Instructions for Debtor
You received this form because a Federal Government agency or an applicable
financial entity (a creditor) has discharged (canceled or forgiven) a debt you
owed, or because an identifiable event has occurred that either is or is deemed
to be a discharge of a debt of $600 or more. If a creditor has discharged a debt
you owed, you are required to include the discharged amount in your income,
even if it is less than $600, on the “Other income” line of your Form 1040.
However, you may not have to include all of the canceled debt in your income.
There are exceptions and exclusions, such as bankruptcy and insolvency. See
Pub. 4681, available at IRS.gov, for more details. If an identifiable event has
occurred but the debt has not actually been discharged, then include any
discharged debt in your income in the year that it is actually discharged, unless
an exception or exclusion applies to you in that year.
Debtor's taxpayer identification number (TIN). For your protection, this form
may show only the last four digits of your TIN (social security number (SSN),
individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), adoption taxpayer identification
number (ATIN), or employer identification number (EIN)). However, the creditor
has reported your complete TIN to the IRS.
Account number. May show an account or other unique number the creditor
assigned to distinguish your account.
Box 1. Shows the date the earliest identifiable event occurred or, at the
creditor's discretion, the date of an actual discharge that occurred before an
identifiable event. See the code in box 6.
Box 2. Shows the amount of debt either actually or deemed discharged. Note: If
you don't agree with the amount, contact your creditor.
Box 3. Shows interest if included in the debt reported in box 2. See Pub. 4681
to see if you must include the interest in gross income.
Box 4. Shows a description of the debt. If box 7 is completed, box 4 also shows
a description of the property.
Box 5. Shows whether you were personally liable for repayment of the debt
when the debt was created or, if modified, at the time of the last modification.
See Pub. 4681 for reporting instructions.
Box 6. Shows the reason your creditor has filed this form. The codes in this box
are described in more detail in Pub. 4681. A—Bankruptcy; B—Other judicial
debt relief; C—Statute of limitations or expiration of deficiency period; D—
Foreclosure election; E—Debt relief from probate or similar proceeding; F—By
agreement; G—Decision or policy to discontinue collection; or H—Other actual
discharge before identifiable event.
Box 7. If, in the same calendar year, a foreclosure or abandonment of property
occurred in connection with the cancellation of the debt, the fair market value
(FMV) of the property will be shown, or you will receive a separate Form 1099-A.
Generally, the gross foreclosure bid price is considered to be the FMV. For an
abandonment or voluntary conveyance in lieu of foreclosure, the FMV is
generally the appraised value of the property. You may have income or loss
because of the acquisition or abandonment. See Pub. 4681 for information
about foreclosures and abandonments. If the property was your main home, see
Pub. 523 to figure any taxable gain or ordinary income.
Future developments. For the latest information about developments related to
Form 1099-C and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after they were
published, go to www.irs.gov/Form1099C.
