Payroll
Contractor payments
Finbryn tracks what US businesses pay independent contractors across the year and reconciles it before the IRS reporting deadline. For payments made in 2026, the Form 1099-NEC threshold is $2,000, and the form is due to the IRS and to contractors by January 31 (February 1, 2027, since January 31 falls on a Sunday).
Payroll reconciliation
Illustrative client · August 2026
USD
- Payroll register agreed to the provider reportDone
- Net pay agreed to the bank debitDone
- Withholdings and employer costs postedDone
- Payroll liability accounts cleared to zeroIn progress
- Filing dates checked against the calendarNext
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
Why contractor payments need their own tracking
Contractors are not on a payroll platform's employee roster, so their payments often live scattered across Bill.com, Deel, a bank feed or an invoice inbox. By year end, matching every payment to the right contractor and the right total takes real reconciliation, not a quick export.
What we track through the year
We collect a Form W-9 or equivalent tax identification form for each contractor before the first payment, then track payments against vendor bills and payment-platform records as they happen rather than reconstructing them in January. That includes payments made through Deel or Gusto's contractor module, where those overlap with a business's payroll platform.
The 2026 threshold change
For payments made in 2026 and later years, the IRS reporting threshold for Form 1099-NEC and Form 1099-MISC nonemployee compensation rises from $600 to $2,000. That means fewer small vendors will cross the reporting line this year than in the past, but every contractor paid $2,000 or more still needs a form, and the totals still have to be accurate. We reconcile payment totals by contractor ahead of the deadline so nobody is missed or double-counted.
Filing deadline
Form 1099-NEC must be filed with the IRS and furnished to contractors by January 31, whether filed on paper or electronically (February 1, 2027 for 2026 payments, since January 31 falls on a Sunday). We prepare the draft data well before that date so there is time to fix a missing W-9 or a mismatched total, rather than discovering it on deadline week.
Who actually files
The form itself is filed or transmitted through your payroll platform's contractor module, an e-file provider, or a credentialed preparer, not by our team directly. We prepare and reconcile the underlying data so whoever files has an accurate, review-ready set of numbers.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Contractor payments
Do all our contractors need a 1099 this year?
Only those paid $2,000 or more in 2026, which is the new IRS reporting threshold for Form 1099-NEC. We track totals by contractor through the year so that line is easy to draw in January.
When are 1099 forms due?
Form 1099-NEC must be filed with the IRS and given to the contractor by January 31, on paper or electronically (February 1, 2027 for 2026 payments, since January 31 is a Sunday). We aim to have data ready well ahead of that date.
What do you need from a contractor before we pay them?
A completed Form W-9 or equivalent, collected before the first payment, so the name, entity type and taxpayer ID on file match what ends up on the form.
Do you decide if someone should be a contractor or an employee?
No. That classification is a legal determination for you, ideally with an adviser, based on how the work is controlled and structured. We track payments accurately once the classification is set.
What does contractor payments actually include, month to month?
Contractor payments covers contractor records and tax identification forms collected before the first payment, along with contractor payments tracked against vendor bills and payment-platform records. The work runs inside Bill.com, Deel, QuickBooks Online or Xero, the file stays under your own subscription, and a senior principal reviews the output before it reaches you each period.
Do you decide who counts as a contractor rather than an employee?
No. That classification is a legal judgment for you and, where needed, your adviser. We track payments accurately once the classification is made.
Do you file the year-end forms?
The forms are filed or transmitted by your payroll or e-file provider, or by a credentialed preparer. We prepare the underlying data and reconcile it before the deadline.
What if our records for contractor payments are not up to date?
If your records are behind, we scope a catch-up first so contractor payments starts from a clean, reconciled base. That catch-up is priced and timed separately from the ongoing engagement, so you always know what each part costs.
Who reviews the work before it reaches us?
Every deliverable under contractor payments is reviewed by a senior principal before it reaches you. You keep access to the underlying file at every stage, so nothing about the work happens somewhere you cannot see it.
Related services
- BookkeepingMonthly bookkeepingOngoing monthly bookkeeping: transactions sorted into categories, accounts reconciled and month-end reports delivered in the software you already use.
- PayrollPayroll journals and reconciliationsPayroll journal entries recorded each pay period and reconciled against the payroll platform's reports, so wages, withholdings and benefit deductions match your general ledger.
Industries
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- Startups and VC-backed companiesBookkeeping and reporting for early-stage, venture-backed companies watching burn, runway and investor reporting closely.
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Next step
Talk to the team that would run your books
A short call covers your setup, your software and what a first month would look like. You get a written scope and price after it.