RESOURCES

Form 1040-EZ (Discontinued)

Form 1040-EZ is no longer available for current tax returns. Use the current Form 1040 and applicable schedules; consult IRS prior-year instructions when preparing an older return.

Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return

Form 1040 is the individual income tax return used by many U.S. taxpayers. Filing requirements depend on factors such as filing status, age and income. Some people also file to claim a refund or eligible credit.

The applicable schedules report additional income, adjustments, itemized deductions and tax credits. Use the instructions for the tax year being filed.

Schedule A to Form 1040, Itemized Deductions

You might hear people say that some personal expenses are “deductible” from your gross income to potentially lower the amount of taxes you have to pay. That statement is true. And if your total deductible personal expenses are greater than the standard deduction amount set by the IRS, you can itemize them using Schedule A.

The schedule has seven categories of expenses, including charitable donations, medical expenses, and mortgage interest. Strict rules apply for calculating and claiming these deductions, however. In some cases, you might not be able to deduct the full amounts.

You also don’t have to complete every line of the schedule. If you don’t have expenses in a certain category, simply skip over it. Once you’re finished, your total deduction amount is then added to Form 1040.

If you had over $1,500 in taxable interest or ordinary dividends from your bank accounts and investments, you might have to file Schedule B to report the amounts.

Additionally, if you have any foreign bank or investment accounts or receive distributions from certain foreign trusts, you must report that information on this schedule. Once completed, these totals also transfer over to Form 1040.

Form 1099-INT, Interest Income

Form 1099-INT reports interest paid by banks and other payers. It can include taxable and tax-exempt interest, which are reported separately on the federal return.

Report interest in the appropriate places on your return; other boxes may report withholding or adjustments. Schedule B may be required, including when taxable interest exceeds $1,500. Follow its current instructions.

Schedule C to Form 1040, Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship)

Self-employed taxpayers may use Schedule C to report business profit or loss. Eligible expenses can include insurance, travel, business meals, taxes, office supplies and wages, subject to the applicable rules. Entertainment expenses are generally not deductible.

Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC

Form 1099-NEC generally reports nonemployee compensation for independent-contractor services. Keep all income records when preparing your return.

Form 1099-MISC reports certain other payments, such as rents, prizes, awards and fishing boat proceeds. The correct reporting depends on the type of income.

Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate

Give Form W-4 to your employer to set federal income tax withholding. The current form uses filing status, income, deductions and credits rather than withholding allowances.

Review your withholding when your job or personal circumstances change. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can help with completing an updated form.

Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement

Your employer provides Form W-2 after the tax year to report wages and taxes withheld. Use this information when preparing your income tax return.

For a paper federal return, attach the required Form W-2 copies following the Form 1040 instructions. For an electronic return, enter the W-2 information and retain the form with your records.

Official references: 1040-EZ replacement · Form W-4 · Form 1099-NEC · Form 1099-MISC.

Official references: Form 1040 instructions · Interest income · Business meals and entertainment · California FTB contacts.