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1099 checker

Do I need to send a 1099?

Four quick questions for each payee. You'll see the form, the deadline and what to do next, based on the IRS rules for payments made in 2026.

Your payment

Answer for one payee at a time. Totals are for everything you paid them from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2026.

1. Was it a business payment?
2. How did you pay?
3. Who did you pay?
4. What was it for?

Your answer

Updates as you answer.

Start with question 1

Let's find out.

Most 1099 questions come down to four things: business or personal, how you paid, who you paid, and how much.

Have MFA file your 1099sRead the full 1099 guide

Educational information, not tax or legal advice.

From the MFA shop

Products that go with this tool

Spreadsheets and checklists built by accountants, for when you want to keep your own records. Instant download.

PDF + Excel

The 1099 Kit (2026 payments, filed in 2027)

Decide who needs a 1099, collect W-9s and file on time. Updated for the new $2,000 threshold, with a contractor tracker.

$10.49Buy on EtsyView in shop
Excel / Google Sheets

1099 Contractor Payment Tracker

Log every contractor and vendor payment in 2026, see who needs a Form 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC at the $2,000 threshold, and work a year-end filing checklist with the 2027 deadlines.

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How this checker decides

For payments made in 2026, a Form 1099 depends on four things: whether the payment was for your business, how you paid, who you paid, and the total for the year.

  • $2,000 threshold. Nonemployee compensation, rents, medical payments and other income are reportable at $2,000 or more for 2026 payments (it was $600 for 2025). Royalties stay at $10 and gross proceeds paid to attorneys at $600.
  • Card and app payments are excluded. Payments by credit or debit card or through a payment network are reported by the processor on Form 1099-K.
  • Corporations are generally exempt, except for legal services and medical and health care payments.
  • Backup withholding. If you withheld federal income tax because the payee didn't provide a tax ID, you file no matter the amount.

Want the full walkthrough, including the QuickBooks steps? Read our Form 1099 preparation guide or grab the W-9 request email templates.

Sources

Facts checked against the sources above as of October 20, 2026. Educational information, not tax or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you enter; your situation may differ. Using this tool doesn't create a client relationship.

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