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1099-NEC vs 1099-MISC in 2026: boxes, thresholds and deadlines

Short answer

Use Form 1099-NEC for payments for services by non-employees (box 1, $2,000 or more for 2026) and 1099-MISC for rents, royalties ($10 or more), other income, medical and health care payments and gross proceeds to an attorney ($600 or more). 2026 Forms 1099-NEC are due to recipients and the IRS February 1, 2027; 1099-MISC go to recipients by February 1, 2027 and, e-filed, to the IRS by March 31, 2027.

Nonemployee compensation has its own form, 1099-NEC; rents, royalties, prizes, medical payments and attorney proceeds stay on 1099-MISC. For tax year 2026 both forms use the new higher threshold for most boxes, but the deadlines differ.

Quick steps

  1. Services?. Payment for services by someone who is not your employee → 1099-NEC box 1.
  2. Rent, royalties, prizes, medical, attorney proceeds?. → 1099-MISC, in the matching box.
  3. Check the box threshold. $2,000 for most boxes in 2026, $10 for royalties, $600 for attorney gross proceeds.
  4. Note the due dates. 1099-NEC February 1, 2027; 1099-MISC e-filed March 31, 2027.

1099-NEC boxes

  • Box 1: nonemployee compensation.
  • Box 2: direct sales of $5,000 or more of consumer products for resale (checkbox).
  • Box 3: excess golden parachute payments.
  • Box 4: federal income tax withheld.
  • Boxes 5–7: state information.

1099-MISC boxes most small businesses use

  • Box 1: rents.
  • Box 2: royalties.
  • Box 3: other income (prizes, awards).
  • Box 4: federal income tax withheld.
  • Box 6: medical and health care payments.
  • Box 10: gross proceeds paid to an attorney.

IRIS templates are separate

The IRS publishes one IRIS CSV template per form. The 1099-NEC template has 54 columns and the 1099-MISC template 64; a file for one form cannot hold the other. 1099 Ready builds either layout from the same payments sheet.

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Sources: IRS — Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC (2026). Not tax advice — disclaimer.

FAQ

Can I put contractor payments on 1099-MISC?

No. Since tax year 2020, nonemployee compensation is reported on 1099-NEC.

Is the 1099-MISC deadline later than 1099-NEC?

For the IRS copy, yes: e-filed 1099-MISC are due March 31, 2027, while 1099-NEC is due February 1, 2027. Recipient copies of both are due February 1, 2027.

Does the $2,000 threshold apply to 1099-MISC too?

To most boxes, yes, for 2026. Royalties ($10) and attorney gross proceeds ($600) keep their own thresholds.

Updated 2026-10-26.

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