According to the IRS, if you have canceled, forgiven, or discharged debt for less than the amount you pay, the amount of the canceled debt is taxable income. If this is the case, you need to report your canceled debt on on a Form 1099-C, or Cancellation of Debt, for the year the cancellation is set into place.

Do you have to pay taxes on a 1099-C debt?

In cases where the 1099-C canceled debt falls under an IRS exclusion—which means you don’t have to pay taxes on all or some of the income—you still may need to file a form. The creditor that sent you the 1099-C also sent a copy to the IRS. If you don’t acknowledge the form and income on your own tax filing, it could raise a red flag.

When do creditors no longer need to issue a 1099-C?

Under an IRS rule change effective in November 2016, creditors are no longer expected to issue a 1099-C form merely because debt has gone 36 months without a payment. If you receive a 1099-C for a debt you were not aware was discharged, clarify the status of the debt with the creditor.

What to do if you receive a 1099-C with incorrect information?

If you received a Form 1099-C showing incorrect information, contact the creditor to make corrections. For example, if the creditor is continuing to try to collect the debt after sending you a Form 1099-C, the creditor may not have canceled the debt and, as a result, you may not have income from a canceled debt.

What happens to my tax return if I get a 1099c?

According to the IRS, nearly any debt you owe that is canceled, forgiven or discharged becomes taxable income to you. You’ll receive a Form 1099-C, “Cancellation of Debt,” from the lender that forgave the debt.

Where does the cancellation of debt go on a 1040?

If you receive Form 1099-C, you must report the amount on your income tax return on the “Other income” line of your Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Note that you must include the canceled debt in your income even if it’s less than $600 and you don’t receive Form 1099-C. 2