The short answer
| What it reports | Payment card transactions. |
|---|---|
| Amounts to report | No threshold at all for payment card transactions. Over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions for payment apps and marketplaces (third party settlement organizations) |
| To the recipient | January 31 |
| To the IRS, on paper | February 28 |
| To the IRS, electronically | March 31 |
If one arrives
Box 1a is not adjusted for fees, refunds, shipping or discounts. Report the gross and deduct those as expenses — netting them first leaves a difference you cannot explain.
The form is how a payer tells the IRS what it paid. Its absence is not permission — income you received is reportable whether or not a form covers it, and a threshold decides only who must file, never what you owe.
If you have to send one
You do not file this. The payment settlement entity does, which is why a card payment must not also go on a 1099-NEC.
Electronic filing is required once you file 10 information returns, counting every type together — eight 1099-NECs and four 1099-MISCs is twelve, not eight.
This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. It covers United States federal reporting. Consult a qualified tax professional about your situation.