Why does E-filing require you to enter a payers EIN on a 1099NEC? Can I not e-file if the Payer only has a SSN?

[ego347]

I get to the very end of the process and TurboTax says I need to fix my federal return and requires that I add my Payer's EIN, which they do not have. The form says EIN OR SNN and I've entered the SSN. Do I have to file by mail because of this? Why didn't I have to last year? Has something changed this year?

[mesquitebean]

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@ ego347 wrote: "Why does E-filing require you to enter a payers EIN on a 1099NEC? Can I not e-file if the Payer only has a SSN?
I get to the very end of the process and TurboTax says I need to fix my federal return and requires that I add my Payer's EIN, which they do not have. The form says EIN OR SNN and I've entered the SSN. Do I have to file by mail because of this? Why didn't I have to last year? Has something changed this year?

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I don't have a way to look at the 1099-NEC interview page right now, but I think when filling out the 1099-NEC in the interview, it asks one to indicate the format of the tax number of the Payer so it knows whether it is an EIN or an SSN.  I think there is a place to tick mark what kind of tax number it is:   ##-####### for EIN or ###-##-#### for SSN.  Then the program knows if the 9-digit number is an EIN or SSN so that it can format it properly.

      The entry box may default to EIN.  If so, you have to tick that it's an SSN. Did you mistakenly enter the Payer's SSN in that EIN format without indicating that it should be SSN format?  If so, go back to the interview and indicate it is an SSN so it will format correctly.

[Mike9241]

it's may not be necessary to enter the 1099-NEC. It's only required if withholding taxes are reported. Otherwise, you can enter the amount along with any other revenue that was not reported in the box for misc. Use depends on how good you are at math so an accurate amount is entered in the misc box. However, I believe if you right-click on the misc box a window opens so you can enter each amount separately and let TurboTax do the addition. 

[MarvelRivals]

I had to delete that source of income and readd 

[PerryBoysMom]

Did you get this resolved?  I am having the same issue.  I've used this company for several years and have always just entered the SSN because they don't have an EIN.  Now nothing works and says I have to file by mail.  I have deleted it and re-added it three times, and I am still getting the same error.

[DianeW777]

No, you do not need to file by mail. You can keep the 1099-NEC in your tax file and simply report the self employment income on Schedule C as cash income. First delete your 1099-NEC, then next use the link to report your self employment income.

• If you're using TurboTax Online software and need to delete a form, click here.
• If you're using TurboTax Desktop software and need to delete a form, click here.
• How do I report income from self-employment?

@PerryBoysMom 

[BigArts]

Finally figured out this headache. Leave box 4 "federal income tax withheld" BLANK, dont put in $0.

Any input into this box triggers a requirement for an EIN and won't allow a SSN

Hope this helps y'all!

[Goonmagoon]

Bro - you saved the day.  No other thread had a solution to this.  Worked like a charm!

[vacaymode]

@BigArts 

Even when I don't enter anything in box 4, but have a number for box 1, it still makes me pick enter PAYER EIN or PAYER SSN and the 1099-NEC I have doesn't have the full PAYER EIN. It has the Xs and the last 4 digits and Turbo Tax won't accept it. any help?!? spent so many hours and in forums trying to figure this out.

[mesquitebean]

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@ vacaymode wrote:

Even when I don't enter anything in box 4, but have a number for box 1, it still makes me pick enter PAYER EIN or PAYER SSN and the 1099-NEC I have doesn't have the full PAYER EIN. It has the Xs and the last 4 digits and Turbo Tax won't accept it. any help?!? spent so many hours and in forums trying to figure this out.

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"The 1099-NEC I have doesn't have the full PAYER EIN. It has the Xs and the last 4 digits."

Are you saying that the Payer never provided you their complete tax number? i.e., that they redacted most of it??  They are supposed to provide you their full tax number.   The TurboTax box requires a complete tax number.  Can you tell what type of tax number it is?    Is the Payer an individual using an SSN as opposed to a company EIN and was trying to hide part of their tax number from you?

[BigArts]

On my 1099-NEC, which I imagine all are standard since it's a government form, it has the payer's name box. Under that box it says "payer's TIN". This number is either in EIN or SSN format depending on the payer's business structure. The box to the right of "Payer's TIN" is "Recipient's TIN" which is a bunch of x's followed by a 4 digit number.

If you don't have a number in the "Payer's TIN" box, you need to call the payer and get it.

[kmiller0309]

Thank you, this actually worked for me. 

[LeoII]

@vacaymode Checking "I have information in boxes 5-7" might force the same error. If you don't have any new information in 5-7, leave it unchecked.

[VolvoGirl]

One solution would be 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.

How to enter income from Self Employment

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

[vacaymode]

@VolvoGirl this wouldn’t get flagged by the IRS since I technically do have a 1099-NEC?