A 1099-K is a tax form that summarizes the payments your business collected through Playground during the year. This article explains what it is, when it arrives, and why you may not have received one.
General Information
Stripe issues your 1099-K. Playground processes payments through our partner, Stripe, so Stripe is the one that prepares and sends 1099-K forms.
It's for informational purposes only. A 1099-K is not a bill and doesn't mean you owe additional tax. It simply reports your payment activity to you and the IRS.
It reports your gross volume. The total includes all payments collected before processing fees, refunds, and adjustments are taken out, so it may be higher than what was deposited into your bank account.
Not every business gets one. You only receive a 1099-K if your business meets the IRS or state reporting threshold (see below).
🚨 A 1099-K is different from the W-2s and 1099s you send to staff through Payroll. You won't find your 1099-K in the Payroll tab.
When & How You Receive It
If your business qualifies, Stripe sends your 1099-K for the previous calendar year by January 31. For example, your 1099-K for 2026 payments will arrive by January 31, 2027.
Your form is delivered to the email and/or mailing address on file for your payout account. If you think your contact information is out of date, reach out to our support team before the end of the year so your form reaches you.
Who Qualifies for a 1099-K
Stripe is required to send a 1099-K to U.S.-based businesses that meet both of these federal requirements in a calendar year:
More than $20,000 in total gross payments, and
More than 200 transactions
If your business didn't meet both requirements, you won't receive a federal 1099-K.
💡 For the 2024 tax year only, the federal threshold was temporarily lowered to $5,000. Starting with the 2025 tax year, it's back to $20,000 and 200 transactions.
States with Lower Thresholds
Some states require a 1099-K at a lower amount. If your business is in one of these states, you may receive a 1099-K even if you didn't meet the federal threshold:
$600 | District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Vermont, Virginia |
$1,000 | New Jersey |
$1,000 & 4 transactions | Illinois |
$2,500 | Arkansas |
All other states follow the federal threshold or don't require a 1099-K. State requirements can change, so check with your tax advisor if you're unsure.
Why Didn't I Receive a 1099-K?
The most common reason is that your business didn't meet the threshold. Don't worry — if you didn't qualify, there's no 1099-K to receive, and you can still report your income using your own payment records.
Here's what to check:
Review your total payments for the year. If you collected $20,000 or less, or had 200 or fewer transactions (and your state doesn't have a lower threshold), you won't receive a 1099-K.
Check the date. Forms are sent by January 31. If it's before then, your form may not be available yet.
Check your email and mail. Search your inbox (including spam) for an email about your 1099-K, and check for mail at your business address.
If you met the threshold and still haven't received your form after January 31, contact our support team and we'll help you track it down.
💡 Received a 1099-K you didn't expect? This usually happens if your state has a lower threshold, or if you have more than one payout account under the same Tax ID (EIN or SSN). When accounts share a Tax ID, their payments are combined toward the threshold.
This article is not tax advice. We recommend speaking with a tax advisor about how to use your 1099-K when filing.