Thursday December 29, 2022 – There is much confusion about the 1099-K, no thanks to the IRS changing the reporting threshold rules – after the reporting threshold rules were changed by the American Rescue Plan in 2021. You may ask “what is 1099-K form used for?”

In short, 1099-Ks are sent to merchants, financial institutions, and other businesses that accept payments from customers through credit cards, debit cards, PayPal or other online payment systems to report gross transactions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Information Returns

1099-K is a version of what the IRS calls an information return. The IRS uses information returns to help ensure that individuals and businesses report all their income and pay the appropriate amount of taxes on that income. By requiring organizations to report certain types of payments made to individuals or businesses, the IRS can more easily track and verify the income that is being reported on tax returns. Reporting helps to improve voluntary tax compliance

Reporting Thresholds

Since 2011 the reporting threshold was:
• Gross payments that exceed $20,000, AND
• More than 200 such transactions

The American Rescue Plan of 2021 changed the reporting threshold for third-party settlement organizations, including payment apps and online third-party settlement organizations. The new threshold required these organizations to report transactions in excess of $600 per year, without regard to the number of transactions.

On December 23, 2022, the IRS announced that calendar year 2022 will be treated as a transition year for the reduced reporting threshold of $600. For calendar year 2022, third-party settlement organizations who issue Forms 1099-K are only required to report transactions where gross payments exceed $20,000 and there are more than 200 transactions. Back to the original threshold.

Conclusion:

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion. Remember, the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution makes all income, “from whatever source derived” taxable. So, even if you do not receive a 1099 – all income must be reported on your tax return.

Attorney Steven A. Leahy reveals What a 1099-K is used for on Today’s Tax Talk.

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-k

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/a-guide-to-information-returns

https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/us-news/personal-finance/2022/12/29/63adb4cd22601d9b2c8b45f5.html

---