How To Get a Copy of Your 1099 From Your Employer or Payer

Where to request your 1099

Your employer or the business that paid you should send your 1099 by January 31 each year. If you have not received one by early February, contact the person or department that handles payroll or payments directly. This is usually the payroll department, accounting office, or the business owner if it is a small company. Ask for the specific form you need — there are many types of 1099s, and the payer needs to know which one applies to your situation.

Most businesses have a standard process for this request. You may be able to email, call, or submit a form through their website or employee portal. Keep a record of when you asked and who you spoke with, in case you need to follow up.

Key Takeaways

• Contact your payer's payroll or accounting department directly by phone or email to request your 1099, and specify which type you need.
• Payers are required to send 1099s by January 31, but if you do not receive yours by mid-February, request a duplicate when ready.
• If your payer will not send you a 1099 or has gone out of business, you can file your tax return without it and contact the IRS for help locating the form.
• The IRS maintains a record of 1099s filed in your name, so if a payer reported income to the IRS but did not send you a copy, the IRS can help you obtain it.

What information you need before you call

Have your Social Security number or employer identification number ready. Know the year the income was paid and the approximate amount. If you worked for a large employer, have your employee ID or the department name where you worked. For contract or freelance work, have the business name and the type of work you did.

This information helps the payer locate your records quickly. If you are requesting a 1099 for work you did years ago, be prepared to wait longer — older records may be stored off-site.

When the payer does not respond

If you have asked twice and received no response after two weeks, or if the business says they will not send a 1099, you have options. You can still file your tax return. Report the income you received on the appropriate line of your return, even without the form in hand. The IRS has a record of what was reported to them under your name.

After you file, you can contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report that you did not receive a 1099 from a specific payer. The IRS can tell you whether a form was filed in your name and help you obtain a copy. This is also the step to take if you believe a payer reported the wrong amount or reported income that was not actually yours.

Requesting a 1099 from a business that closed or moved

If the business no longer exists or you cannot locate them, start by searching online for a forwarding address or phone number. Check the business's last known website, social media pages, or call directory information. If the business was acquired by another company, the new owner may have the old records.

If you cannot locate the payer after a reasonable search, file your return with the income you know you received. Then contact the IRS. The IRS can cross-reference their records to see if the payer filed a 1099 in your name, and they can provide you with the information from that filing. This protects you from penalties for underreporting income, because you have documented your effort to obtain the form.

Different types of 1099s and where to find them

The most common form is the 1099-NEC (nonemployee compensation), used for contract work and freelance income. The 1099-MISC covers miscellaneous income like royalties or rental payments. The 1099-INT reports interest from banks or investments, and the 1099-DIV reports dividends. If you received unemployment benefits, you will receive a 1099-G. Each form comes from a different source, so you may need to contact multiple payers.

If you are unsure which form you should have received, describe the type of income to the payer — they will know which form to send. You can also check your prior year tax return to see which forms you received for similar income.

Using the IRS transcript to verify reported income

The IRS keeps a record of every 1099 filed in your name. You can view this record by ordering a tax transcript from the IRS website at irs.gov or by calling 1-800-908-9946. The transcript shows all income reported to the IRS under your Social Security number, including 1099s that were filed but never sent to you.

This transcript is useful if you are trying to verify what was reported, if you lost your copy of a 1099, or if you need to prove to a lender or government program what income you received in a given year. The IRS can mail the transcript to you, or you can view it when ready online if you set up an IRS online account.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I receive a 1099 after I already filed my tax return?

If the amount on the late 1099 matches what you reported, you do not need to do anything. If it differs, you should file an amended return using Form 1040-X to correct the income. File the amendment as soon as you notice the difference to avoid penalties.

Can I get a 1099 if I was paid in cash?

The payer is only required to send a 1099 if they reported the payment to the IRS. If you were paid in cash and no 1099 was filed, the payer may not have reported it. You are still required to report all income on your tax return, whether or not you receive a 1099.

Do I need the original 1099 or is a copy okay?

A copy is fine for tax filing purposes. The IRS does not require you to attach the 1099 to your return. Keep your copy for your records, but you do not need the original document to file.

What if the 1099 has my name or Social Security number wrong?

Contact the payer when ready and ask them to file a corrected form, called a 1099-X or corrected 1099. Ask them to send you a corrected copy as well. If the error is significant, the IRS may match the income to the wrong person, which can cause problems with your return.

How long do payers have to keep 1099 records?

Payers must keep records for at least four years. If you are requesting a 1099 for income from more than four years ago, the payer may not have the records on file, but it is still worth asking — some businesses keep older records longer.