Why does E-filing require you to enter a payers EIN on a 1099NEC? Can I not e-file if the Payer only has a SSN?

---

@ ego347 wrote: "Why does E-filing require you to enter a payers EIN on a 1099NEC? Can I not e-file if the Payer only has a SSN?
I get to the very end of the process and TurboTax says I need to fix my federal return and requires that I add my Payer's EIN, which they do not have. The form says EIN OR SNN and I've entered the SSN. Do I have to file by mail because of this? Why didn't I have to last year? Has something changed this year?

---

I don't have a way to look at the 1099-NEC interview page right now, but I think when filling out the 1099-NEC in the interview, it asks one to indicate the format of the tax number of the Payer so it knows whether it is an EIN or an SSN.  I think there is a place to tick mark what kind of tax number it is:   ##-####### for EIN or ###-##-#### for SSN.  Then the program knows if the 9-digit number is an EIN or SSN so that it can format it properly.

      The entry box may default to EIN.  If so, you have to tick that it's an SSN. Did you mistakenly enter the Payer's SSN in that EIN format without indicating that it should be SSN format?  If so, go back to the interview and indicate it is an SSN so it will format correctly.

it's may not be necessary to enter the 1099-NEC. It's only required if withholding taxes are reported. Otherwise, you can enter the amount along with any other revenue that was not reported in the box for misc. Use depends on how good you are at math so an accurate amount is entered in the misc box. However, I believe if you right-click on the misc box a window opens so you can enter each amount separately and let TurboTax do the addition. 

I had to delete that source of income and readd 

Did you get this resolved?  I am having the same issue.  I've used this company for several years and have always just entered the SSN because they don't have an EIN.  Now nothing works and says I have to file by mail.  I have deleted it and re-added it three times, and I am still getting the same error.

Finally figured out this headache. Leave box 4 "federal income tax withheld" BLANK, dont put in $0.

Any input into this box triggers a requirement for an EIN and won't allow a SSN

Hope this helps y'all!

I had $0 in withholds which was requiring me to add the EIN which I also didn't have.  When I cleared the field and ensured it was blank, it let me submit.