Tax Question: What If I Don’t Get a 1099?

Like so many others in America, I am patiently waiting for my tax forms and 1099 during this time of year. Don’t we all just love to see how much money we have earned? Okay, well, maybe we all aren’t that excited to pace by the door awaiting the mailman’s arrival. But, what happens if that 1099 doesn’t show up in your mailbox?

If you are like me, you worry and avoid the thought of an audit. You happily enter in all tax info honestly and accurately to the best of your ability on the tax preparation software stuff and pray for a refund. Should anything go awry in the process, concerns start piling up.

The 1099 form makes entering in your earned income a breeze. Without this form, you must rely on your own records. There is typically no need to send a copy of your 1099 to the IRS yourself with your taxes, so don’t fret if this magical piece of paper doesn’t arrive. This does not immediately mean that the IRS will come to get you.

In fact, some people are not required to give you a 1099. I have no special tax background or authority, so check with the IRS if you have any questions, but if you earn less than $600 during the year, a 1099 form is not necessary. For those of us who have earned above this amount from a specific company, you were probably hoping for it to show up to make your tax filing job simpler and easier. Well, I can’t blame you there. Anything that makes filing taxes easy is for me.

Instead of relying on your 1099, rely on your records. For instance, if you have your payments from a company placed into your checking account by direct deposit, you can simply use your bank statements to verify your payments received. This is also true for payments via PayPal. You can simply print off your history from the site to double-check your personal records.

If the IRS should call you up and ask for verification of your amounts, you can simply use your records instead of providing a copy of your 1099. Since everything else is so complicated when it comes to filing taxes, it is hard to believe that this question can be answered reasonably simply.

For more information, or if you have questions, contact the IRS by phone at:

800-TAX-1040

This number will put you in touch with an actual human who can assist you and answer your questions regarding your 1099 tax form.

Be certain to keep accurate records throughout the year and you will have no question when tax season arrives. This is true whether the 1099 appears in your mailbox or not. You should always compare your records to the information found on the 1099, anyway.