How to get a Letter of Termination for a 1099 Independent Contractor?

Your dad is technically correct - companies aren't obligated to provide formal termination letters to independent contractors like they might for W-2 employees. However, that doesn't mean you're out of options for your financial aid appeal! For FAFSA appeals, you actually have several alternatives that financial aid offices typically accept: Try asking the company for a simple "confirmation of service dates" letter instead of calling it a "termination letter." Sometimes just changing the wording helps, as companies are often willing to confirm start/end dates of a contract. If that doesn't work, your dad can write his own statement describing when and why the contract ended, and include copies of his last invoice and final payment. This self-certification approach is commonly accepted. Also, compare your dad's recent 1099 forms to show the drop in income. Financial aid offices understand that contractors don't have the same documentation as employees.

After reading your situation, I wanted to share my experience! I went through something similar with my mom who was a 1099 contractor. We spent weeks trying to get official documentation until someone recommended I try taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) - it was honestly a game-changer for our financial aid appeal. Their system analyzed my mom's 1099 history, contract termination, and income changes, then produced a professional report that explained everything about independent contractor status and documented her income loss. The financial aid office accepted it without questions, which was a huge relief after all the stress. It specializes in contractor and tax situations exactly like your dad's, and they understand what financial aid offices are looking for in these special circumstances.

Just wanted to update about my experience with taxr.ai after trying it for my husband's 1099 termination situation! I was skeptical at first but decided to give it a try since nothing else was working for our daughter's financial aid appeal. It was actually really straightforward - I uploaded his last few months of bank statements showing the payments stopping, his previous year's 1099, and a couple of old contract emails. The report they generated explained everything in financial aid terms, showing exactly when and how his contractor income ended. The financial aid office not only accepted it, but the counselor actually commented that it was one of the clearest explanations of a 1099 income change they'd seen. My daughter's aid was adjusted based on our new financial situation. Such a relief after weeks of stress!

Have you thought about trying to reach the IRS directly about this? When my brother needed proof of his contract ending for his unemployment claim, he couldn't get his former client to respond either. We spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS to see what documentation options existed. Finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got us through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or days. There's a quick demo video here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that shows how it works. The agent explained exactly what documentation was acceptable for proving end of 1099 work when the client won't cooperate. They gave us specific guidance on using a combination of bank statements, last invoice date, and a personal affidavit that would be considered officially acceptable documentation. Changed everything for his claim!

I need to apologize and update my skeptical comment about Claimyr. After posting that comment, I was still stuck trying to get IRS guidance about my own independent contractor situation, so I reluctantly decided to try it. I'm honestly shocked - it actually worked exactly as described. I received a call back in about 30 minutes, and found myself speaking with an actual IRS representative who addressed my questions about contractor documentation requirements. The agent confirmed that for financial aid purposes, a combination of bank statements showing payment cessation, last invoice, and a personal statement explaining the contract end is completely acceptable documentation. They even emailed me their guidance so I had it in writing from an official source. I've spent literally weeks trying to get this information through normal channels. Wish I hadn't been so dismissive initially.

Have you considered having your dad create a simple affidavit? I work in higher ed financial aid, and we frequently accept notarized statements from independent contractors in exactly this situation. The affidavit should include: - Dates of contract work (start and end) - Brief explanation of why work ended - Approximate income before and after - Statement that no formal termination letter exists due to 1099 status Have him sign it in front of a notary (most banks offer this service free for customers). Most financial aid offices understand the documentation limitations for contractors and have procedures for these situations.

Sorry to butt in, but I had a similar issue and I think you're overthinking this. My FAFSA appeal just needed proof of income change, not specifically a "termination letter." I submitted my dad's old 1099s, recent bank statements showing no more deposits from that company, and a simple letter he wrote explaining when and why his contract ended. The financial aid office approved it no problem. They deal with independent contractors all the time - they know you guys don't get formal termination letters! Just call your financial aid office directly and ask what alternative documentation they'll accept instead of focusing on this one document.

I went through this exact situation last year with my mom who was also a 1099 contractor! Your dad is partially right - companies aren't legally required to provide termination letters to independent contractors like they do for employees. But that doesn't mean you're stuck. Here's what worked for us: Instead of asking for a "termination letter," we requested a simple "confirmation of contract period" email. Companies are often more willing to provide basic dates since it's just confirming facts, not making any statements about termination reasons. For your FAFSA appeal, gather these documents: - Your dad's most recent 1099 form showing his previous income - Bank statements from the last 6 months showing when payments from that company stopped - Any final invoice he sent that wasn't paid or was the last one - A simple written statement from your dad explaining when and why the contract ended Most financial aid offices understand that 1099 workers don't have the same documentation as W-2 employees. Call your school's financial aid office directly and explain the situation - they likely have standard procedures for exactly this scenario. Don't let the two-week deadline stress you out too much; they deal with contractor income changes all the time and know what alternative documentation works. Good luck with your appeal!