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I'm using Credit Karma for my tax return. I have not received an expected 1099-INT from a bank for an interest amount of $150 so I do not know this banks's federal tax ID number. I am fairly certain that the tax ID number is optional, but Credit Karma claims that it is a required field and will not allow me to continue without it. I have already contacted CK and am waiting to hear back about this issue.

In the meantime, are there any workarounds? Can I report this income elsewhere on my return? Can I just put in a bogus tax ID number (ie 11-1111111)? Or is my best bet to contact the bank and ask them to issue another 1099?

Ben Miller
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user48207
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3 Answers3

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Don't put in a bogus tax id. You can often look up the form through online banking, but if not, you can certainly ask the bank to send you a copy of the form, or you could simply ask a service rep at the bank what the tax id is.

NL - SE listen to your users
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You don't need a tax ID number from a 1099-INT to file on paper or via Free File Fillable Forms, so I'm a bit surprised that there's tax software that requires it somehow. It sounds like your issue is really more one of using the Credit Karma tax software, and their support is going to be more helpful with that than anything anybody here can do.

In general, you should have received a 1099-INT, so it's probably a good plan to contact the bank and see if they've sent it and confirm they have an accurate address on file. While talking with them, they can probably tell you their Tax ID number. Sometimes you can even download the current 1099-INT from their web site (my local bank just started offering this in the past year or two).

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Upon calling the bank, I found out that the 1099 had been sent to the wrong address, but since I no longer have an account they claimed to be unable to update my address unless I visited a branch (states away). They also outright refused to disclose their EIN to me.

CK support has not responded in several weeks.

I ended up putting a fake EIN into the software. Combing over the generated forms at the end, I verified that the fake EIN did not show up on the Schedule B or on any other form to be sent to the IRS (thanks @BenMiller) and I was able to submit my return.

user48207
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