What to put in Box C on tax form 1099? (see image)

What if my name doesn't fit in the box? My legal name is pretty long and I've had this problem before with other forms.

Do I need to put my middle name or is first and last sufficient? Also what if I've moved recently but haven't updated my address with the IRS yet?

If your name doesn't fit in the box completely, use your first initial and full last name, or abbreviate your middle name. The most important thing is that your last name and SSN match IRS records. For address questions, you should use your current mailing address where you want to receive correspondence, even if you haven't updated with the IRS yet. However, I'd recommend updating your address with the IRS as soon as possible by filing Form 8822, Change of Address. This helps ensure you receive all important tax notices.

Does it work for other tax forms too? I'm dealing with multiple 1099s plus some W-2s and I'm completely lost on some sections.

How do you know it's giving accurate information? Tax stuff seems too important to trust to an AI. Did you verify what it told you?

Yes, it works for pretty much all tax forms! I used it for my W-2, 1099-NEC, and even some Schedule C questions. It's really versatile and can handle all the common tax documents. I totally get being skeptical about AI for taxes. What I liked is that it actually cites IRS publications and gives references for its answers. I double-checked a few things against the official IRS instructions and everything matched up. Plus it shows you visually where each box is on the form which helped me make sure I was looking at the right section.

How does this actually work though? I thought it was impossible to get through to the IRS without waiting for hours.

This sounds like a scam. There's no way to "skip the line" with the IRS. They're notoriously understaffed and everyone has to wait. I'm very suspicious of any service claiming to get you through faster.

It uses a system that keeps dialing and navigating the IRS phone tree for you. It's basically doing what you would do manually - calling repeatedly until you get through - but automated. When it finally connects, it calls your phone so you can talk directly to the IRS agent. You're not talking to a third party, but to the actual IRS. I had the exact same skepticism initially. But it's legit - it's just automating the repetitive calling process. The IRS themselves have acknowledged these services exist. They don't let you "cut the line" - they just handle the frustrating part of repeatedly calling until you get through. When I used it, I was connected directly to an official IRS representative who verified my identity the same way they normally would.

Thanks for clarifying this! I'm the contractor and my client asked me to complete this form so they can pay me and report it properly. So I'll put my full legal name and address in Box C. Just to double check - this isn't the W-9 form, right? Because I filled one of those out already.

You're welcome! If you already filled out a W-9, then this is probably a different form. The W-9 is what contractors fill out to give to clients (it provides your taxpayer info), while the 1099-NEC is what the client sends to both you and the IRS reporting how much they paid you. It's a bit unusual for a client to ask you to fill out your own 1099-NEC since they typically prepare that form based on the W-9 you already provided. They might be asking you to verify the information they have, or they could be confusing which form they need from you. Might be worth asking them to clarify which specific form they need you to complete.

This is actually not entirely accurate. The IRS does accept standard USPS abbreviations in addresses. I work in payroll and we use standard abbreviations all the time without issue.