E-filing and Form 1096

If you’ve been filing 1099 Forms for a few years now, you probably remember a time before e-filing. And in this time, Form 1099 was always sent along to the IRS with Form 1096.

What is Form 1096?
The reason Form 1096 was sent with a 1099 Form return is because Form 1096 is the transmittal form for the 1099 Series. Form 1096 basically acts as a summary for all the 1099 Forms mailed to the IRS in that particular return. In fact, Form 1096’s official name is the Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns and it’s used to transmit Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498, and W-2G to the IRS.

E-filing and Form 1096
If you made the switch from paper filing to e-filing, you may have noticed that Form 1096 typically isn’t there when you go to e-file your return. All your other information forms are, but how are you going to transmit your return without the transmittal form?

The reason the IRS needed that transmittal form for paper copies is because individual workers would use them to make reviewing returns faster and simpler. When you e-file, a computer does all that so Form 1096 isn’t required.

Form 1096 and ExpressIRSForms
Even though Form 1096 isn’t required when you e-file, many filers find themselves wanting one for their records. Or maybe for the nostalgia of it. Whatever the reason, when you e-file with ExpressIRSForms, we automatically generate an IRS-authorized Form 1096 based on your 1099 return information that you can print and keep! (Just remember you don’t actually need to send it to the IRS.)

For more information on 1099 e-filing and accessing your Form 1096 in your ExpressIRSForms account, don’t hesitate to give us a call! Our expert support team is here to help right from our headquarters in Rock Hill, South Carolina. We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET and by email 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com!