Taxes Tax Planning 1040 vs. 1099: Tax Forms Explained One is the master tax return, and the other is an information form By Mark Cussen Mark Cussen Mark Cussen has been educating people on the subjects of life insurance, annuities, and retirement for more than 16 years. He has worked for many companies over the course of the past two decades, serving as a tax professional, financial counselor, estate planning guide, and more. All the while, he has written about tax preparation and life insurance for The Balance, as well as other finance sites like Money Crashers and Investopedia. Mark currently continues to freelance, and is also a member of the Estate Planning Team, which is a membership group of legal and financial service professionals dedicated to helping people preserve their wealth and protect their estates. learn about our editorial policies Updated on February 22, 2023 Reviewed by David Kindness In This Article View All In This Article Differences Between Form 1040 and Form 1099 Form 1040 Examples of Forms 1099 FAQs Photo: kate_sept2004 / Getty Images Figuring out which forms to use at tax time can be a challenge, especially if this is the first year you've earned income that's been reported to you and to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on a 1099 form. Reporting this type of income is a bit more complicated than reporting W-2 income like wages or a salary from employment. But comparing Form 1040 and Form 1099 is pretty straightforward. Form 1040 is the master sheet tax return that includes information from all other tax forms, including 1099 forms. Let's dive into the differences between Forms 1040 and 1099 and how you'll use each of them to file your taxes. Key Takeaways Forms 1099 report non-employee income to the recipient of the money and to the IRS.Income reported on a 1099 is then entered on Form 1040 with several other financial details to determine whether you owe tax or can expect a refund.All taxpayers must file a 1040 if they earn more than a certain threshold of income. But only those with sources of non-employee income will receive and report a 1099.There are numerous types of 1099 forms, each dedicated to a different type of income including interest, dividends, Social Security benefits, or income from self-employment. What's the Difference Between Form 1040 and Form 1099? The key difference between these forms is that Form 1040 calculates your tax owed or your refund. It includes multiple details about your personal tax situation. Forms 1099 report only one source of income. You won't know if you owe taxes on that money or if you can expect a refund until you include that 1099 information on your Form 1040. Let's say you sell insurance. You received commissions of $10,000 from each of five different insurance carriers. You would receive a 1099-NEC from each company showing how much you earned. You would then report $50,000 of self-employment income on your Form 1040 tax return. Note Most people who file a tax return will use Form 1040. Some seniors may file a 1040-SR instead. Only people who have earned income other than a salary or wages will receive a Form 1099. Tax forms like 1099s are supplemental. You'll use them to make calculations to determine the key numbers to enter on your Form 1040. The 1040 is the final tax form that shows the overall picture of your income, deductions, and tax credits for the year. Form 1040 Form 1040 is the main tax form that taxpayers use to report their incomes each year. You'll include all income and claim tax credits and deductions on this form to determine whether you owe taxes or if you'll receive a refund. It will tell you how much you'll pay or get back. Form 1040 is only two pages long. It comes with additional schedules that break down your taxable income, credits, and deductions in much more detail. Note You'll have to make calculations using various other tax forms, including supporting forms called schedules, to accurately report your income and deductions on Form 1040. You'll fill in lines 1 to 8 on the first page of the 2022 Form 1040 with the different types of income you received, including earned income, interest, Social Security benefits, and retirement plan distributions. They're added together on line 9 to arrive at your total income. Lines 10 and 11 adjust this number to arrive at your adjusted gross income after other, less common sources of income are added in and certain adjustments are claimed to subtract from this amount. This information is entered on Schedule 1 then transferred to your Form 1040. You'll then subtract the standard deduction or your itemized deductions on line 12. Claiming itemized deductions involves completing and submitting Schedule A to list them and total them. You can't both itemize and claim the standard deduction. You must choose one option or the other. It only makes sense to take the one that subtracts the most from your income, reducing the amount you'll pay taxes on. Note The IRS occasionally makes changes to Form 1040. The lines noted here apply to the 2022 tax return. This is the return you'll file in 2023. Examples of Forms 1099 There are several types of Forms 1099. Each is used to report a certain type of income other than salary or wages. Form 1099-NEC is used to report independent contractor income earned as a freelancer or a self-employed worker. It's the equivalent of the W-2 you'd receive as an employee, but taxes aren't withheld. You'll receive one from any client that paid you $600 or more during the year. This means $600 total. You won't receive one if you were paid $299 in August and $300 in December by the same client because these payments total $599, less than the $600 threshold. But you must nonetheless report this income on your tax return. Other common types of 1099s include: Form 1099-INT, which reports taxable interest income Form 1099-DIV, which reports dividend income Form 1099-B, which reports capital gains and losses Form 1099-MISC, which reports rental, royalty, and other miscellaneous types of income Anyone who received income from anything other than a typical employee/employer relationship might receive a 1099. The Bottom Line Store your 1099s in a secure place when you receive them so you can easily find them when it's time to prepare your taxes. Tax software should automatically input your tax data into a 1040 if you use a program. You'll enter your 1099 information, and the software will take things from there. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is Form 1040 hard to fill out? Completing a 1040 tax return can be a complicated challenge because you might have to file additional forms and schedules along with it. But tax preparation software streamlines the process a great deal. It asks you some questions then it uses your answers to include the information on your tax return and on any other required schedules or forms. Do I have to file my 1099 forms with my tax return? It's not necessary to include your 1099 forms when you file your tax return because the IRS already has the information. Payors are required to provide a copy of the form to both the recipient of the money and to the IRS. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. IRS. "Tax Year 2022 1040 (and 1040-SR) Instructions." IRS. "Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC (01/2022)."