I received a 1099-MISC but the payer's identification number is hidden - what should I do?

Don't panic! This happens more often than you'd think. You should never make up a TIN - that's a big no-no with the IRS. Here's what you can do: First, keep trying to contact the payer. Send an email with a specific request for the TIN and mention it's for tax purposes. Sometimes a written request gets better results than phone calls. If you can't get the information before the filing deadline, you can still file your return. Enter all the information you have from the 1099-MISC, including the exact amount. Where it asks for the payer's TIN, you can enter "Unknown" in tax software like TurboTax. Include a brief statement explaining that you requested the TIN but haven't received it. The IRS might send you a notice later asking about the missing TIN, but you'll have documentation showing you made reasonable attempts to get it.

I went through this exact nightmare last year with a small photography client who paid me for wedding photos. After weeks of frustration I found a solution using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was an absolute lifesaver! I uploaded the redacted 1099-MISC and it actually helped identify that my payer had used their SSN instead of a business EIN, which was why they were being so weird about it. The system analyzed my form, caught several other issues I hadn't noticed, and gave me specific guidance for my situation. It walked me through exactly what to put on my Schedule C and how to handle the missing TIN situation properly. Saved me hours of stress and prevented what could have been a major filing error.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it actually worked really well for my situation! I uploaded my incomplete 1099-NEC and it immediately flagged not just the missing TIN but also that my address was partially cut off on the form. The guidance it gave me was super specific - it generated a template letter to send to my client requesting the TIN (which looked way more professional than what I would have written), and explained exactly how to document my attempts to get the information. It even gave me step-by-step instructions for how to handle this specific situation in TurboTax, which I was also using. My client finally sent the corrected form after getting my formal request letter. Definitely saved me from a potential audit headache!

If you're still struggling to get a response from the business, you might want to try using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to the IRS directly. I was in a similar situation last year and spent WEEKS trying to handle it myself. After getting nowhere, I used Claimyr to actually speak with an IRS agent (check out how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). I was super skeptical it would work, but within 15 minutes I was talking to a real person at the IRS who explained exactly what documentation I needed to file without the TIN. They even sent me a confirmation letter I could include with my return. Sometimes going straight to the source saves so much time and stress, especially with weird tax situations like missing information on official forms.

I hate to admit when I'm wrong, but I tried Claimyr after posting my skeptical comment and I'm honestly shocked at how well it worked. After spending 3+ hours on multiple calls trying to reach someone at the IRS myself last week, I decided to give it a shot. The system called me back in about 20 minutes when an IRS agent was available. The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to do with my missing TIN situation (document my attempts to contact the payer, write "UNKNOWN" in the TIN field, and include a brief statement explaining the situation). They also told me this won't hold up my refund as long as everything else on my return is in order. Having this confirmation directly from the IRS gave me the confidence to file instead of stressing for another week. Time well spent!

Another option - check if you can find the business's EIN on any other documentation they might have sent you. Sometimes it's on invoices, contracts, or their website privacy policy. For publicly traded companies, you can usually find it in their SEC filings too.

You could also check the Secretary of State business search for your state. Most states have online business entity searches where you can look up the company and sometimes their EIN is listed in public records.