Here are some of the most common questions customers have when preparing 2017 1099-MISC forms and e-file using the Intuit 1099 E-File Service.

For more details about Form 1099-MISC, see  Form 1099-MISC overview.

Get started

If you've paid at least one contractor or 1099 vendor more than $600 this calendar year, it's likely you'll need to file 1099-MISC forms with the IRS and deliver them to your contractors. Contractors use the info to file their own tax returns. 

In a few easy steps, you can prepare and file your 1099-MISC forms with our 1099 E-File Service. To start:

  • Sign in to the 1099 E-file Service. Follow the onscreen instructions.
    or

  • If you're using Intuit Online Payroll on January 1, 2018, simply sign in to your Intuit Online Payroll account and click Taxes & Forms > 1099.

How e-file works

Here's how we help you e-file quickly and easily:
  • We'll help you fill out and get your forms ready to e-file.
  • You can download the forms as PDF files for your contractors to review for accuracy. They’ll use them as part of their own tax returns so they’ll want their forms to be correct.
  • You can make any corrections to the data in the 1099 E-File Service, and print or save copies for your recipients and yourself.
  • You can download the finished forms as PDF files that you can email to your contractors or 1099 vendors. 
  • When you're ready to e-file with the IRS, you can do it through our service at any time (filing deadline is January 31). No paper, stamps, or mailing.
  • That's it! Unless you need to file 1099-MISC with your state, you're done.

State filing requirements

You're not required to file Form 1099-MISC with your state if your business is in:

  • Alaska (AK)
  • Florida (FL)
  • Iowa (IA)
  • Illinois (IL)
  • New Hampshire (NH)
  • Nevada (NV)
  • New York (NY)
  • South Dakota (SD)
  • Tennessee (TN)
  • Texas (TX)
  • Washington (WA)
  • Wyoming (WY)

For all other states, check with your state agency for filing requirements. We do not file 1099s with the states for you.

Cost to file 

The 1099 E-File Service starts at $14.99, and includes creating and e-filing of up to three 1099-MISC forms to the IRS. After three, the price is $3.99 for each additional form. If you have more than 20 forms, we’ll include them at no additional charge. Prior to January 17, we offer an early-bird discount starting at $12.99 and $2.99 for each additional form up to 20.

Fill out the form and e-file

Here's some details and more information to help you as you fill out the different sections of the form:  
Provide your info
Federal TIN A federal Tax Identification Number (TIN) is used by the IRS to track tax liabilities and payments.
  • If you're an employer, your TIN is your federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).
  • If you're not an employer, your TIN is your Social Security number. For more information or If you need a federal EIN, see What is a federal EIN and a federal TIN?
Filing Name Your company's filing name is the name submitted when you applied for a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).

What if I'm a sole proprietor? If you're a sole proprietor, your filing name is the owner's name, even if you do business under a different name.

Note: When you make tax payments, your tax forms must use the exact filing name, down to the letter. We need the exact name to fill in forms for you.

Tip: Look on the booklet of tax coupons sent to you by the government for your filing name.
Recipient Type The IRS refers to your independent contractor as the "recipient" of Form 1099-MISC. Ask your contractor to fill out Form W-9. Then:
  • If your contractor selected the Individual/sole proprietor box, select Individual here. 
  • If your contractor selected another box for federal tax classification, select Business here.
Recipient's Name
Recipient's Address		 The IRS refers to your independent contractor as the "recipient" of Form 1099-MISC.

Ask your contractor to fill out Form W-9 and enter that information here.

You can use Line 2 to enter the name of an individual within a business, or to report payments to two individuals.
Boxes See Form 1099-MISC overview for help in filling out the boxes. 

Note: Our service doesn't support boxes 11 or 12 (foreign tax paid), or boxes 15 through 18 (not required by the IRS).

Excluded payments: If you made any payments to contractors by credit card, debit card, gift card, or a third-party network like PayPal, the IRS requires you to exclude those amounts from your 1099-MISC forms. Instead, they require the payment settlement companies to report those amounts.

For more information about the payments that you shouldn't report on 1099-MISC, review the IRS instructions for Form 1099-K. Small businesses don't file form 1099-K. It is for payment settlement companies, such as banks, to file.
Pay for Service
Total amount How is my price calculated?
The service includes three forms for $14.99. After three forms, the price is $3.99 for each additional form. If you have more than 20 forms, we'll include them at no additional charge. (At the beginning of January, we offer an early bird discount starting at $12.99 to cover the first three forms and $2.99 for each additional form.)

How will I see the charges on my credit card statement?
When you select the Approve button on the Pay for Service page, we'll charge your credit card for the forms you're ready to download or print. If you approve more forms later, each group of forms will be a separate charge.
Get your forms
Status
Here's what the Status entries mean:
  • Not Submitted: You haven't yet e-filed this Form 1099-MISC with the IRS. You can continue revising it.
  • Submitted: You've e-filed with the IRS. At this point, you can't revise it through our service (if you need to revise it, you'll need to file a manual amendment).
  • Received by IRS: The IRS has received your form and is either processing it or has already processed and approved it. This year, the IRS starts processing forms in early January. We'll send you an email about a week after the IRS accepts your forms.
Mail your forms What types of envelopes work best?
If you decide to print and mail forms to contractors (instead of downloading and emailing them), you can use window envelopes: Use 1099 double-window envelopes (9" x 5 5/8"). You can purchase these from any office supply store.

How do I print the forms?
  1. To print forms for one contractor at a time, select the individual Download links on this page.
  2. To print forms for a group of contractors you select, select the Print for Contractors button and then the View button.
  3. A PDF viewer window opens with the contractor copies and instructions in it.
    When you click the printer icon in your PDF viewer, it may include a Page Scaling option. If it does, set it to None so the address on printed forms will show through the envelope’s window.
Download and email your forms Here's how you can save time by downloading and emailing forms to contractors instead of printing and mailing them.

Since the 1099 forms are financial documents, you should make sure that your contractor agrees that you can send forms over email.
  1. Select Download on the contractor's row. A new window opens that includes the forms you need to send to that contractor.
  2. Save the file, changing its name from ViewPdfForm to a new name, like the contractor's name (for example, CristinaAndres.pdf). To save the file, you can right-click in the window and choose Save as (or on a Mac, press Command-S).
  3. Email the file to the contractor.
E-file with IRS
View or print forms Can't view or print forms? See Troubleshoot printing paychecks, pay stubs and forms for more information.

When will the tax agencies get my forms?
This year the IRS starts accepting forms in early January. We'll send you an email about a week after the IRS accepts your forms.

Note: Since you're using our 1099 E-File Service, you don't need to file Form 1096.

I need to update my forms. Can I still make changes?
Once you submit a form, you can't make changes through our service (you'll need to file a manual amendment).
What are Safe Harbor guidelines?
The 1099 E-File Service does not let you make corrections to a 1099 form after it has been e-filed. You can, however, make corrections in a printed copy and send it by mail to the IRS. For more information about correcting a 1099 form that has already been e-filed, please check the IRS website.

However, you might not need to make any corrections. The guidelines in Safe Harbor for de minimus state that you do not need to make any corrections if:
  • the withholding amount (that is, the difference between the actual amount withheld and the amount filed) is less than $100
  • the difference between the dollar amount reported for tax withheld and the correct amount is no more than $25
In such cases, you're not required to file a corrected return.

Note: If the contractor or recipient of the 1099-MISC form wants the information corrected, you will need to provide the corrected return to the recipient or contractor and file it again.

Chat with us

Need more help? Chat with a 1099 specialist.