Tax reporting solution for public retirement systems
Manage payee validation, high-volume 1099-R filing, and corrections from a single platform.
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The in-house 1099-R process needs to be rebuilt for IRIS
Under FIRE, retirement systems could simply submit the 1220-format files generated by their existing processes. IRIS replaces this legacy file-upload model with direct application-to-application submissions.
Teams keeping the end-to-end process in-house must now take on additional technology development to meet the same annual filing requirements.
Zenwork already has that filing infrastructure in place.
Your team continues to generate the source file, while Zenwork manages the filing infrastructure updates introduced by IRIS.
Manage high-volume 1099-R filing, without added infrastructure.
Compliance gets hard at scale. Let us manage the entire reporting lifecycle, from your 1220-format source file through federal and state filing, IRS responses, corrections, and recipient furnishing.
Your 1220 file remains the starting point
Your pension system can continue generating the same 1220-format file while Zenwork converts it into the structure required for IRIS.
Federal and state filing stay together
Zenwork determines whether CF/SF is sufficient, or if direct state filing and reconciliation are required.
Rejections are handled without disrupting the filing run
Return status is tracked at the individual form level. So, a rejected return won't hold up the rest of your filing.
Audit trails and records stay organized and accessible
IRS acknowledgments, corrections, replacements, recipient furnishing, approvals, and user actions are all captured and recorded for future reference.
Surface payee-death signals before the next disbursement
Restricted Death Master File screening can surface a death signal for review before benefits continue or move to a beneficiary, trust, or estate.
Frequently asked questions
How does FIRE retirement affect 1099-R filing for public retirement systems?
Public retirement systems that previously transmitted Form 1099-R through FIRE need a different filing process for the 2027 filing season. IRIS replaces the legacy FIRE submission model and uses different technical specifications for high-volume filing. Zenwork manages the IRIS filing infrastructure while the retirement system continues providing its source reporting data.
Can retirement systems keep using 1220-format files with IRIS?
Not directly. IRIS does not accept the Publication 1220 file format used by FIRE, so organizations filing directly must convert their existing process to the structure required by IRIS. Zenwork can use the retirement system’s existing 1220-format source file as the starting point and convert that data for IRIS submission.
What changed on Form 1099-R for tax year 2026?
The 2026 Form 1099-R includes structural changes in addition to the move to IRIS. Box 7 became 7a, the IRA/SEP/SIMPLE indicator moved to 7b, and new boxes were added for Trump accounts and earnings on excess contributions. These changes make the transition more than a simple change in filing destination.
Do public retirement systems need to file Form 1099-R with states?
It depends on the state. Federal filing of Form 1099-R does not automatically satisfy every state reporting requirement. Some states participate in Combined Federal/State Filing, while others may require direct filing or additional reconciliation. Zenwork supports the applicable federal and state filing paths within the same reporting process.
What happens when a 1099-R is rejected in IRIS?
A rejected 1099-R generally needs to be corrected and resubmitted through the appropriate IRIS correction process. A problem with one return does not necessarily require the entire filing run to be recreated. Zenwork tracks status at the individual-form level so the affected record can be corrected while other forms continue through processing.
IRIS does not have to become another system your team owns
Zenwork takes your filing data from source file to submission, managing the processing, validation, and filing operations required to support high-volume annual reporting.
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