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The Daily Insight Hub

Can you dispute a 1099-C?

Author

Rachel Davis

Updated on January 28, 2026

If you get a 1099-C on debt you paid McClary also noted that if asking for a corrected 1099-C doesn’t work, “the IRS has a dispute process you can use. This requires that you reach out to the IRS and let them know you wish to submit a complaint about an incorrectly issued 1099-C.

Is Cancelled credit card debt taxable?

Generally, debt that is forgiven or canceled by a lender is considered taxable income by the IRS and must be included as income on your tax return. Examples include a debt for which you are personally liable such as mortgage debt, credit card debt, and in some instances, student loan debt.

Do I have to pay taxes on 1099-C?

In most situations, if you receive a Form 1099-C from a lender after negotiating a debt cancellation with them, you’ll have to report the amount on that form to the Internal Revenue Service as taxable income.

Do you get a 1099 when you cancel a credit card?

Months after resolving credit card debts, consumers may receive 1099-C “Cancellation of Debt” tax notices in the mail. Here’s why Many consumers aren’t aware that forgiven credit card debt may be taxable income, and it shows up on an IRS 1099-C form

What happens when you receive a Form 1099-C?

The Internal Revenue Service does not say that your debt balance is zero after a Form 1099-C is issued, or even that the bank cannot try to collect after the notice is sent. I received a Form 1099-C Cancellation of Debt in 2016 for credit card debt that I was unable to pay.

Is there a problem with 1099-C debt forgiveness?

It seems more and more people are getting tax form 1099-C issued now for the forgiveness of old debt from as long as twenty years ago. That’s a problem for consumers. This old debt is sometimes called “zombie debt” because it appears to come back from the dead. The first thing you should do is not panic.

Can a debt buyer disclose a 1099-C?

Says Maurice, the debt buyers’ attorney, “There is no current law that says that a debt buyer must disclose that a 1099-C would be forthcoming after the settlement of debt.” The Taxpayer Advocate Service has cited confusion and inadequate communication about 1099-Cs in its annual report to Congress.