W-9s and 1099s: Fewer January Headaches

A calm January starts in October with vendor hygiene that actually sticks.

We're here this month sharing clear, do now guidance you can hand to your bookkeeper or ops lead. Even if we don't get to work together, these steps will reduce stress for your team.

Why this matters in October

Collecting W-9s and cleaning vendor data now prevents late emails, mismatched names, and missing tax IDs. A couple of focused hours in October saves several later.

Essentials in plain English

Who typically needs a W-9

Non employees paid for services. Collect the form at vendor setup so you classify correctly.

Track how vendors are paid

Record whether vendors were paid through AP, credit card, or a third party processor. This avoids duplicate reporting and speeds reconciliation.

Five part October playbook

1) Make W-9s part of intake

No W-9, no payment for new vendors. Add this to the bill workflow. (We can't emphasize this one piece of the process enough. It's the secret sauce for having a crystal clear process for vendor records and a SMOOTH 1099 filing session every January!)

2) Normalize vendor records

Capture legal name and DBA if applicable. Keep current email and address. Flag entity type. Merge duplicates.

3) Separate what is not reportable

Split reimbursements from service fees. Track processor paid amounts that will be reported elsewhere.

4) Run a dry run report

Generate a year to date preview. Fix missing TINs, addresses, and coding errors while there is time.

5) Communicate a friendly deadline

Ask vendors to confirm details by the end of October. Provide a secure upload link.

Common pitfalls

Assuming card payments remove all responsibilities. Emailing vendors during holiday weeks. Storing W-9s across multiple folders without access controls.

Copy ready checklist

[ ] Vendor records normalized

[ ] W-9s collected and stored securely

[ ] Payment methods noted

[ ] Dry run completed and gaps resolved

[ ] November spot check scheduled