Social Security form SSA 1099 Needed

[zeros]

Client showed up without the information. Is there a way to get this information on the internet? Call the local office?

[clr]

Same

It would be the same as last year(2010) if you did their taxes last year no increase during 2011.

[JohnH]

Yes, same as last year, provided they received a full year's benefits last year.

Second question - does it matter on the return?

[zeros]

Full Year Social Security

Yes, I need the statement as 2010 had only a partial year as she began drawing in 2010. Part of the SS payments would be taxable, so yes, it does matter. Any answers out there?

[dkss]

I send the taxpayer to the local SSA office and they will print out an annual summary of benefits right there on the spot.

[JohnH]

Have the client look at their SocSec benefit deposits to their bank account at the end of the year. If the Nov & Dec 2010 payments were the same amount (just so you know that's the normal montly benefit), you could mulitply the Dec 2010 net benefit by 12 and add the full-year medicare premium to calculate the Gross SocSec Benefit for 2011. This assumes they didn't have any Federal Tax withheld.

That would be good enough to get the extension filed, then tell the client you'll finish the return when they do their job by obtaining the proper documentation and getting it to you. They can obtain it by requesting a duplicate, going to the SSA office, or howerver they wish.

(That would be my solution, athough I might leave the "do their job" part out of my conversation with them)

[FEDUKE404]

Not on internet

Here is the answer to the OP:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/i1099/main.html

The best the client can hope for is to drop by the local Soc Sec and plan for a LONG wait. Otherwise request a mailed copy, which would involve filing an extension.

For any number of reasons, calling the Soc Sec office is at the bottom of any choices...

Personally I never use the "same as last year" solution - too many surprises may lurk, except perhaps for a good guess re filing extensions. I would far better prefer an extension than an amended return.

FE

[taxea]

I would also send the client to SSA...there may be withholding etc on the form that the client may not remember. I would not "estimate" the amount based on prior year or any other unreliable information. It is possible that the info is online but it would only be available to the TP if she registered on the SSA website for info on her acct. Not sure...
My motto is don't believe anything until you verify it.

[JohnH]

Looks like you'd be hard pressed to prepare an extension if you require documentation. All that's required for the extension is a good faith estimate based on what is known at the time. So an estimate is perfectly fine, and the most reliable thing one can do (it certainly wouldn't be acceptable to simply ignore the SocSec benefit in preparing the extension).

The extension is the ONLY thing I would do in this case, because that gives the client plenty of time to come up with a copy of the actual document before filng the return. Zeros has already said it is known that the SocSec affects the result, so the final return can't be prepared without the 1099SSA.