Why doesn't my 1099 match what I actually got paid?
Short answer
Your 1099s often won't match what you were paid, because platforms report on different rules and timing. Your return should be based on the income that actually reached your accounts, reconciled against every 1099.
Otavio Mayole, Co-founder, DeCypher FinancialsUpdated
Common reasons they don't match:
- Timing. A payment sent in December may land in January.
- Double reporting. A brand sends you a 1099-NEC, and the payment platform reports the same money on a 1099-K.
- Fees and refunds. Some forms show gross amounts before fees or refunds.
- No 1099 at all. Payments under the reporting threshold still count as income.
- The wrong name or number. A 1099 issued to your Social Security number instead of your business, or the other way around.
- Transfers. Money moved between your own accounts is not income, though we've seen it reported that way.
All income is taxable whether or not you get a 1099. And the IRS matches the 1099s it receives against your return, so a mismatch with no explanation can trigger a notice.
That's why we reconcile your 1099s against your books, and show the IRS how the numbers tie out when they differ.