# Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions: How to File

## What Is Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions?

The term Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions refers to an [Internal Revenue Service (IRS)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/irs.asp) form sent by banks and other financial institutions to investors who receive dividends and distributions from any type of investment during a calendar year. Investors can receive multiple 1099-DIVs. Each 1099-DIV form should be reported on an investor’s tax filing. Investors typically will not receive a 1099-DIV form if cumulative dividends are not greater than $10.  

### Key Takeaways

*   Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions is sent to investors who receive distributions from any type of investment during a calendar year.
*   Banks, investment companies, and other financial institutions must provide taxpayers with the form by January 31 every year.
*   Taxpayers put the information from each 1099-DIV form either on a Schedule B form or directly on Form 1040.
*   Taxpayers are only sent the form if the dividends and/or distributions they receive exceed $10.
*   Financial institutions must send the form to both the taxpayer and to the IRS.

## Who Can File Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions?

Companies provide a copy of the form to the investor and to the IRS. Banks, investment companies, and other financial institutions are required to provide taxpayers with a 1099-DIV by January 31 each year.

The form includes the recipient's name, address, and [Social Security Number (SSN)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/ssn.asp). It also has the payer's name, address, identification number, and plan number. The right side of the form outlines some of the important figures the recipient will need, including the total ordinary dividends, qualified dividends, and total capital gain distribution.

Most investors who receive a Form 1099-DIV will have [ordinary dividends](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/ordinary-dividends.asp), qualified dividends, or total [capital gains](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalgain.asp). Other categories for investors include:

*   [Unrecaptured section 1250 gains](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/unrecaptured-1250-gain.asp)
*   [Section 1202 gains](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/section-1202.asp)
*   Collectibles gains
*   Non-dividend distributions
*   Federal income tax withheld
*   Investment expenses
*   Foreign tax paid
*   Foreign country or U.S. possessions
*   Cash liquidation distributions
*   Non-cash liquidation distributions
*   Exempt-interest dividends
*   Specified private activity bond interest dividends
*   State tax withheld

Investors may also be subject to [Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/foreign-account-tax-compliance-act-fatca.asp) filing requirements for foreign accounts. This is a law that requires U.S. citizens, both in the country and abroad, to file reports on foreign account holdings. These account holdings must be reported in U.S. dollars.

> **Important**
>
> Certain types of investment accounts are exempt from issuing a Form 1099-DIV. Exempt accounts include individual retirement accounts (IRAs), money purchase pension plans, profit-sharing plans, and various retirement accounts.

## How to File Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions

Form 1099-DIV has three copies. Copy A, in red, is for informational purposes only and should not be printed. There are two parts of Copy B, which can be downloaded and printed. One is for the recipient, while the other is attached to the tax return for the state tax department. This section, which is in black, can be used to satisfy the requirements of the recipient.

Taxpayers are [required to file the information](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/05/foreignownershipusstocks.asp) on each Form 1099-DIV they receive on their annual tax form. This can be done on a [Schedule B](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/081414/who-needs-fill-out-irs-form-schedule-b.asp) form or directly on [Form 1040](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/1/1040.asp). Taxpayers who receive more than $1,500 in taxable interest and/or ordinary dividends during the year are required to fill out Schedule B, which accompanies a 1040 form.

Dividends are taxed at an investor’s income tax rate with a few exceptions. Qualified dividends are the primary exception. [Qualified dividends](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/q/qualifieddividend.asp) have met certain criteria that allow them to be taxed at a lower capital gains tax rate.

The tax rate on capital gains may also vary from the ordinary income tax rate. [Short-term capital gains](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/short-term-gain.asp) are taxed at the ordinary income tax rate, but taxes on [long-term capital gains](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/long-term_capital_gain_loss.asp) are lower.  

![2022 1099-DIV](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/NwaPDISUuk9dD-htOqQLFLZX3ik=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/1099-DIV-ffc2266fbad34acd9de5359089733572.jpg)

*2022 1099-DIV.*

## Download Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions

Form 1099-DIV is available on the IRS website.

## What Is Form 1099-DIV?

Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions is a form required by the IRS. It is used to report any dividends or distributions paid to taxpayers by banks and other financial institutions. This includes ordinary and qualified dividends, total capital gains, federal income tax withheld, and foreign tax paid, among others.

## Why Didn't I Receive a Form 1099-DIV Even Though I Was Paid Dividends?

You only receive Form 1099-DIV if you received dividends exceeding $10. If your dividend payments were more than this and you still haven't received a form, contact the issuer for a replacement.

## How Do I Report Form 1099-DIV?

You can report the information found on Form 1099-DIV on Schedule B or on Form 1040 directly.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Internal Revenue Service. “[Instructions for Form 1099-DIV: Specific Instructions](https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1099div#en_US_2022_publink1000278741).”
>     
> 2.  Internal Revenue Service. "[IRS Reminds Employers of January 31 Deadline for Form W-2, Other Wage Statements](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-reminds-employers-of-january-31-deadline-for-form-w-2-other-wage-statements)."
>     
> 3.  Internal Revenue Service. "[Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1099div.pdf)."
>     
> 4.  Internal Revenue Service. "[January 31 Wage Statement Deadline Reminder for Employers](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/january-31-wage-statement-deadline-reminder-for-employers)."
>     
> 5.  Internal Revenue Service. "[Summary of FATCA Reporting for U.S. Taxpayers](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/summary-of-fatca-reporting-for-us-taxpayers)."
>     
> 6.  Internal Revenue Service. “[Instructions for Form 1099-DIV: Exceptions](https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1099div#en_US_2022_publink1000278743).”
>     
> 7.  Internal Revenue Service. "[About Schedule B (Form 1040), Interest and Ordinary Dividends](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-schedule-b-form-1040)."
>     
> 8.  Internal Revenue Service. “[Topic No. 404 Dividends](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc404).”
>     
> 9.  Internal Revenue Service. “[Topic No. 409 Capital Gains and Losses](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc409).”