IRS Form 1096 is a one-page summary sheet that shows the totals and information from various forms. If you are paper filing any 1097, 1098, 1099, 5498 and/or W-2G form, then you must put together Form 1096 and submit that with your paper forms. File a separate Form 1096 with each different type of form. For example, if you are filing six 1099-MISC forms and one 3922, you need to submit one 1096 to summarize the 1099-MISC forms and one 1096 to summarize the 3922 form.
The top part of the form asks for the filer name and address. Then the name of person to contact, telephone number, email address and fax number. If any of the contact information is not available, just leave blank.
Box 1, 2. Box 1 shows the employer identification number (EIN) while Box 2 shows the social security number (SSN). The filer is either an individual with a SSN number or a business with an EIN number. Make an entry in either Box 1 or Box 2 but not both boxes.
Box 3. Shows the total number of correctly completed forms (not the number of pages) that the filer is transmitting with this Form 1096. As an example, IRS Form 1098 has 3 forms on it per page. If 2 of those 1098 forms are filled out correctly, then enter “2” in Box 3 of Form 1096.
Box 4. Show federal income tax withheld shown on the forms being transmitted with this Form 1096.
Box 5. Shows the total of the amounts from the specific boxes of the forms listed below:
- Form W-2G Box 1
- Form 1097-BTC Box 1
- Form 1098 Boxes 1 and 2
- Form 1098-C Box 4c
- Form 1098-E Box 1
- Form 1099-B Boxes 2a and 7
- Form 1099-C Box 2
- Form 1099-CAP Box 2
- Form 1099-DIV Boxes 1a, 2a, 3, 8, 9, and 10
- Form 1099-H Box 1
- Form 1099-INT Boxes 1, 3, and 8
- Form 1099-K Box 1
- Form 1099-LTC Boxes 1 and 2
- Form 1099-MISC Boxes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, and 14
- Form 1099-OID Boxes 1, 2, and 6
- Form 1099-PATR Boxes 1, 2, 3, and 5
- Form 1099-Q Box 1
- Form 1099-R Box 1
- Form 1099-S Box 2
- Form 1099-SA Box 1
- Form 3921 Boxes 3 and 4
- Form 3922 Boxes 3, 4, and 5
- Form 5498 Boxes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12b, 13a and 14a
- Form 5498-ESA Boxes 1 and 2
- Form 5498-SA Box 1
No entry is required if you are filing Forms 1098-T, 1099-A or 1099-G.
Box 6. Ask that the filer put a check in the box of the forms that they are filing and that this 1096 is a summary for.
Box 7. Is checked if this is the filer’s final return. If you will not be required to file Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498, or W-2G in the future, either on paper or electronically, then check this box.
IRS Form 1096 is signed, the signator’s title is provided, and the form is dated. Mail Form 1096 and other applicable forms to the address listed on the form that corresponds to the location of your principal business address.
