The Landlord's 1099 Guide: Who, When, and How to File
If you paid a vendor $600+ for property services this year, you probably owe them — and the IRS — a 1099-NEC. Here's the no-nonsense version.
Most landlords find out they owe 1099s in late January — usually from an accountant, usually after the deadline. This guide is the version we wish every property owner had in October, not February.
Who needs a 1099-NEC?
Any non-corporate vendor you paid $600 or more in a calendar year for property-related services: plumbers, electricians, landscapers, cleaners, property managers, attorneys (yes, even incorporated attorneys). Corporations are generally exempt, but LLCs taxed as partnerships or sole props are not.
When is it due?
Recipient copy: January 31. IRS copy: January 31 (paper or e-file). Late filing penalties scale by how late — $60 per form if within 30 days, up to $310 per form after August 1.
What you need to collect now
Form W-9 from every vendor before you pay them. This is the single biggest source of January panic — vendors disappear, change businesses, stop returning calls. Collect the W-9 upfront and the 1099 fills itself out.
How Oscar handles it
Every vendor you add gets a W-9 request at onboarding. Every payment is tagged to that vendor. At year-end, 1099-NEC forms generate automatically, the recipient copy is delivered electronically, and the IRS copy e-files in one click. Included on every account.
See Oscar In Action.
The platform that backs everything in this guide — free for landlords.