Google 1099-NEC Federal ID Number format confusion - which option to select?

I've been making gaming tutorials on YouTube for the past couple years and finally crossed the income threshold where I need to report my earnings. I'm using TurboTax to file and I'm completely stuck on this one question that asks "How is your payer's federal ID number formatted?" with two options: - xx-xxxxxxx Payer's EIN - xxx-xx-xxxx Payer's Social Security Number Looking at my 1099-NEC from Google/YouTube, there's a box labeled "PAYER'S Federal Tax ID" and the number is just 9 digits straight with no dashes (like xxxxxxxxx). I've been staring at this screen for 30 minutes and can't figure out which format I'm supposed to select. The number itself doesn't have dashes like either option shows. Has anyone filed taxes with YouTube/Google 1099-NEC before and knows which option I should pick? I just want to get this right and move on with my return...

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18 comments

Dmitry Ivanov

•8M

The formatting question is actually asking about the type of ID number, not just how it visually appears. If your 1099-NEC has 9 consecutive digits with no dashes, you're almost certainly looking at an Employer Identification Number (EIN) which should be selected as the "xx-xxxxxxx Payer's EIN" option. Companies like Google/YouTube use EINs, not Social Security Numbers. The Social Security option would only apply if your payer was an individual person using their personal SSN. Even though your form shows the number without dashes, the system needs to know which TYPE of ID it is, and for Google it's definitely an EIN. When you select the EIN option, TurboTax will format it properly as xx-xxxxxxx even though it appears without dashes on your actual form. This is totally normal and nothing to worry about.

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Dmitry Ivanov

•8M

You can enter the 9 digits without any dashes and TurboTax will handle the formatting for you. The system knows that an EIN should be formatted as xx-xxxxxxx and will add the dash in the appropriate place (after the first two digits). Just make sure you're selecting the EIN option and not the SSN option since they follow different formats. If TurboTax gives you a field to enter the number directly, you could also add the dash yourself after the second digit, but it's not necessary - the software is designed to handle either input method.

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Miguel Herrera

•8M

I was stuck at the exact same spot last year! I found this tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that was super helpful for figuring out stuff like this. I uploaded a scan of my 1099-NEC from YouTube, and it immediately told me that the Federal ID Number was an EIN, not an SSN. For big companies like Google/YouTube, it's pretty much always going to be an EIN. The system actually explained that an EIN is formatted xx-xxxxxxx even though Google prints it without the dash on the form. Saved me from guessing and potentially getting it wrong. The tool also pointed out other stuff on my YouTube 1099-NEC that I would have missed.

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Miguel Herrera

•8M

Yes, it works with pretty much all tax documents! I've used it for 1099-MISC, W-2s, 1098-E for student loans, and even some investment forms. It's especially helpful for content creators dealing with multiple income sources like YouTube, Twitch, sponsorships, etc. I had the same concerns about security, which is why I looked into it before uploading anything. They use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after analysis. They also have a privacy policy that specifically states they don't sell or share your data. Plus, the tool gives you specific analysis rather than generic advice, which showed me they're actually reading the documents properly.

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Connor Murphy

•8M

I tried taxr.ai after my initial skepticism and wow - you were right. I uploaded my YouTube 1099-NEC and it immediately identified that the tax ID was an EIN and explained exactly how to enter it in TurboTax. It even pointed out that my content creation expenses could be deducted on Schedule C, which I had no idea about! The thing is legit and surprisingly easy to use. I was overthinking the security aspect - their privacy policy is really solid and they don't store documents. I'm going through the rest of my creator income docs with it now. Definitely saved me from making some filing mistakes.

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Yara Nassar

•8M

Hey fellow creators! I had the same EIN formatting issue with Google's 1099-NEC last year, but my bigger headache was trying to get answers directly from the IRS when I had questions about my YouTube income. Spent HOURS on hold and never got through. I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it was a game-changer. They got me on the phone with an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of the usual endless hold. The agent confirmed that Google's ID is definitely an EIN and should be entered as xx-xxxxxxx even if it appears without dashes on the form. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It was actually worth it because the agent also cleared up some confusion I had about quarterly estimated payments for my YouTube income, which saved me from potential penalties.

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Yara Nassar

•8M

It works by using an automated system that continually redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets through, then it calls you when it has an agent on the line. It's basically doing what you'd do manually, but with technology that can keep trying without you having to sit there listening to hold music for hours. I had the same reaction at first, but it's not about "skipping the line" - it's about technology handling the waiting and navigating for you. The IRS doesn't give them special access; they're just automating the frustrating parts of the process. And yes, you could theoretically do it yourself if you had hours to waste on hold, but my time is worth something too. Getting my YouTube tax questions answered in 15 minutes instead of spending half a day trying was absolutely worth it.

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Keisha Jackson

•8M

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it for a completely different tax issue with my streaming income. I was convinced it wouldn't work, but I was desperate after trying to reach the IRS for THREE DAYS. I'm honestly shocked - it got me through to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes. The agent confirmed everything about the Google/YouTube EIN format question and also helped with my specific situation about estimated tax payments for streaming income. For anyone dealing with creator income tax questions, being able to actually talk to the IRS without wasting an entire day is pretty incredible. Sometimes being wrong feels pretty good!

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Paolo Romano

•8M

Just wanted to share what I learned from my accountant about this exact issue. For nearly all 1099-NECs from businesses (including Google/YouTube): 1. The Payer's Federal Tax ID is always an EIN for businesses 2. It should follow the xx-xxxxxxx format 3. Google often prints it without the dash, but it's still an EIN 4. Only individual payers (like if a person hired you directly) would use an SSN If you're making decent money on YouTube, consider getting an accountant who specializes in creator income. There are so many deductions available that most people miss! I was able to write off a portion of my internet, my editing software, equipment, and even part of my home as a studio space.

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Paolo Romano

•8M

The IRS cares about the accuracy of the actual digits more than the format selection. If you entered all 9 digits correctly but selected the wrong format type, it's unlikely to trigger any issues since the underlying number is correct. That said, it's still best to get it right if you can. Selecting EIN vs SSN does matter for their internal matching systems. If you've already filed with the wrong format but correct numbers, it's not usually worth amending just for that. But since you haven't filed yet, definitely select the EIN option for Google/YouTube.

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