How to collect 1099s from clients (and know when you have them all)
W-2s are usually simple: one per employer, and most clients know how many they should have. 1099s are different. A single client can receive a 1099-INT from every bank, a 1099-DIV and 1099-B from each brokerage, a 1099-NEC from every business they freelanced for, a 1099-K from a payment app, and a 1099-R if they took a retirement distribution. Many clients don't know how many are coming, and some forms show up weeks after the others. This guide walks through a simple process for collecting them without a long email thread.
Which 1099s to ask for
Start by naming the forms instead of asking for “your 1099s.” Clients respond better to a specific list:
- 1099-NEC — pay for freelance or contract work.
- 1099-MISC — rents, royalties, prizes, and other income.
- 1099-INT — interest from banks, credit unions, and savings accounts.
- 1099-DIV — dividends and capital gain distributions.
- 1099-B — sales of stock, funds, or crypto through a broker (often bundled with DIV and INT as a “composite” statement).
- 1099-K — payments received through card processors and payment apps.
- 1099-R — distributions from pensions, IRAs, and retirement plans.
- 1099-G — unemployment compensation and state tax refunds.
- 1099-SA — distributions from an HSA.
Using last year's return as a map is the fastest way to build the list. If a client had a 1099-INT from two banks last year, ask for both by name this year. Anything new (a new brokerage, a side business) is easier to spot when the expected forms are already written down.
Why 1099 collection drags on
- Timing. Most 1099s are due to recipients by January 31, but brokerages often send corrected or late composite forms in February or March.
- Online-only forms. Many banks and apps no longer mail anything. The client has to log in and download a PDF, and that is easy to put off.
- Partial uploads. A client sends three of five forms and assumes they are done. Nobody notices the missing two until you sit down to prepare the return.
- Scattered channels. Some forms come by email, some by text photo, some in a paper envelope. Tracking what arrived becomes its own job.
A simple process that works
- Build one checklist per client. List each expected form as its own item, for example “1099-INT — Chase” and “1099-B — Fidelity composite.” Separate items make it obvious which ones are still missing.
- Add a catch-all item. Include “Any other 1099 you received” and mark it optional, so clients have a place for forms you did not expect.
- Send one link. The client opens the link, sees the list, and uploads each form next to its name. No account, no password, no app to install.
- Set a due date and let reminders run. Polite reminders that list only the items still missing do the follow-up for you. Once everything is in, they stop.
- Download everything in one place. When the request is complete, download the files with clean folder and file names instead of saving email attachments one by one.
How FilesDue handles this
FilesDue is built for exactly this kind of checklist. The Individual 1040 and Small business return templates already include 1099 items, and you can add, rename, or remove items for each client. Clients upload from a single link on their phone or computer, with no login. Reminders go out on day 2, 5, and 9 after you create the request, then weekly, and each one lists only what is still missing. Clients can pause reminders from the email, and you can pause them from your dashboard. When you are ready to prepare the return, download a ZIP organized by client and checklist item.
Tips for a smoother season
- Send requests in mid-January so clients have the link before the forms start arriving.
- Tell clients it is fine to upload forms as they come in — they don't need to wait until they have all of them.
- Ask for the full composite PDF from brokerages, not a screenshot of the first page.
- Ask clients to upload corrected 1099s as a new file under the same item, so you can see both versions.
- Keep the catch-all item on every request. It is often where you find income you would otherwise have missed.
Frequently asked questions
Do clients need to create an account? No. They use the link you send them. It is a long, unguessable link tied to that one request.
What file types can clients upload? PDFs, photos (including iPhone HEIC), Word, Excel, CSV, and ZIP files.
What if a client doesn't have a form I listed? They can mark that item N/A, so you know it is intentionally empty and reminders stop asking for it.
Start collecting 1099s with FilesDue — free for 14 days, no card required →