Payments to Participants

Procedures

Visit the Participant Payments website for information on paying participants.

Participants Receiving $600 or More in a Calendar Year

If a participant receives $600 or more in a calendar year, regardless of payment type (cash, check, gift card, etc.)—they will be issued a Form 1099-MISC from the University of Florida. This amount is considered taxable income and must be reported by the participant on their IRS tax return for that year.

To support this process:

  • The Participant Payment (RPP) system tracks cumulative payments.
  • A Social Security Number (SSN) is required for any participant receiving $200 or more, to ensure proper reporting and compliance.

External Funding Responsibility

If participant payments are funded outside the University of Florida, the responsibility for issuing Form 1099s lies with the sponsoring agency or external payment source, not UF.

Best Practice for Participant Payments Over $600

If you anticipate paying a participant $600 or more in a calendar year, it is best practice to obtain IRS Form W-9 from the participant at the outset. This form collects their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and other key details needed for IRS Form 1099-MISC reporting.

Why this matters:

  • Ensures compliance with IRS regulations for income reporting.
  • Helps avoid delays or errors when issuing 1099s at year-end.
  • Supports accurate tracking in the UF Participant Payment (RPP) system.

You can find the official form and instructions on the IRS website.

Resources

IRS Form W-9

Contacts

Cost Analysis – Participant Payment Team: 352-392-5778 option 1; hsp@admin.ufl.edu

Tax Services: 352-294-7266; taxhelp@admin.ufl.edu

Disbursements: 352-392-1241

Directive Statement

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