Understanding and Reviewing Form 1099-NECs

The Square online payroll service generates and files Form 1099-NEC for each of your contractors at the end of the year. These forms will be available for you to print out and distribute to your contractors by going to Tax Forms in the Payroll section of your Square Dashboard. Although Square Payroll files Form 1099-NEC on your behalf, you and your contractors are responsible for filing their taxes and confirming the information in the Form 1099-NEC is accurate.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Ensure all contractor payments for 2023 are recorded in Square Payroll by January 4, 2024 8:00 p.m. PST. Note: Applicable only to employers who have submitted at least one payroll with a pay date in 2023.

• Square Payroll automatically generates and electronically files Form 1099-NECs to the IRS.

• If you prefer for Square Payroll to mail Form 1099-NEC to each of your team members, go to your Payroll Settings tab and toggle on Send W-2s and 1099s via paper mail by January 4, 2024. Square will mail a tax form to the addresses on file for all contractors that were paid in the prior year.

• Contractors with online accounts can also access a copy of their Form 1099-NEC under their Tax Forms tab or Square Team App. You can also download and distribute the forms yourself. Note: Team members who are no longer active cannot log in to the Square Team App. Deactivated team members can only access payroll documents, such as tax forms and paystubs, through their Team Member Dashboard.

• Square Payroll automatically generates and electronically files Form 1099-NEC to the IRS. Form 1099-NEC is no longer part of the Combined Federal/State Filing (CF/SF) Programand you will need to contact yourstate revenue department directly about filing the Form 1099-NEC on the state level. Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming do not have state filing requirements for Form 1099-NEC. Maine, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia only have Form 1099-NEC filing requirements if backup state withholding is reported.

• If you would like to opt out of Square Payroll filing Form 1099-NEC on your behalf, you can uncheck the box to “Automatically file Form 1099-NEC for this contractor” on their Team profile profile by January 4, 2024.

• Square Payroll does not file Form 1096. Since Square e-files forms 1099-NEC, Form 1096 is not required.

1. Download Your Square Payroll Form 1099-NECs

To access your Form 1099-NECs:

1. Visit Payroll > Tax Forms in Square Dashboard.

2. Click the blue link ending in Square_2023_1099.zip to download a .zip file of your Form 1099-NECs.

3. Extract the Form 1099-NECs from the downloaded .zip file (read below for instructions on doing so on a Mac or Windows computer).

Extract your Form 1099-NEC from a .zip file on a Mac

On most Mac computers, you will find the .zip file containing your Form 1099-NECs in your Downloads folder. To access the file, you can either open the Downloads folder directly or search in your finder for Square_2023_1099.zip. Once you locate the .zip file, double click on it. Your computer will automatically extract the data from the .zip file, creating a folder which contains PDF copies of your Form 1099-NECs.

Extract your Form 1099-NEC from a .zip file on Windows

The steps for extracting your .zip file depend on which version of Windows you are running. To locate the file, search for Square_2023_1099.zip or look for the file in the Downloads folder of My Computer. Follow the links for .zip extraction instructions on Windows 7, Windows 8 or 10, and Windows XP.

2. Verify your Square Payroll Form 1099-NEC data

You and your contractors are responsible for ensuring the information on Form 1099-NECs is correct. We’ll start generating draft Form 1099-NECs on December 19, 2023, As soon as these forms are ready, you’ll be able to view them by going to Payroll > Tax Forms in Square Dashboard. Please review them for accuracy. You will have until January 4, 2024 to review and update your contractors’ information:

• Full name

• Social Security Number (SSN)

• Home address

Avoid these common errors: Incorrect or misspelled names, incorrect SSN, using nicknames or shortened names, titles before or after the name, and name changes not reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Learn more about these critical fields on the SSA website.

You can update your contractor’s information by going to Payroll > Payroll Team. You will then be able to download and view an updated draft Form 1099-NEC in Tax Forms the following day.

3. Distribute Square Payroll Form 1099-NECs

Square Payroll generates a copy of Form 1099-NECs for each of your contractors online. Instructions are included with the form. The digital copy for Form 1099-NEC can be viewed and printed from either their online Team Dashboard or on the Team App. Your contractors must consent to receive digital copies of their Form 1099-NEC, otherwise, you must provide them with a physical copy. 

If you would prefer for Square Payroll to mail a physical copy of Form 1099-NEC to each of your team members, navigate to your Payroll Settings tab and toggle on Send W-2s and 1099s via paper mail by January 4, 2024. A tax form will be mailed to the address on file for all contractors that were paid in the prior tax year.

If you would like to opt out of Square Payroll filing Form 1099-NEC on your behalf, you can uncheck the box to “Automatically file Form 1099-NEC for this contractor” on their Payroll Team profile by January 4, 2024.

Note:  If you opt to have Square mail your contractors a physical copy of their Form 1099-NEC, we will not resend the tax form if a contractor does not receive it (due to invalid address or other reasons).

• If your contractor has an invalid mailing address and your business has a valid mailing address, their Form 1099-NEC will be returned to your business. You are then responsible for providing them with their copy of their Form 1099-NEC. You can provide your contractor with a printed copy. This can be downloaded from the Payroll > Tax Forms in Square Dashboard.

• If your contractor has an invalid mailing address and your business has an invalid mailing address, you are responsible for downloading your Square Payroll Form 1099-NEC and providing them to your contractors.

• In the instance that your contractor’s Form 1099-NEC is returned to your business, ensure that your taxpayer address in Square Payroll is accurate. You can see what address is on file or update the taxpayer address for your business in the Business Info section of your online Payroll Dashboard.

• You can access a copy of your Form 1099- NEC under the Payroll > Tax Forms in Square Dashboard.

• Contractors with online accounts can also access a copy of their Form 1099-NEC under their Tax Forms tab or through the Square Team App.