1099 WHAT? Different 1099s forms small business owners receive, explained

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When you start a business, you end up dealing with a lot more paperwork.

When you were an employee, you had someone else at your company who would take care of all the paperwork and tax forms that need to be filed to stay in compliance with all the rules set forth by the federal and state governments.

Now you are responsible for all aspects of your business, which means you will need to complete the paperwork and deal with any correspondence that comes your way.

One type of form you will need to deal with start with “1099”. These would be referred to as series 1099 forms, and are used to report various types of income you would receive. Let’s take a look at a few of them that you may receive as a business owner.

1099-A: Acquisition or Abandonment of Secured Property –If you borrowed money from a bank or other lender to purchase property, and you either abandon or have the property foreclosed, you may have to treat the property as being sold. The lender will have to send you Form 1099-A with all the relevant information needed to report the “sale” on your return. If you had purchased an office for your business, and you abandon it or it gets foreclosed, you should expect this form from the lender.

1099-B: Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions – One way to save on cash is to barter with another business for services. If you did that, you would receive this form if you engaged in bartering with someone else, or took part in a bartering exchange.

1099-C: Cancellation of Debt – Here is something that may seem a little strange: If you borrow money, and the lender cancels the remaining debt at some time in the future, you have to recognize the amount forgiven as income. If you think about it, it does make sense. You actually gain from not having to pay back the money. If your loan is forgiven, you will get a 1099-C from the lender showing how much you of the forgiven loan you need to record as income.

1099-K: Merchant Card and Third Party Network Payments –Do you accept credit cards in your business. Then you will be receiving this form if you received money from any online sales you made during the year that were paid for with a credit card. You want to make sure the amounts on these forms match with your records. If not, contact the sender to determine what is causing the variance.

1099-MISC: Miscellaneous Income – This is the one on this list that you will probably most likely receive during the year, and possibly more than one if you have more than one customer. Basically, this form shows the amounts your customer has paid you for the work you did for them, or if you rent a property to them. You will want to review this form to make sure the amounts match your records.

1099-S: Proceeds from Real Estate Transactions – Although most of the time you won’t receive this form unless you sell your home, you may have a property that you own for your business. You would receive this form if you sell:

1. Land, whether improved or unimproved,
2. Residential, commercial, or industrial building
3. A condominium unit
4. A cooperative housing corporation’s stock

While most entrepreneurs do not have to deal with the sale of real estate, you should be aware of this form so that when your business grows to the point of needing a headquarters, you will be ready for the form when it arrives.

Having to deal with all these new forms may be intimidating, but don’t let that stop you from starting and growing a business. Additionally, don’t let the forms be so intimidating that you don’t ask an accountant what they are about and what should be done.

I always enjoy helping my clients understand their tax situation, and I would rather have you ask what something means than have you make a decision based on information about which you are confused. If you have questions, drop me a line and I would be happy to answer them.