How do I File my Upwork payments?

[b_rubinshtein]

Hey 👋

I've spent over $400K last year on upwork and tax season is coming around I know Upwork files a 1099K but can I get a 1099 or something from Upwork that the amount was paid to the platform for freelance services. My accountant is hounding me for this information and the automated chat is really not helpful at all I'm sure there are way more freelancers than clients so that's why it's more geared to them.

Thank you!

[AndreaG]

Hi Brandon,

Thank you for reaching out to us. Generally, you don’t need to file Form 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC, or 1099-K for freelancers paid through Upwork because you’re not paying your freelancer directly. However, you should still be able to see all of the payments you've made on the platform in your Reports, specifically your Transaction history. For more information about available reports see this help article.

I also shared your report with our team and one of our agents will reach out to you using a support ticket to assist you further. You can access your support tickets here.

[patchworksvideo]

Is your accountant asking specifically for 1099 forms? Or simply for documentation of the amount that you spent?

Perhaps they are unfamiliar with Upwork specifically, and therefore aren't familiar with the reasons why you wouldn't need to (and, more spefically, should not) issue 1099s to freelancers through Upwork? See this page, specifically the FAQ at the bottom about why you (as a client) should not be sending 1099s: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211067918-Tax-Requirements.

You can, however, generate various reports within your Upwork account, including reports for all payments you made for freelance services throughout the year. That may be more in line with what they need.