Do partnerships in the US get a 1099? Starting a new venture looks very promising AND there are a lot of legal and financial processes involved, which have to be taken care of.
Tax is among the top players on the list. Usually finding the best way out to taxes individually is a difficult task, so it is recommended to take the help of a financial expert.
1. Understanding LLCs
An LLC stands for Limited Liability Company which is a business structure designed to help you to shield yourself from liability in your business.
It provides legal protection too. Let’s understand how LLCs are taxed.
Taxing in businesses is very tricky, and so is the case for LLCs. We will consider the two types which support the 1099-NEC with their operating structure.
1.1. Single Member LLC
As the name suggests it is a one-person-owned LLC, which is a disregarded entity. Implying that when taxing, that individual is considered the same as the LLC and all the income and losses go directly to the owner.
Single-member LLC owners have to file their business activities on Schedule C of their taxes.
So their income is subject to self-employment tax as well.
1.2. LLC Partnership
If you have a partner in your LLC, it is termed an LLC partnership. During the taxation process, the owners have to not only deal with their taxes but also file the partnership tax return form 1065.
Although income is handled similarly to single-member LLCs, it is again subject to self-employment tax.
The income passes through both partners and is linked to their social security numbers.
2. What is Form 1099-NEC?
The payment that you make to your contractors and nonemployees, is reported by the Internal Revenue Service IRS.
Moreover, IRS uses a form called the 1099-NEC where the NEC stands for Non-Employment Compensation and they provide services for your business.
So, If you’re an LLC Partnership and if you have hired contractors or independent workers who generate more than $600 in a year for your business you need to send them the 1099-NEC form at the end of the tax year.
The form is used by LLCs or other employers when they are paying someone for their services, who does not fall under the regular W-2 employee criterion.
3. When Does LLC Partnership Receive a 1099-NEC?
You will need to issue and receive the form in a few different ways:
- If you hire an independent contractor to provide services for your partnership, and he/she makes more than $600/year and is also not considered your employee then you can issue them a 1099-NEC form. Employees of this kind would include workers like website designers, consultants, or any other freelancers.
- If you have a LLC Partnership, and it rents out some property to a person who is not your employee per se, then also you need a 1099-NEC Form. So, if you rent your space to some other LLC also, even they have to send a 1099-NEC if you receive more than $600 in rent for a year.
- If as an LLC, you receive any kind of professional help/service or consultancy for your LLC from a non-employee and you pay them more than $600 in a year, you will have to issue a 1099-NEC to them too.
- Now consider you’re getting custom designing for your LLC done, maybe in interior space or some specific customizations for your product whatsoever. If these are being provided by a professional who is not your employee, and the engagement ends in you paying them more than $600 in a year then you will again have to issue them a 1099-NEC form.
- If your LLC is taxed like a sole proprietor, implying the income is going through the member’s tax returns so the business does not pay taxes on the income. If it is taxed any other way, like maybe as an S corporation, it will not get the 1099 Form.
- If your LLC is providing service to a customer, on a contractual basis and the revenue generated by that service is more than $600 in a year, then the same principles stated above apply to you as well.
4. Eight Steps for LLC Partnerships and Form 1099
- LLCs can expect 1099-NEC forms because they generally receive non-employment compensation. The form will state all income received by the LLC in that year that falls under the nonemployment compensation as the services were not provided by normal employees who fall under the W-2 form.
- Although sole proprietors use their social security numbers for tax forms, which works for them because they are the same as the business. However, in LLC partnerships you will require the Employee Identification Number to include on your 1099.
- Even though you’re issuing or receiving a 1099, you must make sure to submit a form W-9. The contractors and vendors that you hire should complete a W-9 for you. It allows the business in the long run to issue the 1099 when required.
- Clarify beforehand how the vendors and contractors are taxed. You only need to submit a 1099 if they are not taxed as an S corporation. You might be having an LLC but that is not the deciding factor in this case.
- Always keep a plan of action in mind for the self-employment taxes, if you are not taxed as a corporation you will have to submit to self-employment taxes and receive a 1099.
- All LLCs have to pay quarterly taxes and within the year cover not only their income but also their self-employment tax obligations.
- Always keep a record of your 1099s. And by the record, it implies that you keep in store everything that is roughly 3-4 years down the line.
- Make sure you get an expert on board otherwise all these processes might become very overwhelming and you might not be knowing about all forms and rules so it might hamper your whole tax processing as well.
5. Final Notes
LLCs and Form 1099 are not exclusive, although there are some conditions with them.
Implying to those, along with following the non-employment compensation will lead you to a long way ahead with lesser hurdles.
