1099 season is by nature challenging. Whether this is your first year having Ceterus file your 1099s or you have been using our 1099 service for years, we are happy to assist you during this critical time of the year. If you have never experienced 1099s before, this article will help set the tone for what to expect and how we can help to ensure everything is covered.
Skip Ahead To
Who is required to file 1099s?
What 1099 forms will my vendors receive?
What are 1099s?
A 1099 form is a record that your entity gave or paid an individual over $600 throughout the year. The payer fills out a 1099 form and sends copies to the recipient and the IRS.
1099s are used by the IRS to understand what income individuals and companies receive. Annual 1099s are required to track the income paid to individuals and certain businesses (broadly, organizations that are not incorporated). Companies that pay for goods or services are required to file 1099s annually letting the IRS know who they paid.
When are 1099s due?
1099s are due per the IRS by January 31st. That being said, the below dates are important to keep in mind when using Ceterus for 1099 Service to ensure timely filing.
- December 31
- 1099 Eligibility Deadline for New Stores
- *January 14
- 1099 Opt-Out Deadline
Final Day to make Legal Business Entity Edits - January 19
- Final Vendor Amount listed in Edge
- *January 21
- Final day to make Vendor Edits in Edge
- Last Full Week
of January - 1099 Filings Begin for Complete Vendors
- January 31
- 1099 IRS Filing Deadline
- May 1
- 1099 Manager Resets to Current Year Data
*Why can't I make edits in Edge after these dates?
Ceterus places a timeline on edits in Edge to ensure our team has time to validate data and catch any discrepancies before filing. This then allows our team to clarify any questions about the data with enough time to correct this and still attempt to file by the IRS deadline.
Who is required to file 1099s?
Majority of the time, freelancers or independent contractors that are hired by small businesses may be required to fill out a 1099 if they are deemed eligible. There are also times where an employee of yours may be considered an independent contractor in the eyes of the IRS and may be required to file a 1099.
What 1099 forms will my vendors receive?
There are several kinds of 1099 forms, but Ceterus specifically files the following
How do I know if my vendor is truly eligible?
Ceterus determines a list in our 1099 Manager tool for vendors we believe could potentially be eligible for 1099s. That being said, we won't always know until we receive a W9 or understand other important aspects of the vendor if they are definitely eligible or not. This is where your assistance is greatly helpful in maintaining accuracy.
Generally speaking, 1099 eligibility can be determined based on the below guidelines for each form.
-
- You paid amounts reportable in Boxes 1, 3, and 8 of at least $10
- You withheld and paid any foreign tax on interest
- You withheld (and did not refund) any federal income tax under the backup withholding rules regardless of the amount of the payment
-
- At least $10 in royalties or broker payments in lieu of dividends or tax-exempt interest
- At least $600 in:
- Rents
- Prizes and awards
- Other income payments
- Medical and health care payments
- Crop insurance proceeds
- Cash paid from a notional principal contract to an individual, partnership, or estate
- Payments to an attorney
- Any fishing boat proceeds
- At least $500 in direct sales of consumer products to a buyer for resale anywhere other than a permanent retail establishment
-
- The vendor is registered as an LLC (S-Corp or C-Corp)
- Payments made with a credit card or payment card, including third-party network transactions
- Payments for merchandise, telegrams, telephone, freight, storage, and similar items
- Payments of rent to real estate agents
- Wages paid to employees that are reported on Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement
- Military differential wage payments made to employees while they are on active duty
- Business travel allowances paid to employees reported on Form W-2
- Cost of current life insurance protection
- Payments to a tax-exempt organization
- Payments made to or for homeowners from HFA Hardest Hit Fund or similar state programs
- Compensation for injuries or sickness by the Department of Justice as a public safety officer disability or survivor's benefit
- Compensation for wrongful incarceration for any criminal offense where there was a conviction under federal or state law
- Fees paid to informers as an award, fee, or reward for information about criminal activity
- Scholarships or fellowship grants
How can I get Ceterus my vendor's information?
At Ceterus, we view 1099 season as a team effort. What does that mean exactly? We've done our best to set our users up with the toolset and information necessary to stay organized with vendor management and filing statuses. With that said, the success of each year's filings also depends on the quality of information we receive from you and helping to meet our requested deadlines to meet the overall IRS deadline for filings.
We know what you may be thinking - "This seems like a lot to manage and remember!"
Don't worry - trust us, we're here to help!
Because there are sometimes several vendors to track throughout the year, Ceterus has created a 1099 Manager tool directly within Edge for users to stay organized throughout the year. This toolset was implemented to make 1099 data more visible to you.
There are several benefits to the 1099 Manager. If you are the 1099 Primary Contact, we recommend reviewing these articles to gain the most out of this helpful platform.
Comments
Article is closed for comments.