1099-K and 1099-NEC overlap for same income - will IRS flag this as suspicious?
I run a small consulting business where all my clients pay me through direct bank transfers (ACH payments). My clients have always sent me 1099-NECs at the end of the year, which made tax filing pretty straightforward. Last December I switched to a new payment processor because they had better rates. Today I checked my email and found they sent me a 1099-K for all those same ACH transfers! They're categorizing these bank transfers as "payment card transactions" even though no cards were involved at all. So now I have the same income reported on both 1099-NECs (from my clients) and this new 1099-K (from the payment processor). I'm worried this will look like I made twice as much money and trigger an IRS audit. Has anyone dealt with this 1099-K/1099-NEC overlap situation before? Do I need to contact my clients or the payment processor to fix this, or is there a proper way to report both forms without raising red flags?
21 comments


LongPeri
This is actually a common issue with the expanded 1099-K reporting requirements. The good news is that you won't be taxed twice on the same income, but you do need to report everything correctly to avoid confusion. When you file your Schedule C, you'll report your total gross receipts on line 1, which should include all your business income regardless of how many different 1099s report it. The key is to keep detailed records showing that the 1099-K and 1099-NECs are reporting the same transactions. I recommend creating a simple reconciliation worksheet for your records that lists all client payments, showing which ones appear on both forms. This won't be submitted to the IRS, but it's crucial to have if questions arise. Also, make sure your bookkeeping clearly identifies each source of income so you can explain the overlap if needed.
0 coins
Oscar O'Neil
•So does this mean the payment processor shouldn't be sending a 1099-K for ACH transfers? I thought those were only for credit card payments and platforms like PayPal, Etsy, etc. Is there a threshold for when they have to send these?
0 coins
LongPeri
•Payment processors now issue 1099-Ks for various payment methods, including ACH transfers, as the reporting requirements have expanded. While they originated primarily for card payments, many processors now report all transactions they handle through 1099-Ks regardless of payment method. The threshold for 2024 transactions (reported in 2025) is $5,000, down from the previous $20,000 threshold, which is why many businesses are suddenly receiving these forms when they didn't before. The IRS is aware that this creates overlap situations, but they'd rather have multiple reporting than missing income.
0 coins
Sara Hellquiem
I went through this exact nightmare last year and found a solution using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me so much stress. I was getting duplicate 1099s for the same income - some clients sent 1099-NECs while my payment processor sent 1099-Ks. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to document everything properly. The taxr.ai system analyzed all my forms and created a perfect reconciliation report showing the IRS that these weren't separate income streams. It even flagged a payment that was accidentally reported twice with slightly different amounts. The document analysis feature saved me hours of spreadsheet work!
0 coins
Freya Collins
•That sounds helpful! Does it actually create documentation I can submit with my return? Or is it more for my own records in case of an audit? I'm concerned about how the IRS systems will flag this automatically.
0 coins
Charlee Coleman
•Hmm interesting. Does it work for other tax document overlaps too? I'm getting 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC from different clients for basically the same type of work and I'm worried about how to report that.
0 coins
Sara Hellquiem
•It creates both documentation you can keep for your records and a summary report you can include with your tax return as an attachment. This helps prevent automated flags because the IRS can see your explanation up front rather than just noticing mismatched numbers. For 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC overlap situations, it absolutely works for those too. The system is designed to handle all types of tax document conflicts, not just 1099-K issues. It identifies the income categories across different form types and shows how they relate to each other.
0 coins
Charlee Coleman
Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after asking about it and wow, it actually worked perfectly for my situation! I uploaded all my mixed 1099 forms (had some NECs, MISCs, and a K from PayPal), and it generated a detailed reconciliation report showing exactly how everything lined up. The report broke down which payments appeared on multiple forms and which were unique. I'm attaching it to my return this year so there's no confusion. Super easy process and the peace of mind is worth it. Definitely recommend for anyone dealing with overlapping tax forms!
0 coins
Liv Park
If you're having trouble getting answers from the IRS about this 1099-K and 1099-NEC overlap issue, try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent 2 DAYS trying to get through to the IRS about a similar double-reporting situation last year. After giving up on hold multiple times, I found Claimyr and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 45 minutes. The agent confirmed exactly how to handle the situation and noted it in my file. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when an agent is ready. Saved me hours of frustration!
0 coins
Leeann Blackstein
•Wait, how does this actually work? Do they have some special connection to the IRS? Seems weird that they could get through when nobody else can.
0 coins
Ryder Greene
•Sounds like a scam honestly. Nobody can get through to the IRS these days. I've tried calling dozens of times and always gave up after an hour+ on hold. How could some random service magically get you through?
0 coins
Liv Park
•They don't have any special connection to the IRS - they use technology to automatically navigate the phone menus and then wait on hold for you. When an agent finally picks up, their system calls your phone and connects you directly to that agent. It's basically outsourcing the hold time. I was skeptical too until I tried it. What makes it work is that they have systems that can stay on hold indefinitely without someone having to sit there listening to the hold music. They're just waiting in the same queue everyone else is, but they're doing it for you so you don't have to waste your day.
0 coins
Ryder Greene
I need to apologize and follow up on my skeptical comment. After another failed attempt at reaching the IRS on my own (2+ hours on hold before disconnecting), I tried Claimyr out of desperation. Their system called me back in about 50 minutes with an IRS agent already on the line! I was shocked it actually worked. The agent confirmed exactly how to handle my overlapping 1099s, and even noted it in my file for reference if there's ever a question about my return. I won't waste another minute listening to that horrible hold music again.
0 coins
Carmella Fromis
Just want to add some practical advice - make sure you keep ALL backup documentation for these payments. Bank statements showing deposits, invoices that match them, and your own accounting records. Label everything carefully showing which 1099 reported which payment. I faced a similar situation with overlapping 1099s for my consulting business, and detailed records saved me during a correspondence audit. The IRS initially questioned why my gross receipts didn't match the combined total of all my 1099s, but my documentation clearly showed the duplicate reporting.
0 coins
Theodore Nelson
•What software do you use to track everything? I'm currently using a spreadsheet but it's getting complicated with all these different payment sources and forms.
0 coins
Carmella Fromis
•I use QuickBooks Online for my business. It lets me tag income sources with custom categories, so I created specific tags for "Reported on 1099-NEC" and "Reported on 1099-K" to track overlap. This makes it easy to generate reports showing exactly which income was reported on multiple forms. For smaller operations, even a tool like Wave (which is free) can work if you use their tagging system properly. The key is consistent categorization as payments come in, rather than trying to sort it all out at tax time.
0 coins
AaliyahAli
One more thing to consider - this overlapping reporting is actually helping the IRS crack down on unreported income. A friend of mine who works as a tax preparer says they're specifically comparing 1099-K data against 1099-NEC/MISC to catch businesses that don't report all income. So while it seems annoying to us, it's actually part of their enforcement strategy. Make sure you report ALL income, whether it's on a form or not. The days of sliding under the radar with cash or direct payments are pretty much over now.
0 coins
Ellie Simpson
•That makes sense. I've been wondering why they lowered the 1099-K threshold so dramatically. Feels like they're closing all the loopholes!
0 coins
JacksonHarris
This is exactly what I'm dealing with right now! I switched to a new payment processor mid-year and they're treating my direct bank transfers as "card transactions" on the 1099-K even though no cards were involved. It's so frustrating. One thing I learned from my accountant is that you should definitely NOT contact your clients to "fix" the 1099-NECs they already sent. Those are correct - they paid you for services and properly reported it. The issue is with the payment processor's classification, but trying to get them to change it now will likely just create more confusion. The reconciliation approach mentioned above is spot on. I'm creating a simple spreadsheet that shows: Date | Client Name | Amount | Reported on 1099-NEC | Also Reported on 1099-K. This way if the IRS ever questions it, I can clearly show that Payment A from Client X appears on both forms for the same transaction. Has anyone successfully gotten a payment processor to reclassify ACH transfers after the fact? I'm wondering if it's even worth the hassle or if I should just focus on proper documentation.
0 coins
Ava Garcia
•I wouldn't waste time trying to get the payment processor to reclassify ACH transfers at this point. Most processors have automated systems that generate 1099-Ks based on their internal categorization, and getting them to issue corrected forms is usually a nightmare that takes months. Your spreadsheet approach is perfect - that's exactly the kind of documentation the IRS wants to see if they have questions. I'd add one more column for "Payment Method" (ACH, check, etc.) to make it crystal clear that these weren't actually card transactions despite how the processor reported them. The key thing to remember is that the IRS cares about your actual income, not how many different forms report it. As long as you're not double-counting the same payments in your gross receipts, you're fine. Keep those records organized and you'll be able to handle any questions that come up.
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
I'm dealing with a very similar situation and wanted to share what my CPA told me that might help others here. The most important thing is to NOT panic about this - the IRS systems are designed to handle overlapping 1099s, especially with the new expanded 1099-K reporting. Here's what I learned: When you file Schedule C, you'll report your total business income on Line 1 (gross receipts). This should be the actual amount you received, not the sum of all your 1099s. So if you received $50,000 in client payments that show up on both 1099-NECs and a 1099-K, you still only report $50,000 in income. My CPA also mentioned that the IRS has specific matching algorithms that can identify when the same income appears on multiple forms from related entities (like a client and their payment processor). They're not going to automatically assume you made twice the money. That said, definitely keep detailed records showing the relationship between the forms. I created a simple table showing each payment, which client it came from, and which forms reported it. This documentation stays in my files - I don't submit it unless specifically requested. One more tip: if you use tax software, make sure you enter the 1099s correctly. Most software will ask if any income was reported on multiple forms and help you avoid double-counting.
0 coins