Starting 2020, translators who meet certain conditions are entitled to receive a tax form called 1099-NEC (non-employee compensation) for tax filing purposes in the U.S.. Previously, this was done with the 1099-MISC form, which is still in use for miscellaneous income such as rent or medical payments.

To receive a 1099-NEC you must meet the following criteria:

 

1) You have completed a W-9 tax form (i.e. you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien and have a U.S. social security number)
AND
2) You have received payouts for a total amount of $600 or more during the year

 

These forms are sent via postal mail every year around the end of January, to the address listed in your W-9 form. You should expect to receive it within the month of February. It looks like this:

 

 

To ensure you'll receive your 1099-NEC, please remember to update your W-9 form as soon as there are any changes to your circumstances (like your address). You should also update your address on your Account Settings page. Otherwise, we may be sending it to an old address, and thus you may never receive it.

 

 

FAQ:

I haven't received my 1099-NEC form yet, what do I do?

If you qualify to receive one but don't receive it by the end of February, please contact Support and we'll do our best to help you.

 

I recently changed my address but I forgot to update my W-9 form on time. Will I still get a 1099-NEC form?

You may receive it at your old address. To avoid this, it's important to update your W-9 form as soon as there are any changes to your circumstances. You should also update your address on your Account Settings page. Our Accounting team may capture your address from either side, so it's important that they both match.

If you're unsure, please contact Support and we'll figure it out!

 

I'm not a U.S. citizen or resident alien/I submitted a W-8BEN form. Will I get any document to file taxes in my country?

No. Since Gengo is a U.S. incorporated company, we only provide official income statements for our U.S.-based translators. As an alternative way to confirm your earnings, you can print your previous payouts page or your transaction history from PayPal or Payoneer.

 

I earned less than $600. Will I still get a 1099-NEC form?

No, only if you received $600 or more in payouts.

 

I earned more than $600 in rewards, but I didn't request any payouts. Will I still get a 1099-NEC form?

No, if the rewards are only in your Gengo balance. You need to receive them as payouts via PayPal or Payoneer.

 

Will I get a W-2 form?

No, that's only for employees. Gengo translators are classified as freelance or independent contractors.