Watch Those Apostrophies!

[Jeffry Wisnia]

Today we got a notice from the IRS about two of our non-employee workers' 1099 information being incorrect, because their names didn't match their SSNs. They both had last names with apostrophies in them (one was O'Riley) on the printed year 2011 1099s we'd mailed to the IRS. The IRS document scanners must not recognize apostrophies because the notice we received from them had O'Riley's name listed as O RILEY next to her SSN. I'm pretty sure that was why we'd received the notice, because the SSN on that 1099 didn't match up with the last name RILEY in IRS's database. I'm removing all apostrophies from the last names in our PayWindow employee files so that person's last name will print as ORiley and get scanned by IRS next year as ORILEY.

[Paul Mayer]

Amazing Jeff, the IRS must be using the 1940 Teletype machines again. Now you said the IRS had O Riley and you changed them to ORiley, won't the missing space be a problem now too?

[Jeffry Wisnia]

I'll just have to wait and see Paul. I may give the IRS a ring tomorrow and ask if they've seen this before.

[Jeffry Wisnia]

I called the IRS today Paul and was very politely informed that in the IRS instructions for Form 1099 there is an admonition stating that names can not include "special characters". I searched the Instructions for Form 1099-Misc. and didn't find it there.

Then I searched the "General Instructions for Certain Information Returns" which covers the 1099 (and a bunch of other forms) and on Page 5, section G-11 it's clearly stated that apostrophies may not be included in name entries.

(That document also says you can't use a number sign (#) in street addresses.)

Live and learn...

I won't dare ask you Paul if you would consider adding something to the 1099 and W2 printing software which would "filter out" those "forbidden characters", in payee's names. <G>

[Paul Mayer]

Will add it to our list to replace the apostrophy with a space.

[Jeffry Wisnia]

I think the apostrophy should just be removed, and not replaced with a space,so that O'Riley becomes ORiley.

If replaced with a space it'd be eggsackly like the way it was printed on the notice we received from IRS, i.e. O RILEY, and I'm prety certain that's what caused the problem, that name didn't correspond to the SSN records for Ms. O'Riley.

I think I've about "saucered and blown" this subject now, but thanks for the replies Paul.

[Jeffry Wisnia]

No, don't use a space Paul. I checked it with the IRS by phone a second time and they said NOT to use a space, just run the letters together so what gets printed on the 1099 would be ORiley.

[Paul Mayer]

That's what we did, we are just striping out the apostrophe.

[Jeffry Wisnia]

Having run our last payroll of the year today I couldn't resist doing a print preview of this year's 1099 forms. Just as you saud Paul, O'Hara printed as OHara. Thanks!