How do I fix the “check this entry” error when filing a 1099-NEC that says I need to link a schedule C?

Currently there is a known issue when using TurboTax Online that is related to the program asking you to double-click to link to Schedule C. 

Also you can review the information below for a possible steps to solve the issue.  

Income reported on Form 1099-NEC must be reported on Schedule C, the program is trying to link these two forms together to be sure that it is reported correctly and on the right form.

Revisit the section where you entered the Form 1099-NEC if you entered it on its own and delete that entry, by following these steps:

1. Open TurboTax.
2. On the top right corner of TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner).
3. Type in “1099-NEC” (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find),
4. Click on “Jump to 1099-NEC”
5. Click on the blue “Jump to 1099-NEC” link

This will bring you a summary of all Form 1099-NEC that you have entered.  Click Delete or the trash can icon next to each one.

Next, you will re-enter the Form 1099-NEC as part of the Schedule C so that the income is reported directly as part of your Business Income and Expenses and within the correct form and section of your return.

Follow these steps to go to the Schedule C section of your return:

1. On the top right corner of TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner).
2. Type in “schedule c” (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find).
3. Click on “Jump to schedule c”.
4. Click on the blue “Jump to schedule c” link

If you already have created a Schedule C in your return, click on edit and go to the section to Add Income.  This is where you will re-enter the Form 1099-NEC. 

If you do not already have a Schedule C in your return, follow the prompts and enter the information about your work/business for which you received the Form 1099-NEC.  Then continue through that section to Add Income and enter the Form 1099-NEC along with any additional income you received for that business.  

Once you have completed this, the error should be eliminated. 

So does this mean that I cannot file until this is fixed?

You can review the information below for steps to possibly solve the issue.  Many times this will correct the issue.

Income reported on Form 1099-NEC must be reported on Schedule C, the program is trying to link these two forms together to be sure that it is reported correctly and on the right form.

Revisit the section where you entered the Form 1099-NEC if you entered it on its own and delete that entry, by following these steps:

1. Open TurboTax.
2. On the top right corner of TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner).
3. Type in “1099-NEC” (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find),
4. Click on the “Jump to 1099-NEC” link.

This will bring you a summary of all Form 1099-NEC that you have entered.  Click Delete or the Trash can icon next to each one.

Next, you will re-enter the Form 1099-NEC as part of the Schedule C so that the income is reported directly as part of your Business Income and Expenses and within the correct form and section of your return.

Follow these steps to go to the Schedule C section of your return: 

1. On the top right corner of TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner).
2. Type in “schedule c” (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find).
3. Click on the “Jump to schedule c” link.

If you already have created a Schedule C in your return, click on edit and go to the section to Add Income.  This is where you will re-enter the Form 1099-NEC. 

If you do not already have a Schedule C in your return, follow the prompts and enter the information about your work/business for which you received the Form 1099-NEC.  Then continue through that section to Add Income and enter the Form 1099-NEC along with any additional income you received for that business.  

Once you have completed this, the error should be eliminated. 

@Theontopofus

I just spent an hour following these directions and NOTHING changed. This is very frustrating. I have already paid for this service, and I cannot file until it is fixed.

I have signed up to be notified four times. Nothing. When will this be fixed?

You will need to enter the information in both Form 1099-NEC and Schedule C sections.  You would start from the 1099-NEC section under "1099-MISC and Other Common Income".  You would then follow prompts to tell the program you are filing a Schedule C.  As it creates a Schedule C for you, you will need to go to the Schedule C portion separately to confirm your income amount, add related expenses and complete required information. 

In TurboTax online, here are the steps: 

• Sign into your account, select Pick up where you left off
• From the upper right menu, select Search and type in 1099nec and Enter
• Select the Jump to 1099nec
• Follow prompts to complete the section

Then 

• From the upper right menu, select Search and type in schedule c and Enter
• Select the Jump to schedule c
• Next screen, "Your 2020 work summary" under your self employed business, select Review
• Continue to enter related expenses and other required information

Beginning with the 2020 tax year, the IRS will require business taxpayers to report nonemployee compensation on the new Form 1099-NEC instead of on Form 1099-MISC. Businesses will need to use this form if they made payments totaling $600 or more to a nonemployee, such as an independent contractor.  This was done to help clarify the separate filing deadlines on Form 1099-MISC and the new 1099-NEC form will be used starting with the 2020 tax year.

I have followed these instructions to the letter a number of times and still run into this error. I wonder if there's a serious bug in Turbo Tax for reporting 1099-NEC income

Sorry for my last post but when I separately went to the 1099-NEC section I was able to delete two duplicate entries that were missing data. This solved the problem. Thank you!

Ignore this. The previous reply fixed my issue

Can you try to delete your 1099-NEC and reenter it. After you input your 1099-NEC, you must answer all of the questions after the input screen so it flows through to your Schedule C. If it has not been assigned, TurboTax will give you an error message. 

To assign your 1099-NEC to a Schedule C, please follow the steps below: 

1. Open your return.
2. Search for 1099-NEC with the magnifying glass tool at the top of the page.
3. Click on the Jump to 1099-NEC link at the top of the search results. 
4. Click Edit next to your 1099-NEC.
5. On the page titled Guess what? You can deduct expenses for the example work choose Yes, I have expenses to deduct.
6. On the page titled Self-employed 1099-NEC Income select the Schedule C you are inputting this income for. If this is a new Schedule C for this year, you can add a new business on this screen.

@markjrichman

Yeah, this didn't work for me either on Feb 26, 2021

We had some issues before and now is being fixed.  Let's try this again. Remove the 1099-NEC and Schedule C and re-enter.  Here are the steps to remove:

In TurboTax on line,

1.  Sign into your account, select Pick up where you left off

2.  Select Tax Tools, click on the drop down arrow

3.  Select Tools

4.  Under Other helpful links, choose Delete a form

5.  Select Delete next to Form 1099-NEC and Schedule C and Continue with My Return

To re-enter: 

You will need to enter the information in both Form 1099-NEC and Schedule C sections.  You would start from the 1099-NEC section under "1099-MISC and Other Common Income".  You would then follow prompts to tell the program you are filing a Schedule C.  As it creates a Schedule C for you, you will need to go to the Schedule C portion separately to confirm your income amount, add related expenses and complete required information. 

In TurboTax online, here are the steps: 

• Sign into your account, select Pick up where you left off
• From the upper right menu, select Search and type in 1099nec and Enter
• Select the Jump to 1099nec
• Follow prompts to complete the section

Then 

• From the upper right menu, select Search and type in schedule c and Enter
• Select the Jump to schedule c
• Next screen, "Your 2020 work summary" under your self employed business, select Review
• Continue to enter related expenses and other required information

Generally, most taxpayers who receive a Form1099-NEC are considered as self employed by the IRS and required to pay self-employment tax.  You will need to file a Schedule C reporting both income and any related expenses.  The net profit will shows on line 8 of Schedule 1 and Form 1040.  

Many thanks, this fixed my issue!

I was not self employed in 2021 and it keeps asking me to enter 10-99 NEC can I just delete the form?

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@ajab1103 wrote:

I was not self employed in 2021 and it keeps asking me to enter 10-99 NEC can I just delete the form?

---

Delete the Form 1099-NEC

Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the online program screen

Click on Tools

Click on Delete a form

I am currently experiencing this issue. I even deleted my 1099 and put it in again, and it is still occurring. 

Did you enter a Schedule C as well after removing the existing 1099-NEC ?  

If you received a nonemployee compensation on Form 1099-NEC, you will need to enter the information in both Form 1099-NEC and Schedule C sections.  You would start from the 1099-NEC section under "1099-MISC and Other Common Income".  You would then follow prompts to tell the program you are filing a Schedule C.  As it creates a Schedule C for you, you will need to go to the Schedule C portion separately to confirm your income amount, add related expenses and complete required information. 

In TurboTax online, here are the steps: 

• Sign into your account, select Pick up where you left off
• From the upper right menu, select Search and type in 1099nec and Enter
• Select the Jump to 1099nec
• Follow prompts to complete the section

Then 

• From the upper right menu, select Search and type in schedule c and Enter
• Select the Jump to schedule c
• Next screen, "Your 2020 work summary" under your self employed business, select Review
• Continue to enter related expenses and other required information

The amount will show on line 8 of your Schedule 1 and Form 1040.

@gilmour11

"In TurboTax online, here are the steps: 

• Sign into your account, select Pick up where you left off
• From the upper right menu, select Search and type in 1099nec and Enter"

When I hit the "search" button in the top right, turbotax logs me out and gives me the message "We're here to help you....", "Call us at [phone number removed]"

So I can't even follow your directions....

If you are filing with TurboTax online, let's do these steps: 

• Check your internet connection.  Try to log out and sign back in the program. 
• Clear your cache and sign back into the program.  To clear cache, click here: Cache
• You may also try a different browser.  

Then please follow my directions mentioned above.  

@StefanT

The search option doesn't seem to be working? Every time I click it, it just takes me to a new tab saying call customer service.

Also this is restricted apparently?

Income reported on Form 1099-NEC must be included on Schedule C. If you entered the 1099-NEC but did not complete the Schedule C, you will get this error. 

Revisit the section where you entered the Form 1099-NEC if you entered it on its own and delete that entry, by following these steps: 

1. Open TurboTax. 

2. On the top right corner of TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner). 

3. Type in “1099-NEC” (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find), 

4. Click on “Jump to 1099-NEC” 

5. Click on the blue “Jump to 1099-NEC” link 

This will bring you a summary of all Form 1099-NEC that you have entered.  Click Delete or the trash can icon next to each one. 

Next, you will re-enter the Form 1099-NEC as part of the Schedule C so that the income is reported directly as part of your Business Income and Expenses and within the correct form and section of your return. 

Follow these steps to go to the Schedule C section of your return: 

1. On the top right corner of TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner). 

2. Type in “schedule c” (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find). 

3. Click on “Jump to schedule c”. 

4. Click on the blue “Jump to schedule c” link 

If you already have created a Schedule C in your return, click on edit and go to the section to Add Income.  This is where you will re-enter the Form 1099-NEC.  

If you do not already have a Schedule C in your return, follow the prompts and enter the information about your work/business for which you received the Form 1099-NEC.  Then continue through that section to Add Income and enter the Form 1099-NEC along with any additional income you received for that business.   

Once you have completed this, the error should be eliminated.  

Can someone send me a screen shot of where they see the "jump to" button? or link?  I am pretty tech-savvy but any time I search "schedule c" or "1099-NEC" I do not see any link that says "jump to" anything?!

Using TurboTax Online, here are the steps and screen shots:

Type the search term, 'schedule c' and then click the magnifying glass:

Then click the 'jump to' link that appears after the search:

@eatmanjess

I do not see a place where I can fill out the schedule C part. I have been stuck in this loop for the past 3 hours. I have tried all the troubleshooting tips and still nothing. Someone please help me get past this point so I can file