What is a 1099?
A 1099 is a form stating to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that a nonemployer paid money to an individual or
business. There are many types of 1099 forms, but the most common are 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC .
These forms—typically issued to freelancers and independent contractors—report wages without taxes withheld, such as
Medicare and Social Security, to the IRS. Those who earn more than $600 for nonemployee compensation will receive the
1099-NEC form, which replaced Form 1099-MISC.
What is a W-2?
Form W-2 reports all payments an employee receives within a year. The employer provides this form to all employees at
the end of the calendar year.
The information on a W-2 form includes:
State income: The amount withheld for state income tax purposes.
Medicare and Social Security income: The amount of money the employer withholds to pay FICA taxes.
Taxable income: The amount an employee made that year and the amount withheld for federal taxes.