Deductions & credits


@Gina G wrote:

Does anyone know if you're required to submit a 1099 for paying a business coach? To add some color, I hired a business coach for about $3,000 in 2020, outside of the deduction issue - am I required to submit a 1099 for her services?

 

Another way to ask this question is where is the line between hiring a contractor to perform a service, and paying for a program (say an e-course).


You are required to issue a 1099-MISC if you are a business and you pay more than $600 to a person or another business that is not an S-corp, C-corp, or LLC that has elected to file as an S-corp.

 

If you as "John Smith d/b/a Smith and Sons Roofing" hire a coach or other expert to develop your business, you must issue a 1099-MISC (or starting in 2020, a 1099-NEC).  You should not pay them until you give them and they return to you a signed W-9 form with their tax number.

 

However, if you as John Smith private individual want to hire a life coach, that's a personal expense and not tax deductible, and you as a private person aren't required to issue 1099s to people you hire.