Guidance for reporting information returns


Overview

If you made a payment as part of your trade or business, including a government entity, corporation, partnership, individual, estate, and trust who makes reportable transactions during the calendar year, you may be required to file an information return.

Information returns are filed with the IRS, the recipient, and sometimes Franchise Tax Board.

Recipients use their copy to file their taxes.

What's new this year

On November 26, 2024, the Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2024-85, providing guidance on transitional reporting thresholds for third-party settlement organizations for tax years 2024 and 2025. For tax year 2023, previous reporting thresholds will remain in place.

  • For tax year 2023 and prior tax years, third-party settlement organizations that issue Forms 1099-K are required to report transactions when gross payments (for goods and services) exceed $20,000 and there are more than 200 transactions.
  • For tax year 2024, third-party settlement organizations will be required to report transactions when the amount of total payments for those transactions is more than $5,000, regardless of the number of transactions.
  • For tax year 2025, the threshold is $2,500, regardless of the number of transactions.
  • For tax year 2026 and after, the threshold is $600, regardless of the number of transactions.

Generally, information return reporters should file with us a copy of the same Form 1099-K they are required to file with the IRS.

For more information, see: IRS Notice 2024-85.

Please be advised that this delay of the implementation of the new reporting requirements does not impact the requirement to issue a Form 1099-K for payments in settlement of third-party network transactions to app-based drivers for California purposes; the $600 threshold still applies to those payments.

Filing requirements

You need to file an information return with us if either of the following are:

  • The recipient is a California resident or part-year resident.
  • The source of an information return transaction was in California.

See Guide to Information Returns Filed with California for forms that must be filed with FTB and their due dates.

For questions about independent contractors and employer guidelines, visit Employers (EDD).

For withholding on residents, visit, Withholding.

For withholding on non-residents, visit Withholding on nonresidents.

Filing option with IRS

If you file via paper or file electronically with the IRS following the IRS Combined Federal/State Filing Program (CFSF) guidelines as outlined in IRS Publication 1220, and the amounts you are reporting to IRS and us are the same, do not file with us. Your information will be forwarded to us from the IRS. IRS Publication 1220 also lists which forms are included in the CFSF.

If you have an exception that requires you to report something different for federal and state purposes, such as a different dollar amount, file separate returns with IRS and us. See ‘Income allocation’ below.

Income allocation

Use Nonresident Withholding Allocation Worksheet (Form 587), to determine if withholding is required and the amount of California source income subject to withholding.

Visit Instructions for Form 587 for more information.

How to file

Paper filing

Information reporters who submit 249 or fewer information returns may file via paper to the following address:

Franchise Tax Board
PO Box 942840
Sacramento, CA 94240-6090

FTB does not require the IRS 1096 transmittal form.

Electronic filing

Information reporters who submit 250 or more information returns must file electronically using Secure Web Internet File Transfer (SWIFT). Information reporters may submit files on behalf of multiple entities with one SWIFT account.

To set up a SWIFT account, send the following information to IRPhelp@ftb.ca.gov.

  • Business Name*
  • Business Address*
  • Business FEIN*
  • Primary Business Contact Information* (First and last name*, Email*, Phone number*)
  • Back Up Business Contact Information (First and last name, Email, Phone number)
  • Primary Technical Contact Information (First and last name, Email, Phone number)
  • Back Up Technical Contact Information (First and last name, Email, Phone number)

* Required information

Expect a response within 24 – 48 hours.

Electronic record layout

To prepare an information return, visit IRS Publication 1220 and General Instructions for Certain Information Returns for detailed instructions. Visit IRS's A Guide to Information Returns for more information. FTB does not require the IRS 1096 transmittal form.

We only accept .txt files and .zip files of the .txt format. (PDF formatted files, even if zipped, will not be accepted).

Follow these steps to submit Information Return data through SWIFT:

  • Prepare the information returns as you normally would.
  • Produce the information return as a fixed- length text file format (.txt or .zip of a .txt file) as listed in IRS Publication 1220. Pdf files converted to .txt format will not be processed.
  • Please work with your software provider, if needed.
  • Transmit the file to us via SWIFT.

Retrieve your receipt via email, which confirms we have received the file.

California specific requirements

We follow the same record layout as the IRS with a few exceptions. Listed below are California supplemental fields that are different from the IRS.

Payer "A" record
Field title Locations Document type Description/remarks
Surname Indicator Position 46 ALL Enter the letter “L” if the payers’ last names are reported first in the Payee “B” Record First Payee Name Line; e.g., Smith, John J. otherwise, enter a blank.

Note: If the corresponding Payee “B” Records contain valid Name Controls, i.e., the first four positions of the payee last name, this field may be left blank. Otherwise, code this field the way the names of individual payees are reported, even if the returns are a mixture of individuals and businesses. If only businesses are reported then code this field blank.

Payee "B" record
Field title Locations Document type Description/remarks
Non-California Return Indicator Position 432 ALL If payee is not reportable to California, i.e., payee does not have a California filing requirement; enter an uppercase letter “X.” Otherwise, enter a blank.

Note: This field was established to allow preparers to file a copy of their federal returns with California, but to designate selected returns not to be read by California’s programs. This field must not be used for reporting W-2G’s (gambling winnings) to California or for submitting any returns through the CF/SF.

End of payer "C" record
Field title Locations Document type Description/remarks
Control Total State Income Tax Withheld Positions 707-724 ALL APPLICABLE Enter the accumulated totals for state income tax withheld in the associated Payee “B” records.

State totals "K" record

This record is only supplied to the IRS on its CF/SF file. Omit it when filing directly with California.

End of transmission "F" record

This record is optional on California’s file. If used, format it to federal specifications. An “F” Record should only be used once as the last record on the entire file.

Corrected returns

A corrected return is an information return submitted to correct an original return that contained erroneous information.

If you omitted a return from the original file, do not mark it as a correction; submit it as an original return.

When submitting corrections, do not send your entire file again. Only send the information returns to be corrected. Visit IRS Publication 1220 and General Instructions for Certain Information Returns for detailed instructions.

Waiver not to file electronically

You can request not to file information returns electronically.

File Request for Waiver from Filing Information Returns (FTB 6274).

Extension to file

You can request an extension to file by submitting Request for Extension to File Information Returns (FTB 6274A). We allow a 30-day extension for forms 1098, 1099, 5498, and W-2G. We allow a 90-day extension for form 1099-B.

Top electronic filing errors

  1. Combined file indicator - “A” record.
    • Entry field needs to be left blank. This is only for IRS CF/SF filers.
  2. Return Type - “A” record.
    • Field must be left justified.
  3. Non-California records indicator - “B” record.
    • If you are a CF/SF filer, you do not send your file to California. IRS forwards your file to us as part of the program agreement.
  4. IRS CF/SF code indicator - “B” record.
    • If you are a CF/SF filer, you do not send your file to California. IRS forwards your file to us as part of the program agreement.
  5. Files must be submitted in a fixed length text format in accordance to the specifications listed in IRS Publication 1220. Other file types such as PDF, CSV, XML, etc. are not accepted.

Contact information

IRPHELP@ftb.ca.gov
For technical support for e-filing of information returns via SWIFT
BONDINTSWIFT@ftb.ca.gov
For questions about federal tax-exempt bond interest
Website
Health care mandate
For Minimum Essential Coverage Information Reporting (MEC IR), Healthcare Mandate, Form 1095 visit