Will you get a 1099-C for student loan forgiveness?

Asked by: Ruthe Lueilwitz  |  Last update: December 24, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (43 votes)

When you receive any type of debt forgiveness for more than $600, the creditor is supposed to send you a Form 1099-C. You'll find, in box 2, an amount of tax forgiven, and you need to enter that amount on your tax return marked “other income.” The IRS generally considers forgiven debt as income for tax purposes.

Will I receive a 1099-C for my student loan forgiveness?

If considered taxable income, you will report the balance forgiven on your tax return after you receive a 1099-C for the amount canceled (aka forgiven). Your tax liability will depend on your total income and the federal (and any state) income tax rates the year forgiveness occurs.

Will I get a tax form for my student loan forgiveness?

Yes... when you receive debt forgiveness they send a 1099 and you must pay taxes on it based on your regular tax rate.... just like income.

Does a 1099-C hurt your taxes?

Unfortunately, your next challenge might be a huge tax bill. In most situations, if you receive a Form 1099-C from a lender, you'll have to report the amount of cancelled debt on your tax return as taxable income. Certain exceptions do apply.

Do I have to report student loan forgiveness?

In 2021, as part of the American Rescue Plan, Congress temporarily changed the law so that student loan forgiveness is not considered taxable income. “So if the forgiveness happens by the end of 2025, there will be no federal tax on it,” explained Mayotte.

Taxes & President Announces Student Loan Forgiveness Plan [Form 1099-C] Cancellation of Student Debt

17 related questions found

Do I have to claim student loan forgiveness as income?

Once approved, the government forgives the remainder of the federal loan balance. PSLF is one of the few programs that is excluded from federal income taxes; none of the forgiven loan amount is taxable as income.

What is the tax rate for a 1099 C?

How Are Taxes for Debt Settlement Calculated? How much will you owe in taxes from your debt settlement? That depends on your overall taxable income. Your income, including amounts listed on your 1099-Cs, gets taxed at the normal progressive rate, which ranges from 10% to 37%.

What happens if I don't get a 1099-C?

Even if you didn't receive a Form 1099-C, you must report canceled debt as gross income on your tax return unless one of the exceptions or exclusions described later applies. Amount of canceled debt. The amount in box 2 of Form 1099-C may represent some or all of the debt that has been canceled.

Why did I get a 1099 for cancellation of debt?

You will receive a 1099-C Cancelation of Debt form if a lender forgives more than $600 of taxable debt. You must include the amount of canceled debt on your federal tax return as a part of your taxable income.

Are forgivable loans taxable?

Once these requirements are satisfied, the principal of the loan is forgiven and, therefore, not required to be paid back to the employer. The principal of the loan is considered income to the employee and is taxable.

Do I need to fill out paperwork for student loan forgiveness?

If you're working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), complete and submit the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) & Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) Certification & Application (PSLF) form annually or when you change employers. If you've made 120 qualifying payments, fill out and submit this same form.

What states are making student loan forgiveness taxable?

Borrowers in Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Wisconsin will almost certainly pay state income taxes on some forgiven federal student loans, according to analysis from the Tax Foundation, a tax policy think tank based in Washington, D.C.

Do I have to claim student loans on my taxes?

Reporting the amount of student loan interest you paid in 2023 on your federal tax return may count as a deduction. A deduction reduces the amount of your income that is subject to tax, which may benefit you by reducing the amount of tax you may have to pay.

Will I get a tax form for student loan forgiveness?

A lender would issue the debtor a Form 1099-C, which is a tax form showing the amount of the cancelled or forgiven debt. The form is issued during tax season for the prior year when the cancellation event occurred. So if you had a debt forgiven in 2022, you might receive a Form 1099-C in early 2023.

How much tax do you pay on cancellation of debt?

Canceled debt is taxed at the same rate as ordinary income. As a taxpayer, your tax rate depends on your tax bracket and can range from 10% to 37% depending on your taxable income. For example, if you're in the 15% tax bracket and had $10,000 of debt discharged, you may owe income taxes up to $1,500.

Does loan forgiveness affect credit score?

If you receive full forgiveness, it'll close your loan accounts, which can affect your credit score slightly. You'll have one fewer account on your record and the average age of your accounts could decrease.

Is a 1099-C good or bad?

Here, we'll answer several common questions about this form and explain how canceled debt relates to taxes. Key Takeaways: The IRS requires 1099-C forms because forgiven debt contributes to your gross income. Receiving and filing a 1099-C form won't affect your credit score positively or negatively.

When a debt is Cancelled with a 1099-C does it taken off your credit report?

This information can remain on your credit report for up to seven years. If you are able to get your debt completely canceled, you then no longer have any responsibility for the amount owed. But the creditor must report the canceled amount or settled debt to the IRS using the Form 1099-C cancellation of debt.

Will I receive a 1099-C for PSLF?

When you receive any type of debt forgiveness for more than $600, the creditor is supposed to send you a Form 1099-C. You'll find, in box 2, an amount of tax forgiven, and you need to enter that amount on your tax return marked “other income.” The IRS generally considers forgiven debt as income for tax purposes.

What are the rules for 1099-C?

If it can be shown that joint and several liability does not exist, a Form 1099-C is required for each debtor for whom you canceled a debt of $600 or more. For debts incurred before 1995 and for debts of less than $10,000 incurred after 1994, you must file Form 1099-C only for the primary (or first-named) debtor.

What happens if I don't receive my 1099?

If you have not received an expected 1099 by a few days after that, contact the payer. If you still do not get the form by February 15, call the IRS for help at 1-800- 829-1040. In some cases, you may obtain the information that would be on the 1099 from other sources.

Is there a statute of limitations on a 1099-C?

There's no specific statute of limitations for canceled debt, but IRS rules require creditors to file a 1099-C the year following the calendar year in which a qualifying event occurs.

Does TurboTax handle 1099 C?

To enter your 1099-C: Open or continue your return. Go to 1099-C. In TurboTax Desktop, search for 1099-C or 1099C (lowercase also works) and select the Jump to link at the top of the search results.

How does a 1099 affect my taxes?

Self-employment tax: 1099 contractors are subject to self-employment tax, which covers both the employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes. This totals 15.3% of your net earnings. In contrast, W-2 employees only pay the employee portion (7.65%), while their employer covers the remaining half.

How much tax will I owe on a 1099?

The tax rate for 1099 income is 15.3%, combining 12.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare. If you are a high earner, you may also need to pay an additional 0.9% Medicare tax. Federal income tax calculations are required too.