What is the difference between a 1099-NEC and a 1099-MISC?

Both are IRS information returns, but they cover different payments. The 1099-NEC reports fees paid to contractors for their services, which used to sit in box 7 of the 1099-MISC. The 1099-MISC now covers other payments, such as rent, prizes and royalties. Contractor service fees go on the 1099-NEC.

Do I need to send a 1099-NEC for every contractor?

You send one to each contractor you paid at or above the annual threshold for services, currently $2,000 from the 2026 tax year. You generally do not file one for payments to corporations, or for goods rather than services, though there are specific exceptions. If you withheld federal tax, file one regardless of amount.

What happens if I file a 1099-NEC late or not at all?

The IRS charges per-form penalties that rise the longer the form is overdue, with a higher penalty for deliberate disregard. Missing the 31 January deadline, or failing to give the contractor their copy, can both trigger charges, so it is worth collecting contractor tax details early.

Does issuing a 1099-NEC prove my worker is a contractor?

No. The form reflects how you classified the worker, but it does not make the classification correct. If the IRS finds the person was really an employee, filing a 1099-NEC will not shield you from back taxes and penalties. Classification depends on the working relationship, not the paperwork.

Glossary

Form 1099-NEC

Form 1099-NEC is the US tax form a business files to report payments for services to an independent contractor once those payments reach the annual threshold, giving the IRS and the contractor a record of nonemployee compensation.

Reviewed by Teamed's in-house employment-law team·Last updated 28 July 2026

Also known as: 1099-NEC, nonemployee compensation form

What is Form 1099-NEC?

Form 1099-NEC is the Internal Revenue Service form US businesses use to report nonemployee compensation, meaning payments made to independent contractors, freelancers and other self-employed people for their services. NEC stands for nonemployee compensation. The form tells the IRS what a contractor was paid and gives the contractor a record for their own tax return.

A business must file a 1099-NEC for each contractor it pays at or above the reporting threshold in a calendar year. That threshold was $600 for many years, but from the 2026 tax year it rises to $2,000, following a 2025 change in US law, and will then track inflation.

The form is not the same as tax withholding. Unlike an employee's payslip, a 1099-NEC involves no deductions: the contractor is paid in full and settles their own income and self-employment tax. It is a reporting document, and filing it wrongly, or misclassifying an employee as a 1099 contractor, can bring penalties.

What is the reporting threshold for a 1099-NEC?

A business must issue a 1099-NEC when it pays a contractor at or above the threshold for the year. For the 2026 tax year that threshold is $2,000, raised from the long-standing $600 by a 2025 change in US law. Payments made in 2025 still use the $600 figure.

If a business withheld any federal income tax from the payments, it must file a 1099-NEC whatever the amount.

When is Form 1099-NEC due?

Form 1099-NEC has an early deadline. The business must file it with the IRS and give a copy to the contractor by 31 January of the year after the payments were made. That is earlier than many other information returns, so businesses need contractor details ready well before the date.

How does the 1099-NEC relate to worker misclassification?

Filing a 1099-NEC treats the worker as a contractor. If that classification is wrong and the person is really an employee, the form does not protect the business. The IRS can reclassify the worker, and the business can owe back payroll taxes, the employee's withheld tax, interest and penalties.

Key facts

Reporting threshold from tax year 2026: $2,000 in nonemployee compensation, raised from $600Section 70433 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased the threshold for payments made after 31 December 2025; it is indexed for inflation from 2027. The $600 threshold applied through the 2025 tax year.Source: RSM US· verified 2026-07-28
Filing deadline: 31 January of the year after paymentThe same 31 January deadline applies to both the IRS copy and the contractor's copy of Form 1099-NEC.Source: Internal Revenue Service· verified 2026-07-28

Form 1099-NEC vs Form W-2

	Form 1099-NEC	Form W-2
Who it is for	Independent contractors	Employees
Tax withheld	None; contractor pays their own	Employer withholds income and payroll tax
What it reports	Nonemployee compensation	Wages and amounts withheld
Filing deadline	31 January	31 January

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a 1099-NEC and a 1099-MISC?
Both are IRS information returns, but they cover different payments. The 1099-NEC reports fees paid to contractors for their services, which used to sit in box 7 of the 1099-MISC. The 1099-MISC now covers other payments, such as rent, prizes and royalties. Contractor service fees go on the 1099-NEC.
Do I need to send a 1099-NEC for every contractor?
You send one to each contractor you paid at or above the annual threshold for services, currently $2,000 from the 2026 tax year. You generally do not file one for payments to corporations, or for goods rather than services, though there are specific exceptions. If you withheld federal tax, file one regardless of amount.
What happens if I file a 1099-NEC late or not at all?
The IRS charges per-form penalties that rise the longer the form is overdue, with a higher penalty for deliberate disregard. Missing the 31 January deadline, or failing to give the contractor their copy, can both trigger charges, so it is worth collecting contractor tax details early.
Does issuing a 1099-NEC prove my worker is a contractor?
No. The form reflects how you classified the worker, but it does not make the classification correct. If the IRS finds the person was really an employee, filing a 1099-NEC will not shield you from back taxes and penalties. Classification depends on the working relationship, not the paperwork.

Related terms

Note

This is general information, not legal advice. Statutory rules vary by country and change over time.

Glossary

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Last verified 2026-07-28