Most 1099 forms are due to you by early February, so if you’re searching for yours, it either hasn’t arrived yet, got lost in the mail, or was sent to an old address. The good news: there are several ways to track down the information you need, even if the paper form never shows up.
When Your 1099 Should Arrive
The deadline depends on which type of 1099 you’re expecting. For 2025 tax year forms, most common 1099s were due to recipients by February 2, 2026. That includes Form 1099-NEC (freelance and contractor payments), 1099-INT (interest income from banks), and 1099-DIV (dividends from investments).
A few types get a later deadline of February 17, 2026. These include Form 1099-MISC (for rents, royalties, and prizes), Form 1099-B (stock and investment sale proceeds from brokerages), and Form 1099-S (real estate sale proceeds). Keep in mind these are postmark deadlines, not delivery deadlines, so allow a week or two for mail delivery after those dates.
If you’re expecting a 1099 from a brokerage or investment platform, many of these companies post the forms to your online account before mailing a paper copy. Log into your account and check for a “Tax Documents” or “Tax Forms” section. Banks and financial institutions often do the same for 1099-INT and 1099-DIV forms.
Check Your Online Accounts First
Before assuming your 1099 is missing, check the most obvious places. Many payers now deliver 1099 forms electronically, especially if you opted into paperless statements at any point. Here’s where to look:
- Brokerage and investment accounts: Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, Robinhood, and similar platforms typically post 1099-B and 1099-DIV forms in a tax documents section by mid-February.
- Bank accounts: Your bank’s website or app usually has a “Statements & Documents” or “Tax Forms” area where 1099-INT forms appear.
- Freelance platforms: If you earned income through a platform like Upwork, Fiverr, or a payment processor like PayPal or Venmo, check your account dashboard for tax documents. These would typically be 1099-NEC or 1099-K forms.
- Retirement accounts: If you took a distribution from an IRA or 401(k), the custodian posts your 1099-R in your online account.
Contact the Payer Directly
If you can’t find the form online, the IRS recommends contacting the employer, payer, or issuing agency directly and requesting a copy. This is the fastest route. Call the company’s payroll department, accounting team, or customer service line and ask them to resend it. Many can email a PDF or post it to your account within a few days.
When you call, confirm they have your correct mailing address on file. A common reason for missing 1099s is that you moved and the form went to your old address. If you changed addresses during the year, this is likely the culprit.
Use the IRS to View Your 1099 Data
Every 1099 sent to you also gets reported to the IRS. That means the IRS already has a record of your income, and you can access it yourself through a tool called a Wage and Income Transcript. This transcript shows all the income documents (W-2s, 1099s, and similar forms) that payers filed with the IRS under your Social Security number.
The fastest way to access this is through your IRS Individual Online Account at irs.gov. Once logged in, you can view, print, or download your transcripts. The financial data on the transcript is fully visible, so you can use the numbers directly for tax preparation. Your personal information will be partially masked for security.
If you can’t register for an online account, you can request a transcript by mail by calling the IRS automated phone transcript service at 800-908-9946. You’ll need the mailing address from your most recent tax return. Mailed transcripts typically arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days.
One important timing note: payers don’t always file with the IRS right at the deadline, and it takes time for the IRS to process those filings. Wage and Income Transcripts for the current tax year may not be fully populated until late March or even April. If you check in early February and don’t see a form you’re expecting, try again a few weeks later.
What to Do If It Never Arrives
If you’ve contacted the payer and still haven’t received your 1099 by the end of February, you can call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 for assistance. Have the following information ready before you call:
- Your name, address, phone number, and Social Security number
- The payer’s name, address, and phone number
- Dates of employment or the period during which you earned the income
The IRS will contact the payer on your behalf and request that they send you the missing form. This process takes time, though, so don’t wait on it if the tax filing deadline is approaching.
Filing Without Your 1099
You’re required to report all your income on your tax return whether or not you receive a 1099. If the form still hasn’t arrived and the April filing deadline is getting close, you have two options.
First, you can use the information from your IRS Wage and Income Transcript to fill in the numbers. Since the transcript shows exactly what the payer reported to the IRS, using those figures keeps your return consistent with what the IRS already has on file.
Second, if your missing form is a 1099-R (retirement distributions), you can file Form 4852 as a substitute. This form lets you estimate the amounts based on your own records, such as bank statements, pay stubs, or account statements. You attach Form 4852 to your tax return in place of the missing 1099-R. Note that Form 4852 only substitutes for W-2s and 1099-R forms, not other types of 1099s. For other missing 1099s, use your own records or transcript data to report the income directly on the appropriate line of your return.
If you later receive the actual 1099 and the numbers differ from what you reported, you may need to file an amended return using Form 1040-X to correct the discrepancy.