Am I supposed to send a 1099 form to my employer as an independent contractor?
Hi everyone, I'm working as an independent contractor for the first time this year and I'm super confused about this 1099 situation. From what I read on the IRS website, I thought the company that hired me is supposed to send ME the 1099 form. But now they're asking me to send them a 1099? That seems backward. My client is insisting I need to provide them with a 1099 form, but everything I've read indicates that's not how it works. They're the ones who paid me, so shouldn't they be generating the form? I'm extra worried because a friend who did contract work told me her employer had falsified information on her 1099 about how much she actually earned. Now I'm concerned about potential tax issues down the road. This is all new territory for me, and I want to make sure I'm doing things correctly. Any insight on how the 1099 process is supposed to work would be really appreciated! Should I push back or am I misunderstanding something?
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Liam Duke
What you read on the IRS website is correct - your client (the company paying you) should be sending YOU the 1099 form, not the other way around. As an independent contractor, you receive a 1099-NEC (previously 1099-MISC) from anyone who paid you $600 or more during the tax year. The company that hired you is responsible for preparing the 1099, sending you a copy, and filing it with the IRS. This form shows how much they paid you, which you then report on your tax return. It sounds like there might be some confusion on their part about the process. Perhaps they're asking you for your W-9 form, which you DO need to provide to them? The W-9 gives them your tax information (name, address, SSN/EIN) so they can properly fill out your 1099.
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Dana Doyle
•That makes so much more sense! Maybe they are asking for a W-9 and I misunderstood? I'll double check with them tomorrow. If they are actually asking for a 1099, should I just politely explain that's not how it works?
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Liam Duke
•Yes, politely clarify what form they're actually requesting. If they genuinely want you to provide a 1099, you can explain that as the paying entity, they are responsible for issuing the 1099-NEC to you, not the other way around. If they're new to working with contractors, they might be confused about the process. You could point them to the IRS guidelines on their website that explain who needs to issue 1099s. Sometimes smaller businesses or new employers aren't familiar with all the tax requirements.
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Manny Lark
After struggling with similar 1099 confusion last year, I found an amazing AI tool that helped explain all these tax forms in plain English. Check out https://taxr.ai - it analyzes tax documents and explains who's responsible for what. I uploaded the 1099 instructions and it broke down exactly who needs to send what to whom. It confirmed that your client absolutely should be sending YOU the 1099, not the other way around. The tool also explains the differences between W-9s (which you provide) and 1099s (which they provide). Saved me from making mistakes that could have triggered IRS issues.
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Rita Jacobs
•Does this thing actually work with complicated tax situations? I'm both a contractor AND have rental income so my tax situation is super confusing.
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Khalid Howes
•Idk, sounds expensive. Does it actually tell you anything you couldn't just Google yourself? Why not just call the IRS directly?
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Manny Lark
•For complicated tax situations with multiple income streams, it's actually perfect. It can look at your contractor income and rental property documentation together, then explain how they interact. I had W-2 income plus three different 1099s last year, and it made sense of everything. Regarding cost vs. Google - the difference is getting personalized, specific answers versus sifting through general information. And calling the IRS... well, good luck getting through. I spent hours on hold last year. This is much faster and gives clear, specific guidance based on your actual documents.
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Rita Jacobs
Coming back to say taxr.ai was actually super helpful! I uploaded my documents and tax forms and got a detailed breakdown of exactly who needs to send what. Turns out I was misclassifying some of my rental expenses too which would have cost me about $1,200 in deductions. The system flagged that my client needed to provide ME with a 1099-NEC, and even gave me the language to explain it to them. Definitely saved me from the confusion I was having!
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Ben Cooper
This is exactly why dealing with taxes as an independent contractor can be such a headache! When I had a similar issue with a client confused about 1099s, I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS for clarification. Then I found https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 45 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. There's a demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed exactly what others have said - your client needs to send YOU the 1099, not the other way around. They also explained that your client probably needs your W-9 form to get your taxpayer info. Having an official answer directly from the IRS helped me convince my confused client about the proper process.
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Naila Gordon
•Wait, how does this service actually work? Does it just keep calling the IRS for you or something? I'm confused how any service could get you through faster than everyone else waiting.
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Khalid Howes
•Yeah right. Nothing gets you through to the IRS faster. I've tried everything and always end up waiting 2+ hours or getting disconnected. This sounds like a scam to take advantage of desperate people during tax season.
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Ben Cooper
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Khalid Howes
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Cynthia Love
Sounds like they're confusing a W-9 with a 1099. As a bookkeeper for small businesses, I see this mix-up ALL THE TIME. Here's what's probably happening: 1. They need your W-9 form (which you fill out with your name, address, and tax ID) 2. They use that W-9 info to create your 1099 3. They send the 1099 to you AND to the IRS If they're a small company or new to hiring contractors, they might have the terminology wrong. Just send them a completed W-9 and gently explain that they'll use that to create your 1099 at the end of the year.
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Dana Doyle
•Thanks for breaking it down so clearly! I've never filled out a W-9 before. Is there anything tricky about it that I should watch out for?
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Cynthia Love
•The W-9 is actually pretty straightforward. The main things to be careful about: Make sure you're using the current version of the form from IRS.gov - it's occasionally updated. Fill in your legal name (as shown on your tax return), not a business name unless you have one registered. For most independent contractors, you'll check the "Individual/sole proprietor" box. The trickiest part is deciding whether to provide your SSN or an EIN (Employer Identification Number). If you're just working as yourself, your SSN is fine. If you've set up a formal business structure, you might have an EIN to use instead.
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Darren Brooks
lol this happens ALL the time. half these companies dont even know the proper tax procedures. I've been a freelancer for 5 years and at least once a year someone asks me to "send them my 1099" when what they mean is "send us your W-9" so they can MAKE a 1099. When companies pay independent contractors $600+, THEY have to send 1099s to both the contractor AND the IRS. You literally CAN'T send them a 1099 because you didn't pay them - they paid you!
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Rosie Harper
•This is why I use QuickBooks Self-Employed - it explains all this stuff and tells you what forms you need vs what forms others should give you. Helped me avoid so many headaches with clients who dont understand contractor taxes.
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