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New Member
posted Feb 22, 2021 3:20:07 PM

What if I don't have an EIN but I'm self-employed? What do I put on 1099-NEC payer's EIN? Is it my ssn that I have to put on that form too?

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19 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 22, 2021 3:52:55 PM

No, you do not use the EIN of the issuer as your identifying number.

 

When you enter the information from your 1099-NEC, you will be asked their number. Copy it from the form. Schedule C will automatically use your social security number, unless you provide it with your own EIN.

New Member
Feb 22, 2021 4:48:25 PM

I don’t have a 1098-nec form. Self-employed and got paid cash. I’m in form 1099-nec and it ask me for the payer’s EIN I don’t have one so my question is do I put my ssn or what do I do ?

Expert Alumni
Feb 22, 2021 5:05:45 PM

If your income was cash, you would not use the 1099-NEC form.  

 

If your self-employment income was only from cash, personal checks, credit card payments, or cryptocurrency: 

  • Open your return and type Schedule C in the Search box.
  • Select the Jump to link.
  • This will take you to where you can enter any cash, personal checks, credit card payments, or cryptocurrency (Form 1099-K) related to your self-employment.
  • You may first be asked some general questions about your business.
  • After you answer them, you’ll be taken to the Let's enter the income for your work screen.
  • Select Other self-employed income and provide all necessary information.

New Member
Feb 22, 2021 6:15:29 PM

Thank you. After I did that at the end when reviewing it still ask me to put the EIN, even though I selected other self employed 

Expert Alumni
Feb 22, 2021 6:38:47 PM

Starting tax year 2020, Form 1099-NEC will be used to report independent contractor's income,  If you paid more than $600 to someone, you must issue a form 1099-NEC by February 1, 2021  If EIN is not filed or unavailable, you can use your SSN as payer's identification number.

Returning Member
Apr 12, 2021 6:44:04 PM

I am having this same issue, and it is not accepting my SSN under "payer's federal EIN". The window also says "Employer identification number cannot be the same as the taxpayer's social security number".

 

I do not have a Payer's EIN available, and I will not receive one. What do I need to do to get around this?

Level 15
Apr 12, 2021 6:48:54 PM

Why would you try to enter your ssn as the PAYER?  You didn't pay yourself. Did you get a 1099NEC or 1099Misc from someone?

 

Just enter it as Other self employment income or as Cash or General income.  You don't need to get a 1099NEC or 1099K.  Even if you did you can enter all your income as Cash.  Only the total goes to schedule C.

 

How to enter income from Self Employment

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/self-employed/help/how-do-i-report-income-from-self-employment/00/26653

 

 

Returning Member
Apr 12, 2021 8:40:42 PM

Joanna said above: "If EIN is not filed or unavailable, you can use your SSN as payer's identification number." Did I misinterpret that?

 

I didn't get any kind of 1099, and I tried to do the Other. Unless I did it wrong, it still wants me to put in an EIN at the very end.

Returning Member
Apr 13, 2021 3:45:17 PM

Also, I followed the instructions on that link. I get to the end where it says "Let's make sure everything is accurate" and press "Fix Federal Return" and it still wants me to fill out a 1099-NEC and enter a payer's federal EIN.

New Member
Feb 6, 2022 11:48:17 AM

Just wanted to reply to this,  as I had the same problem and came across this as I was looking at how to solve it and figured it out at least on my end.  I entered my income (Crypto Mining) as 1099k as was suggested above but kept getting at the end that I had to review,  and there was no EIN number on my 1099-NEC worksheet.  I guess going through the questions a worksheet for a 1099-NEC was added to my return and being there it needs the number.  Just go on the left hand side and select Tax Tools,  then Tools,  then select I'd like to delete a form.  Find the 1099-NEC worksheet and delete them.  That doesn't affect any money entered into your 1099k,  at least it didn't for mine.  After that it should get rid of the error since the worksheet isn't there needing the number,  which it shouldn't be since you are not using it. 

New Member
Feb 22, 2022 12:28:12 PM

I am self employed, and paid other three independent contractors with a 1099 form. On the form, I was only asked to write my social security number. On TurboTax it says I need an EIN number (and have to pay $255 for it). Is it possible to use the social security number? 

Thanks.

Level 15
Feb 22, 2022 12:30:00 PM

Yes you can u se your ssn for self employment and to issue 1099NEC.  Some people want to get an EIN so they don't give out their ssn.  

New Member
Apr 11, 2025 4:25:37 PM

What do I put in 1099-NEC payer's EIN? They only have a SSN (which I do have) THIS WORKED LAST YEAR!!!!

New Member
Apr 11, 2025 4:28:19 PM

What do I put in 1099-NEC payer's EIN? They only have a SSN (which I do have) THIS WORKED LAST YEAR!!!!

Expert Alumni
Apr 11, 2025 4:37:25 PM

You can enter the 9 digit SSN (don't enter any dashes) - just make sure to select the correct format.   TurboTax will insert the dashes based on the format selection, so you don't need to enter dashes.   @danstratton 

 

New Member
Apr 11, 2025 8:33:03 PM

I see nothing like that in my Desktop, Macintosh version. No way to choose the formatting.

Expert Alumni
Apr 11, 2025 8:36:03 PM

Are you getting an error if you enter the 9 digit SSN number?   If there is no formatting option, any nine digits should work.  @danstratton 

Level 15
Apr 11, 2025 8:42:58 PM

I would delete the 1099NEC and just enter your total income as Other self employment income or as Cash or General income.  You don't need to get a 1099NEC or 1099Misc or 1099K.  Even if you did you can enter all your income as Cash.  Only the total goes to schedule C.

Level 15
Apr 11, 2025 11:46:33 PM

if this is for schedule C you can completely omit entering the 1099-NEC and include the amount later when it asks about income or sales.  the IRS never receives the separate info enter on the NEC only the TOTAL amount

 

 

another option is to enter  a dummy in like 36-9999999

 

 

what version of TurboTax? the basic version doesn't handle form 1099-NEC you have to upgrade to premium.