Content creator here - when can I expect my 1099-NEC for 2025 tax filing?

Companies are required to furnish 1099-NEC forms to contractors by January 31st. This means they need to have the forms sent out by that date, not necessarily that you'll receive them by then. This deadline applies whether they send them electronically or by mail. Since you mentioned that some companies have your direct deposit info but not your mailing address, I'd definitely recommend reaching out to them now. Many companies use payment processors that don't necessarily share your mailing information with the company itself for tax purposes. Better to be proactive than stress out waiting for forms that might be sent to an old address. Also, keep in mind that companies are only required to send a 1099-NEC if they paid you $600 or more during the tax year. So if any of your smaller brand deals were under that amount, you might not receive a form from them, but you're still required to report that income.

I used to stress about this same thing when I started freelancing! What helped me was using https://taxr.ai to organize my income throughout the year. It analyzes all your payment transactions and categorizes them, so you're not completely dependent on 1099 forms arriving on time. I have a client who NEVER sends my 1099 until the last possible minute, and taxr.ai helped me track that income correctly without waiting. The tool also has this cool feature where you can upload any 1099-NECs once you do get them, and it automatically reconciles the amounts against what you've already tracked. Saves me tons of time, especially with multiple income sources like you have.

Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here, and it's been a game-changer! I uploaded my payment records from the past year (just took screenshots of my payment summaries from different platforms), and it organized everything beautifully. The best part is I don't have to wait anxiously for 1099s anymore - I already know exactly what my income was from each source. When I finally did get a 1099 from one company yesterday, the amount matched perfectly with what taxr.ai had calculated. Definitely feeling more prepared for tax season now!

Fellow content creator here! If you want to be super proactive, you can also call the IRS directly to verify which 1099s have been filed under your SSN. I tried calling them last year and spent HOURS on hold before giving up. This year I used https://claimyr.com which got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes! You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you back when an agent is about to be available. I was able to confirm which brands had already submitted 1099s for me, which helped me follow up with the ones who hadn't yet. Saved me tons of stress wondering if forms were lost in the mail.

Ok I have to admit I was wrong about Claimyr. I tried it this morning after my skeptical comment yesterday, and it actually worked exactly as described. I've been trying to reach the IRS for THREE DAYS about missing 1099s from 2023, and Claimyr got me through in 22 minutes. The IRS agent confirmed that two of my biggest clients hadn't submitted my forms yet, so I immediately emailed them. One already replied saying they had my old address and would re-send my 1099 to the correct one. Without this I probably would've been waiting until the filing deadline wondering where my forms were!

Former accountant here - one thing to keep in mind is that even if you don't receive all your 1099-NECs, you're still legally obligated to report all your income. The IRS matches the 1099s they receive against what you report, so if you underreport, that's a red flag. I recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet throughout the year tracking payments from each company. That way, if a 1099 never arrives or has an incorrect amount, you still have your own records to reference. This helps avoid the last-minute scramble when tax time comes around.

Just a heads up - I'm also a content creator and last year one of my sponsors sent my 1099 to my OLD mailing address even though they had my updated info for payments. When I called them they said their payment system and tax form system were separate and didn't communicate with each other 🙄 So definitely email all your sponsors NOW to confirm they have your correct address. It's such a pain but better than scrambling at the last minute. I also take screenshots of all my income transactions throughout the year just in case there are discrepancies.