Form 1096, officially called the Annual Summary and Transmittal of US Information Returns, has a big job.
The form submits the totals from the 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498, and W-2G returns to the IRS.
So, why multiple 1096 forms?
The IRS wants totals per form type. In other words, you’ll need one Form 1096 as a cover sheet for each type of form you submit to the IRS.
Let’s take a look at the 1096 form itself to clarify. You’ll notice the instructions on Box 6 specify that you should enter an “X” in only one box.
In our example, the 1098 box is checked. This 1096 will be the cover sheet for your 1098 forms. You’ll need an additional 1096 for any other form types.
Adams® Tax Forms Helper® will automatically prepare your 1096 forms for you based on the data you’ve entered.