The threshold you’ll run into most often is $600. If you paid someone $600 or more during the calendar year for services and they’re not your W-2 employee, you generally need to issue a 1099-NEC (Nonemployee Compensation). This covers subcontractors, freelancers, consultants, and anyone else who performed work for your business without being on your payroll.

The $600 threshold applies per recipient across the entire year, not per payment. Ten payments of $75 to the same person adds up to $750, which means you owe them a 1099. This catches people off guard when they use the same handyman or graphic designer a handful of times throughout the year.

Not every payment triggers a 1099 though. Payments made to C-corporations and S-corporations are generally exempt. The big exception is payments to attorneys. If you paid a law firm $600 or more, you issue a 1099 regardless of their corporate structure. Payments made through third-party platforms like PayPal, Venmo for business, or credit card processors are also excluded from your 1099-NEC reporting because the platform handles the reporting via 1099-K instead.

The 1099-MISC form has its own set of thresholds. Rent payments of $600 or more get reported on a 1099-MISC. Royalties have a lower bar at just $10. Prizes, awards, and other miscellaneous income payments hit the $600 mark as well.

To issue accurate 1099s, you need W-9 forms from your vendors and contractors. The W-9 gives you their legal name, address, taxpayer ID number, and entity type. Collect this before you make the first payment or at least before year end. Chasing down W-9s in January when you’re trying to file is stressful and some people simply won’t respond in time.

The filing deadline is January 31. Both the recipient’s copy and the IRS filing are due by that date for 1099-NEC forms. Penalties for late or missed filings range from $60 to $310 per form depending on how late you are, and they can add up fast if you have multiple contractors.

The easiest way to stay on top of this is tracking contractor payments throughout the year rather than scrambling in January. Your 1099 preparation process should start with good recordkeeping. Flag every vendor who might cross the $600 mark so there are no surprises.

If you’re unsure whether certain payments require a 1099 or which form type applies, working with a small business accounting firm takes the guesswork out of it. Getting it right matters because the IRS cross-references 1099s with the recipient’s tax return, and failing to file can result in penalties for your business and problems for the person you paid.