You may have heard that Form 1099-MISC’s must be filed earlier next year. That’s true, but it only impacts some of the 1099s. Let’s look at the IRS instructions:
New filing date. Public Law 114-113, Division Q, section 201, requires Form 1099-MISC to be filed on or before January 31, 2017, when you are reporting nonemployee compensation payments in box 7. Otherwise, file by February 28, 2017, if you file on paper, or by March 31, 2017, if you file electronically. The due dates for furnishing payee statements remain the same.
What this means is that only 1099-MISC’s for independent contractors (nonemployee compensation) must be filed by January 31st, whether you file by paper or electronically. All other information returns, including 1099-MISC’s reporting “Other Income,” will have the same deadlines as this past year: paper returns on or before February 28th, and electronic on or before March 31st.
I’m certain there will be confusion this coming year over the deadline. Of course, there’s no penalty for filing all your information returns by January 31st (whether required or not).
Tags: 1099s, 2017.Tax.Season