Every business is required to document and report any payments to an individual that is not an employee. The business only has to document this information if the payments equal up to more than $600 by the end of the financial year. This is when a 1099 form comes into play. A 1099 form is designed to describe the type of payment that is made to the individual and the amount of money that was sent to the individual. This form also lists the individual's tax information, address and name. The 1099 is sent to the IRS and the payee.The Importance of a 1099 FormA 1099 form is designed to let the IRS know how much money has been paid to other businesses or individuals by one company. After the deadline to file taxes has passed, the IRS studies the 1099 the business sends them. They also study the payment information that payee sent in when they filed their taxes. If the amount the payee provided is different from the amount that the business recorded, the IRS might perform an audit.Types of 1099 FormsThe IRS has created different types of 1099 forms that are designed for certain situations and classifications. For example, the 1099 MISC form records any payments that have been made to real estate disbursements and independent contractors. It also records any proceeds and tips that have come from crop sales. A 1099 DIV form is a type of 1099 form that records different distributions and dividends. A 1099 INT form is a type of 1099 form that records interest payments.Deadlines for a 1099All payments that took place between January 1 and December 31 have to be recorded. The payee's copy of the 1099 form must be delivered before the end of January. After the forms have been sent out to all payees, the company must file a 1096 form. The 1096 records the total amount of money that has been paid to everyone who received a 1099 form. The business has to file the 1096 form by February.