The 1099 form is a series of documents the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) refers to as "information returns." There are a number of different 1099 forms that report various types of payments you may receive throughout the year other than what a business might pay you.

What is an IRS 1099 Form?

The IRS 1099 Form is a collection of tax forms documenting different types of payments made by an individual or a business that typically isn’t your employer. The payer fills out the form with the appropriate details and sends copies to you and the IRS, reporting payments made during the tax year.

In some instances, a copy must also be sent to your state taxing authority. The payer is responsible for filling out the appropriate 1099 tax form and sending it to you. Such payments can be for rental income, earnings working as a freelancer or independent contractor, a tax refund received from your state or locality, gambling winnings, and more. Most 1099 forms are required to be provided by January 31, but in certain instances, this date is February 15.