What to do when my 1099 form is not available in my investment platform?

You definitely need to report investment income, but you have a few options here. First, understand that different types of 1099 forms exist for investments - the most common being 1099-DIV for dividends, 1099-INT for interest income, and 1099-B for proceeds from broker transactions. If you truly can't access your 1099 before the filing deadline, you can still file your taxes using the information from your trading history. Make a good faith effort to report all taxable transactions accurately based on your account statements or transaction history. Just be aware that the IRS will receive a copy of your 1099 directly from the investment platform, so your reported numbers should match. For smaller accounts with minimal activity, some brokers don't generate 1099s until certain thresholds are met. For example, if you earned less than $10 in dividends, a 1099-DIV might not be issued. But that doesn't mean you're off the hook for reporting the income.

After struggling with a similar situation last year with a missing 1099-B from my crypto exchange, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it completely saved me. I uploaded my trading history CSV files from the platform, and their system automatically calculated all my capital gains, identified wash sales, and categorized everything properly. The best part was that it generated all the proper tax forms I needed, including a substitute 1099 that I could use for filing. They have specific import options for almost every investment platform, so you don't have to manually figure out all your cost basis and holding periods.

Just wanted to update - I ended up trying taxr.ai after posting my skeptical question. It was actually way more accurate than I expected! I had a complicated situation with transfers between brokerages that was causing me major headaches, but their system figured out the correct cost basis for everything. What really impressed me was that they flagged some wash sales I had completely missed that would have gotten me in trouble. Ended up saving me about $340 in taxes because of some losses I didn't realize I could claim. Definitely worth it for the peace of mind alone, especially when dealing with missing 1099s.

If you still need that 1099 form directly from your broker (which you should try to get), I recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually reach a human at your investment platform's customer service. I spent DAYS trying to get through to my broker about a similar issue, and their callback system got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically saves you from waiting on hold forever. I was ready to throw my phone through a window after listening to the same music loop for hours before I found this.

Ok I have to eat my words. After posting my skeptical comment, my frustration with my broker hit peak levels when I got disconnected after waiting 1.5 hours on hold. In desperation, I tried Claimyr, fully expecting to be disappointed. It actually worked exactly as advertised. Got a callback in about 20 minutes with a real human from my investment platform on the line. Turns out they had the wrong email address on file which is why I never got notified when my 1099 was ready. The rep stayed on the line while I logged in and helped me navigate to the right section where my forms were waiting. Would still prefer better customer service from financial companies, but in a pinch, this service is legit.

Something to consider - if your total trades were only around $750 and you think you lost money overall, you may still want those losses documented on your tax return. Capital losses can offset capital gains, and if your losses exceed your gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 against your ordinary income. Any additional losses can be carried forward to future tax years. Without proper documentation though, you can't claim these benefits. So getting that 1099-B or reconstructing your trades accurately is actually in your financial interest.

Quick question - do I face the same issue with multiple brokerage accounts? I have accounts with Fidelity, Robinhood and Webull, and only received 1099s from Fidelity so far.

Hey Romeo, I totally understand your stress about this! I went through something similar last year. Here's what I learned: First, check if your investment platform has a minimum threshold for issuing 1099s. Some smaller platforms only issue them if you have $10+ in dividends or $600+ in other income. With $750 in total trades, you might fall below their threshold. However, you're still legally required to report all investment income and losses regardless of whether you receive a 1099. The good news is that if you lost money overall, those losses can actually help reduce your tax burden! Here's my suggestion: Download your complete transaction history from the platform (this is usually available even if 1099s aren't). You'll need the purchase date, sale date, purchase price, and sale price for each transaction. Then you can either: 1. Use tax software that can import trading data 2. Manually fill out Form 8949 and Schedule D 3. Use one of the specialized tax tools mentioned above Don't panic about the deadline - you can always file an extension if needed. The most important thing is to report accurately, even if it means using your transaction history instead of waiting for a 1099 that might not even be coming. You've got this! The $200 loss you mentioned can actually offset other income, so it's worth documenting properly.