Many taxpayers may be surprised in early 2023 when they receive a Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third-Party Network Transactions, to report income earned in the “gig economy” or in sales of goods and services through certain internet sites. The number of taxpayers receiving the forms is expected to skyrocket because the threshold for reporting payments made through third-party processors has plummeted.
Before 2022, reporting was required only when a third-party settlement organization (TPSO) made more than 200 payments to a payee that totaled more than $20,000 for the year. However, beginning in 2022, a TPSO must report a payee’s payments once they total $600, regardless of their number.
The IRS recently updated its Form 1099-K Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help taxpayers understand who files the form, who receives it, and what it means. The updated FAQs are divided into five sections.
1. General
The General section of the FAQs explains that the IRS will also use Forms 1099-K for systemic computer matching to tax returns to identify potential unreported income. The agency will also use the information to develop taxpayer education and outreach efforts, as well as new approaches to audits and collection.
2. Definition
The second section of the FAQs defines several relevant terms, including:
- Payment cards (credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, etc.)
- Merchant category code
- Third-party settlement organization (TPSO)
- Merchant acquiring entity
- Participating payee
- Gross amount of reportable transactions.
3. Individuals
The third section of the FAQs explains who will receive a Form 1099-K and who will not. An individual who receives a form should use the information to compute gross sales and receipts, and correctly calculate gross income.
An individual who has questions about the form, believes it was issued in error, or believes it includes incorrect information should generally contact the form’s issuer. The individual may also contact the payment settlement entity (PSE) whose name and phone number appear on the form.
4. Reporting
The reporting section of the FAQs explains due dates for filing Form 1099-K with the IRS and providing a copy to the payee. This section also reiterates that the form must report the gross amount of the payee’s reportable transactions, with no adjustments for fees, refunds, and other adjustments.
5. Filing Form 1099-K
Finally, the last section of the FAQs explains which party is responsible for filing which forms. For example, a merchant acquiring entity is responsible for filing some Forms 1099-K, while a third-party settlement organization is responsible for filing others.
Reportable payments include payments to a government unit or a foreign payee. However, they do not include payments that are reportable under Code provisions other than Code Sec. 6050W.
