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Hello Taxes! Chase Is Sending Out 1099s for Referral Bonuses

  • Jason Stauffer

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    Last week we got the news that AMEX has been sending out 1099s for referral bonuses.  Right on the heels of that, people are reporting that Chase is doing the same.

    It looks like Chase is valuing all points at 1 cent each and you’ll be getting a 1099 if you earned $600+ in points from referrals.  I earned a couple referral bonuses on my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card last year, but I’m well under the $600 threshold.

    If You Earned Bonus Points By Referring Friends Last Year, You Could Be Getting a 1099 From Chase

    Chase 1099 Referral Bonuses

    There are a lot of opinions out there on what do to about this.  Personally, I would pay the taxes.  Remember if you’re getting a 1099 for $600 that’s the extra income you need to report not the extra taxes you’ll pay.

    Even though I’ve heard some experts mention that it might be possible to fight this, I can’t imagine that it would be worth the effort for most people.  If your tax rate is 25% you’ll only end up paying $150 for $600 in extra income.

    I think a 1 cent value for Chase Ultimate Rewards points is fair, but if you earned a referral bonus for Marriott or IHG points that’s definitely an over valuation.  Again, I doubt it’s worth fighting it, but you’ll have to make that call for yourself.

    I’m not a tax professional, so if you plan on doing anything other than just paying up be sure to consult one.  And please don’t just ignore this, 1099 forms are sent to you and the IRS.  So if you file your taxes and don’t report your 1099 income you could end up paying interest and penalties on top of the extra taxes.

    Did you get a 1099 from Chase?  What did they value the points at?

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    Hat tip:  One Mile at a Time

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)