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IRS Form 1099-NEC

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The 1099-NEC is back

In 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) decided to reintroduce Form 1099-NEC. Are you a self-employed individual trying to understand what the form means and how to use it? Here's a complete guide to the inner workings of the 1099-NEC form.

Table of contents

Form 1099-NEC: what is it and why was it sent to you?...Read more

Why Was Form 1099-NEC reinstated by the IRS...Read more

Who gets a 1099 NEC?...Read more

What is not included in the Form 1099-NEC...Read more

What does Form 1099-NEC look like?...Read more

Understanding how Form 1099-NEC is filed...Read more

What is the 1099-NEC due date 2023?...Read more

Are there penalties for missing the deadline to file Form 1099-NEC?...Read more

How to file the 1099 NEC as an independent contractor...Read more

Calculating 1099 taxes...Read more

Form 1099-NEC: what is it and why was it sent to you?

If you're a freelancer, whoever has paid you for your services should record that payment for the year on a Form 1099-NEC and send it to you.
Image explaining how to use Form 1099-NEC for self-employed, freelancers, and sole proprietors to report non-employee compensation for taxes.

Why Was Form 1099-NEC reinstated by the IRS

Before the IRS Form 1099-NEC, businesses reported all payments to self-employed people and freelancers on Form 1099-MISC. In 2020, the IRS made the decision to reinstate the 1099-NEC for reporting payments to self-employed people and freelancers separately from miscellaneous expenses. Now the 1099-NEC rules state that non-employee payments like rent payments and monetary prizes, must be reported on the 1099-MISC.

1099-NEC vs 1099-MISC?

Who gets a 1099 NEC?

You might be wondering, "what is NEC in the 1099-NEC?" If you work as a freelancer, sole proprietor, independent contractor or self-employed person, you're considered a nonemployee by the IRS, and you would receive a 1099-NEC form for your work. You might also be wondering, "what is NEC work or what is nonemployee compensation?" Any work you perform for a company not done for hourly wages or for a salary is NEC work. Essentially, it’s not NEC work if you receive a W-2 tax form for it. The payment you receive is called nonemployee compensation.
Alt text: Examples of income reported on 1099-NEC form for non-employees, including referral fees, commissions, and payments for professional services. Relevant for self-employed, freelancers, and taxes.
Also, if you receive $10 or more in royalties any time during the year, you should receive a 1099-NEC form.

What is not included in the Form 1099-NEC

Alt text: Image listing various income sources including payments to an attorney, nonqualified deferred compensation, rental income, prize & awards, and other forms of income not reported on 1099-NEC. Relevant for taxes, self-employed, and freelancers.
There are some restrictions that businesses have when it comes to the 1099-NEC. For example, businesses cannot report their employee wages or report business travel allowances for employees. These kinds of payments get reported on Form W-2. Estimated taxes also won't be included. You'll need to calculate them separately.

What does Form 1099-NEC look like?

An understanding of Form 1099-NEC wouldn't be complete without knowing what the form looks like, the different sections and what gets reported where. Luckily, Form 1099-NEC is relatively straightforward and short compared to many of the IRS' other forms. Businesses report non-employee compensation on multiple copies of a 1099-NEC form. The copies then get distributed to various tax departments and non-employee recipients.
Image showing components of 1099-NEC form, including contact info for businesses and non-employees, total compensation paid, and tax withholding. #taxes #freelancer #1099
Once the business entity making payments has entered all the required information on the Form 1099-NEC, they need to send several different copies to the non-employee whose name is on the form and to others by January 31 of that year. Businesses that report non-employee compensation payments on the 1099-NEC send different copies to different recipients.
  • Copy 1 goes to the tax department of the state in which you are a registered taxpayer.
Image of Form 1099-NEC for reporting nonemployee compensation and direct sales. Includes payer and recipient details, taxes, and state income.
  • Copy B is sent to you, the non-employee (freelancers, self-employed people and independent contractors).
  • Copy 2 is also sent to non-employees.
  • The business filling out the form keeps Copy C for its tax records.

Understanding how Form 1099-NEC is filed

When a hiring entity files a 1099-NEC, they fill out each box in the form, but it's good for you to know how to fill out a 1099 NEC, even if you're not the one filing it, and to look at a completed 1099-NEC example.
Image of a Form 1099-NEC with details of nonemployee compensation, federal and state taxes withheld, and recipient's information for tax purposes.
  • Box 1 reports the payments made for services completed by self-employed individuals, freelancers, gig workers and contractors
  • If the business that hires you sells you products totaling $5,000 or more for you to resell, an "X" is entered in the checkbox in box 2
  • Box 3 remains blank since it is reserved for reporting later tax years
  • If a business hires you and withholds any federal income tax, they will report that amount in box 4
  • Boxes 5-7 are information for state income tax purposes
Image of Form 1099-NEC for reporting nonemployee compensation to the IRS. Includes payer and recipient information, taxes withheld, and account number.
The full set of 1099-NEC instructions can be found on the IRS website.

What is the 1099-NEC due date 2023?

We all dread the word "deadline" in almost any context, especially when it comes to taxes. Fortunately, the deadlines surrounding this tax form don't apply to you, for the most part, though they do affect your overall annual tax filing deadline.
Alt text: Reminder for self-employed individuals, freelancers, and businesses to file Form 1099-NEC by January 31 for taxes.
The business that hired you will send copies of the form both to you and the IRS by January 31 of the following year. If January 31 falls on a weekend or a holiday, the next business day becomes the new deadline. For the 2023 tax year, you will receive Form 1099-NEC on January 31, 2024 which falls on a Wednesday.

Are there penalties for missing the deadline to file Form 1099-NEC?

For individuals filing income taxes, the IRS sometimes allows extensions to deadlines and payment plans to help people who have difficulty paying. But when it comes to 1099-NEC rules, the IRS is not as lenient. For example, if a company is late in filing a 1099-NEC for payments made to you for work you did as a self-employed person or freelancer, the maximum fine they can receive from the IRS is $556,500 in a year. If they fail to file the form, you also will not receive a copy, possibly causing you to receive a fine for missing the April 15 filing deadline.

How to file the 1099 NEC as an independent contractor

If you're an independent contractor and you have your own small business, you may hire people from time to time to assist you in your work. As the company owner, you'll need to fill out a 1099-NEC for each of them. Remember, you only need to file a 1099-NEC for workers to whom you paid $600 or more for their work throughout the entire tax year. And, don't forget to file the correct copies with the correct entities, including the IRS, and send a copy to the person who receives the payment from you. Plus, any self-employment tax deductions need to be factored in when filing.

Calculating 1099 taxes

Unfortunately, the IRS' 1099-NEC instructions don't include any guidance to calculate the amount you will need to pay in 1099 taxes. This can be one of the more daunting aspects of taxes for self-employed individuals and freelance workers. Hiring a CPA who is well-versed in 1099-NEC instructions is far too expensive, but doing your taxes on your own takes valuable time and can be complicated. FlyFin has created a 1099-NEC Tax Calculator to do the work for you, so you can find out how much you need to pay in self-employment taxes. And, FlyFin's A.I.-powered tax app finds every possible tax deduction, so you don't leave a penny on the table at tax time. If you have a question about a deduction, CPAs who are experts in 1099 taxes are available 24/7. The CPA team will also file your taxes for you at a fraction of the 1099-NEC accountant fees that you might be used to, with 100% accuracy and audit insurance at no extra cost. File your taxes as swiftly as you read this article, and never overpay or miss a deadline.

1099 G form

The 1099-G form is used to report payments made by governments to individuals. Unemployment compensation should be reported on Schedule 1 (Form 1040).

1099 SA form

The 1099-SA form is an informational form that reports distributions from your health plan. This is filed on Form 8889 or Form 8853 and attached to Form 1040.

Form 1040

This is the most common document in the US tax system. It's the master tax return that every American fills out.

Form 1040 Schedule C

Running a business by yourself? This is the tax return 2022 schedule where you report how much (knock on wood) profit you made or how much you (heaven forbid) lost over the course of the year.

Form 1040 Schedule SE

SE stands for self-employment tax, and this is where people who make a living working for themselves or freelancing pay Social Security and Medicare taxes.

Form 8829

If you use your home for work, you can deduct things like utilities and supplies used for your home office or storage space used for inventory from your taxes. Use this form to figure out how much you can deduct.

Form 1099

If you're self-employed, this is the form that the people who pay you use to report those payments to the IRS. Here's what you need to know about it.

Losing a 1099 form

If you've lost a 1099 that was sent to you, fear not. Here's what you can do if it happens.

Form 1099-MISC

Entities that give you other forms of income as a freelancer or independent contractor, such as prize money or money for healthcare, report those payments to the IRS using this 1099 form.

Avoid 1099-Misc

There are ways to lower the amount of tax you pay as a 1099 self-employed individual. Here are five proven strategies.

Form 1099-K

If you receive payments of $600 or more as a self-employed individual through credit card companies and payment services like PayPal, they report those payments to the IRS using this 1099 form.

Paypal

Here's how to receive a 1099-K from PayPal and how to use it to file and pay your 1099 taxes.

Shopify

Here's how to receive a 1099-K from Shopify and how to use it to file and pay your 1099 taxes.

Venmo

Here's how to receive a 1099-K from Venmo and how to use it to file and pay your 1099 taxes.

Form 1099-MISC VS Form 1099-NEC

Understand what makes these 1099 forms different from each other and what they mean for you as a 1099 freelancer, independent contractor or self-employed individual.

Form 1040-ES

This vital tax form for self-employed individuals and freelancers is how they pay quarterly taxes, which they need to estimate (ES means estimated taxes).

1099 A form

The 1099-A form is received when an owned property has been foreclosed. This form is reported on Schedule D after calculating capital gain or loss.

1099 B form

A 1099-B form is an informational return form for recording the sale of investments by brokerages. This is reported on Form 8949 and Schedule D.

1099 G form

The 1099-G form is used to report payments made by governments to individuals. Unemployment compensation should be reported on Schedule 1 (Form 1040).

1099 SA form

The 1099-SA form is an informational form that reports distributions from your health plan. This is filed on Form 8889 or Form 8853 and attached to Form 1040.

Form 1040

This is the most common document in the US tax system. It's the master tax return that every American fills out.

Form 1040 Schedule C

Running a business by yourself? This is the tax return 2022 schedule where you report how much (knock on wood) profit you made or how much you (heaven forbid) lost over the course of the year.

What’s FlyFin?

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