-One Income Tax Organizer, 12 Pockets, Flap and Cord Closure, Letter Size, Navy/White (70660)
  • Great way to organize and store vital tax records
  • Instruction sheet/checklist and preprinted labels included
  • 12 pockets plus one large pocket in back provides ample storage
  • Protective flap and elastic cord closure
  • Contains 10% recycled content, 10% post-consumer material
  1. Basis limitation: A loss generally cannot be deducted beyond the partner’s available basis. A loss disallowed under this rule may carry forward until basis is available.
  2. At-risk limitation: The amount you may deduct can be further limited by the amount you have at risk in the activity.
  3. Passive-activity limitation: Passive-activity rules may restrict when a loss can offset income.
  4. Excess-business-loss limitation: Any remaining loss may be subject to this additional limit.

For publicly traded partnerships, passive-activity limitations are applied separately to each PTP. A net passive loss from one PTP generally cannot offset passive income from another; it instead carries forward against income from that same PTP, subject to the rules. These are general federal rules, not a personal deduction calculation: allowable losses depend on your records, tax status, and other facts.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What happens for taxes if you sell ET units?

A sale or exchange requires a separate basis calculation. The IRS instructions say adjusted basis needs to be determined when a partnership interest is sold or exchanged, and a distribution or other cash or property received above adjusted basis can result in taxable gain. A simple stock-style capital-gain calculation may not capture the full MLP sale reporting; your K-1 history and the partnership’s supplemental sales information can affect the result.

Before a future sale, preserve the records that feed into that calculation:

Rank #4
Sale
Sooez Accordion File Organizer, 13 Pocket Expanding File Folders, Letter/A4
  • All-In-One Monthly Organizer: Keep all your important documents in one place with Sooez Accordion File Organizer. 13 pockets design works great for Monthly organizing and protecting all your important paperwork, bills, taxes, receipts, invoices and more. Perfect for letter size.
  • Expandable Capacity: The accordion file folder can be stretched up to 12 inches. 13 pockets allow you to store more than 2000 sheets. No matter how many documents you need to store, this folder can accommodate your needs as it can be easily expanded according to your requirements.
  • Efficient Organization & Easy Lookup: To enhance your file organization, we provide blank labels along with this folder. You can personalize them to suit your requirements, such as labeling sections by month for effortless file retrieval.
  • Stable & Portable: Stand on its own on the desk and not easy to tip over. Designed with portability in mind, allowing you to effortlessly move it between your desk, cabinet, and any other preferred locations.
  • Maximum Protection and Durability: Well made, made from durable wipe-clean polypropylene. Waterproof & sturdy. Tear-resistant plastic provides durable structure. Acid-free, PVC-free, and archival quality for safe storage. Adjustable snap closure helps keep contents secure. Use 2 additional front pockets for business cards, project title cards or notes.
  • Your unit purchase confirmations and dates
  • Annual K-1 packages and related supplemental information
  • Distribution history
  • Sale confirmation and any partnership sales information

For a material holding or a sale, have a tax professional familiar with publicly traded partnerships review the complete records rather than relying on the cash proceeds or a broker’s summary alone.

Who should get tax help before buying?

The federal rules here do not resolve every investor’s state filing obligations or individual tax treatment. Consider advice from a qualified tax professional familiar with PTPs before investing if you have a large planned position, are not a U.S. taxpayer, hold units in a retirement account, or expect to sell. The treatment depends on your facts and records, not solely on the fact that ET issued a K-1.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Quick Recap

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.