Can You File Taxes without a 1099?
In late January and early February every year, millions of 1099 forms, W-2s, and other "information returns" are received by people across the United States. Invariably, many get lost in the mail, returned to the sender due to bad addresses, end up in the neighbor's mailbox or are misplaced before the recipient is ready to file taxes. Fortunately, you don't need to actually have all of them in hand to file your tax return.
Free Tax Form 1040
Paper vs. E-file
File electronically if you don't have all of your 1099s or W-2s, as long as you know exactly what numbers are on them. The e-filing process does not require you to mail copies of W-2s or 1099s, even if they show withheld taxes. You will need to know the business name, address and federal ID number of each 1099 vendor.
Online Tax Preparation
Accuracy
Know the exact dollar amounts. If you don't know the dollar amount for each box, you shouldn't file your taxes until you get that information. If you file a return that is missing any information that has been provided to IRS on an information return (1099, 1098 or W-2), IRS' computer matching system will notice the difference. Your tax refund may be reduced or delayed, or IRS will send you a balance due notice for the difference in taxes, plus penalties and interest.
Federal Withholding
Look at the totals you have written down for each of your 1099s. The "nonemployee compensation" 1099-MISC forms rarely have any federal withholding amounts, but a 1099-R is likely to have withholding. If there is no federal tax withheld from any of your 1099 amounts, you can file either a paper return or electronically. Contrary to popular belief, IRS does not want you to attach copies of 1099s if they have no federal tax withheld.
E File Taxes Online For Free
State Taxes
Check your state tax return instructions to see if you are required to mail in copies of your 1099s. Most states' requirements are the same as federal requirements, but it is best to know rather than assume.
Paid Preparer
Prepare and mail or transmit your own taxes if you want to be sure you won't need to have all of your 1099s in hand. Some paid preparers will accept your handwritten totals in lieu of actual 1099s if there was no federal withholding, but others will make you track them all down before they finalize your return. Having IRS send a "we have corrected your tax return" notice casts a negative light on the paid preparer, so they don't like to work with unknowns.
Minnesota State Tax Extension
In late January and early February every year, millions of 1099 forms, W-2s, and other "information returns" are received by people across the United States. Invariably, many get lost in the mail, returned to the sender due to bad addresses, end up in the neighbor's mailbox or are misplaced before the recipient is ready to file taxes. Fortunately, you don't need to actually have all of them in hand to file your tax return.
Free Tax Form 1040
Paper vs. E-file
File electronically if you don't have all of your 1099s or W-2s, as long as you know exactly what numbers are on them. The e-filing process does not require you to mail copies of W-2s or 1099s, even if they show withheld taxes. You will need to know the business name, address and federal ID number of each 1099 vendor.
Online Tax Preparation
Accuracy
Know the exact dollar amounts. If you don't know the dollar amount for each box, you shouldn't file your taxes until you get that information. If you file a return that is missing any information that has been provided to IRS on an information return (1099, 1098 or W-2), IRS' computer matching system will notice the difference. Your tax refund may be reduced or delayed, or IRS will send you a balance due notice for the difference in taxes, plus penalties and interest.
Federal Withholding
Look at the totals you have written down for each of your 1099s. The "nonemployee compensation" 1099-MISC forms rarely have any federal withholding amounts, but a 1099-R is likely to have withholding. If there is no federal tax withheld from any of your 1099 amounts, you can file either a paper return or electronically. Contrary to popular belief, IRS does not want you to attach copies of 1099s if they have no federal tax withheld.
E File Taxes Online For Free
State Taxes
Check your state tax return instructions to see if you are required to mail in copies of your 1099s. Most states' requirements are the same as federal requirements, but it is best to know rather than assume.
Paid Preparer
Prepare and mail or transmit your own taxes if you want to be sure you won't need to have all of your 1099s in hand. Some paid preparers will accept your handwritten totals in lieu of actual 1099s if there was no federal withholding, but others will make you track them all down before they finalize your return. Having IRS send a "we have corrected your tax return" notice casts a negative light on the paid preparer, so they don't like to work with unknowns.
Minnesota State Tax Extension