What is form 1099-S
Form 1099-S Proceeds from Real Estate Transactions, is the official form used to report on the
sale or exchange of real estate. Generally, you are required to file form 1099-S to report a
transaction that consists in whole or in part of the sale or exchange for money, indebtedness,
property, or services of any present or future ownership interest in any of the following:
- Improved or unimproved land, including air space;
- Inherently permanent structures, including any residential, commercial, or industrial
building;
- A condominium unit and its appurtenant fixtures and common elements, including land;
- Stock in a cooperative housing corporation (as defined in section 216); and
- Any non-contingent interest in standing timber.
Who must file 1099-S
Generally, the person responsible for closing the transaction, as explained in 1 below, is required
to file Form 1099-S. If no one is responsible for closing the transaction, the person required to
file Form 1099-S is explained in 2, later. However, you may designate the person required to file
Form 1099-S in a written agreement, as explained under 3, later.
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If you are the person responsible for closing the transaction, you must file Form 1099-S. If
a Uniform Settlement Statement prescribed under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of
1974 (RESPA) is used and a person is listed as the settlement agent on the statement, the
person responsible for closing the transaction is the person listed as the settlement agent
on that statement. A Uniform Settlement Statement includes any amendments, variations, or
substitutions that may be prescribed under RESPA if any such form requires disclosure of the
transferor and transferee, the application of the proceeds, and the identity of the
settlement agent or other person responsible for preparing the form.
If a Uniform Settlement Statement is not used, or no settlement agent is listed, the person
responsible for closing the transaction is the person who prepares the closing statement,
including a settlement statement (including a Uniform Settlement Statement) or other written
document that identifies the transferor and transferee, reasonably identifies the real
estate transferred, and that describes how the proceeds are to be or were disbursed. If no
closing statement is used, or if two or more statements are used, the person responsible for
closing the transaction is, in the following order:
- The transferee's attorney who is present at the delivery of either the transferee's
note or a significant part of the cash proceeds to the transferor or who prepares or
reviews the preparation of the documents transferring legal or equitable ownership;
- The transferor's attorney who is present at the delivery of either the transferee's
note or a significant part of the cash proceeds to the transferor or who prepares or
reviews the preparation of the documents transferring legal or equitable ownership;
or
-
The disbursing title or Escrow Company that is most significant in disbursing gross
proceeds.
If there is more than one attorney described in (a) or (b), the one whose
involvement is most significant is the person considered responsible for closing the
transaction
- If no one is responsible for closing the transaction as explained in 1 on this page, the
person responsible for filing is, in the following order: (a) the mortgage lender, (b) the
transferor's broker, (c) the transferee's broker, or (d) the transferee.
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Designation agreement. You can enter into a written agreement at or before closing to
designate who must file Form 1099-S for the transaction. The agreement will identify the
person responsible for filing if such designated person signs the agreement. It is not
necessary that all parties to the transaction (or that more than one party) enter into the
agreement
You may be designated in the agreement as the person who must file if you are the person
responsible for closing the transaction (as explained in 1 on page 2), the transferee's or
transferor's attorney (as explained in 1 on page 2), the title or escrow company that is
most significant in disbursing gross proceeds, or the mortgage lender (as explained in 2a on
page 2).
The designation agreement may be in any written form and may be included on the closing
statement. It must:
- A corporation that is a subsidiary of a financial institution or credit union, but only if,
because of your affiliation, you are subject to
supervision and examination by a federal
or state regulatory agency.
- Identify by name and address the person designated as responsible for filing,
- Include the names and addresses of each person entering into the agreement,
- Be signed and dated by all persons entering into the agreement,
- Include the names and addresses of the transferor and transferee, and
- Include the address and any other information necessary to identify the property.
Each person who signs the agreement must keep it for 4 years.
Requirements for Filing 1099-S
- Filer Details: Name, Address, Phone Number, TIN, Federal ID Number
- Transferor Details: Name, Address, ID Number, TIN, Account/Escrow Number
- Property Details: Closing Date, Gross Proceeds, Address, Real Estate Tax
Exceptions to 1099-S
The following is a list of transactions that are not reportable; however, you may choose to
report them. If you do, you are subject to the rules in these instructions.
- Sale or exchange of a residence (including stock in a cooperative housing corporation) for
$250,000 or less if you received an acceptable written assurance (certification) from the
seller that such residence is the principal residence (within the meaning of section 121) of
the seller and the full amount of the gain on such sale is excludable from gross income
under section 121. If the certification includes an assurance that the seller is married,
the preceding sentence shall be applied by substituting “$500,000” for “$250,000.” If there
are joint sellers, you must obtain a certification from each seller (whether married or not)
or file Form 1099-S for any seller who does not make the certification. The certification
must be signed by each seller under penalties of perjury.
- Any transaction in which the transferor is a corporation (or is considered to be a
corporation under Regulations section 1.6045-4(d)(2)); a governmental unit, including a
foreign government or an international organization; or an exempt volume transferor. Under
this rule, if there are exempt and nonexempt transferors, you must file Form 1099-S only for
the nonexempt transferors
- Any transaction that is not a sale or exchange, including a bequest, a gift (including a
transaction treated as a gift under section 1041), and a financing or refinancing that is
not related to the acquisition of real estate.
- A transfer in full or partial satisfaction of a debt secured by the property. This includes
a foreclosure, a transfer in lieu of foreclosure, or abandonment.
- A de minimis transfer for less than $600. A transaction is de minimis if it can be
determined with certainty that the total money, services, and property received or to be
received is less than $600, as measured on the closing date. For example, if a contract for
sale provides for total consideration of “$1.00 plus other valuable consideration,” the
transfer is not a de minimis transfer unless you can determine that the “other valuable
consideration” is less than $599, as measured on the closing date. The $600 rule applies to
the transaction as a whole, not separately to each transferor.
No reporting is required for the sale or exchange of an interest in the following types of
property, provided the sale is not related to the sale or exchange of reportable real estate.
- An interest in surface or subsurface natural resources (for example, water, ores, or other
natural deposits) or crops, whether or nor such natural resources or crops are severed from
the land. For this purpose, the terms "natural resources" and "crops" do not include
standing timber. For timber royalties, see Timber on page 1.
- A burial plot or vault.
- A manufactured structure used as a dwelling that is manufactured and assembled at a location
different from that where it is used, but only if such structure is not affixed, on the
closing date, to a foundation. This exception applies to the transfer of an unfixed mobile
home that is unrelated to the sale or exchange of reportable real estate.
For more information visit: https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1099s/index.html
Deadlines and Important dates to file 1099-INT Online
| Filing Type |
Due Date |
| Recipient Copy |
February 2, 2026 |
| IRS eFile |
March 31, 2026 |
| IRS Paper Filing |
March 2, 2026 |
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