Bottom line is if a 1099 NEC has been issued you must deal with it on your tax return in some fashion. You have to decide which way to deal with it yourself based on the information you have on this situation. Failure to enter this income and deal with it in some fashion on the 1040 will result in you getting an IRS audit letter in a couple of years and you will have to address this at that time. So better to address it now than to let the IRS question it later.
