Receive a 1099-K form? Not sure what it is or what it’s used for? Here’s a brief overview to get you quickly up to speed and in the know this tax season.   

What is a 1099-K? 

Form 1099-K, also called Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, is an IRS information return form that is used to report transactions that are made by a payment settlement entity.   

In other words, if you use a service, like the payment processing provided by Constellation Payments, a third-party processor to process your credit cards and debit cards online, the transactions that were processed by the payment settlement entity are reported on Form 1099-K. 

Who is Issued Form 1099-K? 

Form 1099-K forms are mailed to our customers via USPS and are sent to the same address where monthly statements are sent. 

A copy is simultaneously sent to both the IRS and the merchant.  

It’s important to note that not all business owners who process credit card and debit card payments online are issued a 1099-K. There are minimum reporting thresholds. In most cases, a 1099-K is not issued unless: 

The payment settlement entity processed more than $20,000 worth of payments on behalf of the merchant annually, AND the payment settlement entity processed more than 200 individual transactions on behalf of the merchant annually. 

What Should I Do with My 1099-K? 

Form 1099-K should be used when preparing your annual tax return. According to the IRS, separate reporting of the transactions on Form 1099-K is not required.  Be sure though to add the income that is reported on your 1099-K to your total business income when you file your taxes.  
 
For more information, see the General FAQs on Payment Card and Third Party Transactions from the IRS.   

Have a question regarding Form 1099-K that wasn’t answered here? Reach out to our Merchant Support team here.