Form 1099-K is a new information return sent to businesses by “payment settlement entities” (i.e., organizations responsible for reporting payments made by credit cards) reporting the amount of credit card and other electronic receipts that were processed for the business.
The IRS also receives a copy of Form 1099-K and cross checks the reported amounts with the business’s total income reported on its tax return. Where the numbers don’t seem to make sense, the IRS sends notices to businesses telling them they “may have underreported gross receipts.” Notices go on to say “This is based on your tax return and Form(s) 1099-K, Payment/Merchant Cards and Third Party Network Transactions that show an unusually high portion of receipts from card payments.”
The IRS has sent thousands of letters labeled “Notification of Possible Income Underreporting” to small business owners. The ability to match these payments and flag taxpayers, is another example of how the IRS is utilizing technology to identify individuals and businesses for a tax audit or further investigation.
If you receive a notice, contact us immediately so that we can determine what response is required.