There’s title & escrow work you love to do, like making a family’s dream of homeownership come true. Other work you have to do, like filing 1099-S returns each year. Qualia’s team of title & escrow veterans and technology experts is on a mission to make those have-to-dos much easier. We’ve done just that with 1099-S e-filing.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is changing how 1099-S forms must be e-filed starting with 2026 returns. We took that as an opportunity to improve the process, building a new solution directly into Qualia Core that makes filing simple. Core customers can review and e-file from one dashboard in the system they already work in and trust, at no extra cost.
“Technology is changing fast, and your clients’ expectations are growing even faster,” says Brian Thome, Chief Customer Officer at Qualia. “We’re here to keep you ahead of what’s possible, so you can spend your time and energy on the things you want to do.”
Here is what’s changing with 1099-S e-filing, and how Qualia is improving the experience.
What is changing with 1099-S e-filing in 2027?
The IRS is retiring its legacy Filing Information Returns Electronically (FIRE) system on December 31, 2026. Starting with the 2026 tax year, all 1099-S forms filed electronically must be submitted through the IRS’s Information Returns Intake System (IRIS).
IRIS has been available since 2022, but this is the first year it becomes the only option for e-filing 1099-S returns. With FIRE retiring, many title & escrow companies will be using IRIS for the first time.
How is Qualia improving the 1099-S e-filing experience?
We’ve launched a direct integration with IRIS. Built into Qualia Core, this solution allows you to review and electronically file 1099-S returns into IRIS without leaving your system of record. Qualia customers can track all of their eligible records from one centralized dashboard. No setup is required and there’s no additional cost to use it.
We also act as your transmitter, filing 1099-S returns directly from Qualia to IRIS with your agency’s filing information. That means you don’t have to apply for and obtain a new IRS Transmitter Control Code (TCC) for IRIS this year. You review, validate, file, and correct every 1099-S return from Qualia Core, without the hassle of exporting a file or logging into a separate system. It all happens from our single cloud-based platform, where you’re already doing your work.
What can you do in Qualia’s dashboard for 1099-S e-filing?
Once you’re in the dashboard, you can:
- File records directly from Qualia, individually or in batches.
- Validate results in real time, with deficiencies flagged and linked straight to the field that needs fixing.
- Correct a single record without resubmitting your whole batch. There’s no need to rebuild entire files or risk losing track of which records need correction, as happened with the old FIRE system.
- Track each record through clear status milestones with a built-in progress tracker.
- Review a full audit history for every record and submission.
Is there an extra cost to use Qualia’s 1099-S e-filing solution?
No. It’s included with Qualia Core at no additional cost. If you currently pay a vendor or an accountant to file 1099-S returns on your behalf, you can remove the time and expense of that extra step by filing directly from Qualia.
How is Qualia improving TIN validation to help reduce deficiencies and penalties?
The seller’s name and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) you’ll need for each 1099-S filing get entered at closing, months before filing season. If a digit is off or a name does not match IRS records, you may not find out until the IRS flags the return, sometimes with penalties.
Later in October, Qualia is releasing TIN validation to catch mismatches directly from the order before they turn into deficiencies or penalties. Every time you enter or update a seller’s name and TIN, Qualia checks it against IRS records during the transaction itself. If there’s an issue, you can fix it before you file.
TIN validation requires your own IRS TIN matching credentials. You can register for e-Services and apply for TIN Matching directly at IRS.gov. That process is faster and easier to set up than an IRIS TCC.
Bottom line: How can you make the switch to IRIS without the headache?
FIRE served our industry for decades, but it was built around bulk file uploads and slow feedback. IRIS is the IRS’s step toward a faster, more flexible way to file.
The switch is required, but it doesn’t have to be a headache. Qualia built 1099-S e-filing directly into our cloud-based platform, at no extra cost to use, all while improving the e-filing experience for you. It’s one more way we’re helping you run your business more efficiently and effectively, giving you time back to do more of the work you want to. “Imagine,” says Thome, “that time back with referral partners and relationships that power your business.”
Learn more about how Qualia can help you run your business better by speaking with one of our experts today.
FAQ: Who has to file Form 1099-S, and what does it report?
The switch to IRIS affects any title & escrow company that e-files 1099-S returns. That covers most of our industry. Form 1099-S reports a seller’s gross proceeds from a real estate sale. The seller gets a statement to use when reporting the sale on their tax return. The IRS gets the data, filed electronically, and can match it against what the seller reports. The settlement agent listed on the closing disclosure, often a title & escrow business, is usually responsible for sending the seller their statement and filing the return with the IRS. Any business filing 10 or more information returns of any type in a year must file electronically.
