Below is a list of the most common customer questions.
If you can’t find an answer to your question, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
What is the purpose of Form 1040?
The purpose of Form 1040 is to:
report income and taxes of individual taxpayers;
report the basis of property transferred to another person;
report the basis of property transferred from a foreign branch of a company;
report the basis of property used or exchanged to acquire other property;
report dividends, interest, and uncollectible debts;
provide to the IRS personal tax information about taxpayers; and
Give us a copy of a taxpayer's income tax return.
How do I use Form 1040?
Form 1040 is usually used:
once every year to report income and taxes of individual taxpayers
for each taxpayer to report the basis of property transferred;
to report the basis of property transferred from a foreign branch of a company;
to report interest and dividends on U.S. savings bonds, certificates of deposit, and money market mutual funds;
to report dividends, interest, or uncollectible debts, or the amounts of their payment, on the 1040 line; and
To report payments and distributions on the return of distribution.
We cannot provide instructions or any kind of contact information for you when you use Form 1040. However, you can review the IRS instructions for use of Form 1040 at.
How can I use Form 1040 to report my self-employment income and expenses?
When you are not self-employed but wish to report the income and deductions from your self-employment, check the box for “Employer's Self-Employment Tax Return.” Include your deductions (and self-employment tax credit) as a single total on line 11 of Form 1040. Write “Employer's Form 1040” on line 30. Include a line for “Amount” for your self-employment income or expenses, including income or earnings from employment. If applicable, attach a summary schedule and a separate line for “Other Expenses.” If you have other tax-exempt or non-taxicab income, file a separate Schedule K-1, Self-Employment Tax with your 1040.
When you are self-employed, you are not liable for self-employment tax on amounts you can exclude from gross income from Schedule C (Form 1040).
Who should complete Form 1040?
It's best to complete a Form 1040 with your dependents (not your children, in case you want to include your children's college expenses on their return). If you don't use a dependent-filing designation on your tax return, you can't use your Form 1040. If you use a child's tuition assistance to reduce your estimated tax credit or other tax reduction you may be able to reduce your tax refund (that's why you need to show a good reason to use it, right?).
Here are the four most common reasons you might qualify for a Form 1040.
Your spouse is a veteran or active duty member of the armed forces who is also the caretaker of a child: If you lived with your spouse during the year, then you can claim your dependents as dependents on your tax return.
You are a foster parent in the case of a stepchild, foster child, or stepchild adopted before the beginning of the 2017 tax year. Also, if your foster child is age 17 or 18 and enrolled in high school, and you live and work with the foster child, you'll qualify for the tax-free education credit.
You enrolled your spouse or a child attending an educational institution with a tax-free education credit: If you enroll your spouse or a child receiving a dependent-filing status, and they are attending any educational institution for whom you claim a tax-free education credit, you won't have to fill out a separate Form 1040. You can fill out a 1040EZ (or other tax return form) for your spouse or child that doesn't include Form 1040.
Furthermore, you are an international student: If you are an international student and enrolled in any educational institution for which you received a dependent-filing status, you don't have to fill out a separate Form 1040. Furthermore, you can only fill out a Form 1040EZ or other form for yourself, but you can use your child's tax-free educational credit to reduce your estimated tax credit.
Furthermore, you are a student in an elementary or secondary school, vocational training school, post-secondary vocational or technical school, college preparation program, university or college preparatory program, or post-secondary education program (or certain vocational training institutions) that offered a tax-free education credit on a tuition basis or that are tuition-based under an international financial assistance agreement, regardless of how you paid for your education.
When do I need to complete Form 1040?
You are required to complete a Form 1040 by the due date of your return if you have a business. You must generally have made the required amount of self-employment tax payments and earned at least 1,500 in net income for the year. A business is generally made up of one or several owners and is classified as a separate entity from your ordinary business. You can use Form 1040 to claim a deduction for self-employment tax payments on Form 1040, Standard Deduction (Form 1040).
However, you are not required to file a Form 1040 if you are an employee or your employer does not make payments of income tax. Additionally, some individuals who are employed by a tax-exempt organization are not required to file a Form 1040 if their compensation is included in the organization's taxable income. For these individuals, Form 4684, Payment of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) Tax on Compensation, may be used to reduce the amount of payment that must be reported on Form 1040.
Form 1040 (or Form 4684, if your company does not make payments of FICA) must be filed by the due date if:
Your business pays you (or your employer has hired you) at least 1,500 a quarter for at least 90 full weeks in the year.
You had at least 500,000 of gross income from business operations in the year.
On the calendar year, you earned net income on a net profit basis of 1.5 million or more from your business.
If you earned at least 1,500 in net income in a quarter for at least 90 days, complete Form 1040 by your due date using the instructions provided by the IRS. If you are not required to file your Form 1040 electronically (which means you may not be able to send a paper Form 1040 to us), you should file it by mail.
If you do not prepare and file Form 1040 by the due date, there is a 300 per quarter penalty.
If you pay self-employment tax after its due date, you may be asked to pay interest for any overpayment. Also, you will be required to report any self-employment taxes that you paid.
For more information on reporting and payment of self-employment tax you may use Form 1040-EZ.
Can I create my own Form 1040?
A business can complete its filing and the Form 1040 reporting requirements at the same time, if a joint filing is desired.
What are my options if I have more than one business?
If you have more than one business, you both will need Form 1040 to report the income and expenses of each business, and then follow the instructions in that section of Publication 519 (Sole Proprietorship and Partnership Income and Expenses) to report the additional income and expenses from the businesses.
Who has to file a Form 1040?
Anyone who is a resident of the United States who has more than one business may have to file a Form 1040.
Why is there a difference between a sole proprietorship and a partnership?
A sole proprietorship must file a separate tax return for each of its active business or trade. A principal business of a partnership is often called the partnership's “assessment,” although the partner(s) will be the officers and shareholders of the partnership. A partnership's income generally is reported as earned income on its owner's individual income tax return.
Where can I find Tax Topic 408 instructions that describe these forms and how to use them?
Visit IRS.gov/Pub/408-B2 for an easy-to-use, printable version of Tax Topic 408.
What are the tax consequences for failing to file Form 1040?
Any taxpayer not filing a tax return and/or paying all required tax as required generally will face penalties described on IRS.gov. Failure to pay federal income tax as required generally results in an interest increase of 25% per year upon the unpaid balance from year through year as long as the tax is not collected; and a 5% increase in the amount of penalty tax for each subsequent failure. A single penalty tax increase is imposed when a taxpayer has two or more separate payments of federal income tax in which the taxpayer is not the tax administrator. A corporation may also be subject to a penalty tax with no additional increases if it fails to file a timely Form 1040.
What forms must I file if my self-employment tax return is more than five years old?
Taxpayers older than five years may need to file a separate Form 1040 for each self-employment tax return on file with the IRS.
What should I do with Form 1040 when it’s complete?
You will complete Form 1040 and send it to the IRS directly or electronically (e-file). See Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens, for filing requirements, limitations, and exemptions for persons who filed an earned income tax credit (ETC) for the prior tax year or whose earnings are currently excluded from income by the Code or IRS regulations.
If I get a Form 1040, what should I do with it?
A Form 1040 is required by law to be received by the IRS by January 31st of the tax year in which the return and any attachments were required. You should retain a copy for your records. The Form will be destroyed once the due date has passed.
Should I file any other tax forms?
Yes. If you had to file an income tax return or did not file one, check Form 1040 to see how you should have filed the return. Also file Forms 1371 and 4361, if required.
What should I do with my tax return if I file electronically?
If you filed electronically, you should file your return using the electronic filing system. A complete copy of the return will be saved for your records and should be mailed to the IRS. If, however, you did not file electronically, you have to report your estimated tax liability on line 10 of form 1040. See Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens, for more information and instructions on how to file Form 1040 electronically. If you do not file your return by its due date, you will pay a late tax penalty. Check Pub. 525, Late Return penalties, for more information and the proper filing procedures.
What should I do with Form 540NR?
You must apply for an extension of the time to pay estimated taxes if you filed the original or an amended tax return and did not receive the required payment by October 31, 2004. Contact: Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Phone (Option 1) Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Phone (Option 2), or visit for additional information. You can file Form 540NR with the IRS at any time during the year. If you are filing electronically, the earliest you can do so is December 31.
How do I get my Form 1040?
To apply for an extension on Form 1040, submit forms, including Form 1040, Schedule A, TIP-AES Form 1042, or any Form 1040-ES, to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Internal Revenue Service, 600 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20.
For more information about the IRS 1040 extension and processing times, see IRS.gov/Forms1040Forms. The IRS website provides a variety of additional sources of information for extension requests, including the Federal Reserve website, IRS.gov/Forms2040, and IRS.gov/Forms2041. Tax-related questions can be addressed to the following email address.
Email: IRS.extensions.gov
What if my application for tax extensions is denied by the IRS?
If you have paid your tax dues on time, your application will be denied if the financial institution cannot verify your liability by using a Form 1099-INT. If you submit an extension request late, or the IRS has not received a timely extension request, the information provided in a response to your extension request on Form 4868 or IRS-4025 will not be entered into IRS records.
If you are not sure, call the IRS toll-free at. If your extension request has been denied, you may appeal the denial and/or request a refund of the taxes paid. This can be done by submitting Form 4868 or IRS-4025, whichever is first, and supporting documents. Appeals are processed in the same format as Form 4868 / IRS-4025, unless an appeal is filed with a different letter number.
If your extension request is approved, IRS will send you Form 4868, IRS-4025, and supporting documentation to the address identified on your Form 1040. The IRS is not expected to contact you later.
Form 1045 is not used for application or notification of denial of tax extension requests. Form 1045 is a separate form and is not sent with Form 1040.
What documents do I need to attach to my Form 1040?
If you filed a separate return (Form 1040A) for the same event, and you wish to attach a supporting statement to your Form 1040 as well, you must attach a copy of the following documentation to your Form 1040A statement (in case Form 1040A is not filed with your other return for the year):
Your financial statements
Your Form W-2
Two copies of, each, Form 8379, Social Security Statement or Form 8379-EZ, Return of Foreign Born Individual
Your bank statement and/or other business income and expense statements from the last twelve months
The statement of your income and expense from the previous year plus your income and expenses from each of the two 12-month periods of the tax year in which the year-end occurs
Your U.S. federal income tax return for the corresponding tax year plus
If you intend to file Form 1040X, attach a copy of both your U.S. federal tax return and the return of foreign born individuals for the year
Note that we will not accept your tax return for the current year if it includes a Form W-2. In addition, unless you are filing Form 1040EZ for the current year, we will not accept anything else for the current year because the return could be a fraudulent document.
Where can I find my W-2?
If you did not file Form 1040 with your other return for the year, you will need to obtain it from the IRS at. Do not use Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ, because you will not be able to get a copy under penalty of perjury. Also use Form W-2 to obtain an original U.S. federal income tax return with the correct information.
If you filed a return for the year in which you become a U.S. citizen, attach an original U.S. federal income tax return, or a copy of the return, instead of a copy of your original Form 1040 for the year. For detailed directions, refer to our Forms 1040 Instructions.
If you filed a separate return (Form 1040A or Form 1040 EZ) for the year when you became a U.S.
What are the different types of Form 1040?
There are three major kinds of Form 1040. The first is a one-page 1040, the second is an 8-page 1040, and the third is a 1040A.
The forms are printed on a card (known as a Form 1040) which has pages made of paper. They are not scanned from an actual sheet of paper from a computer.
Forms are filed on a form of a Form 1040 (or Form W-2, but that's for another day). These forms are made available through the IRS by the form-affirming agent when you file your taxes.
Forms 1040 are for reporting wages and income earned. Form 1040A is for reporting capital gains and losses.
It's very important to know what you're filing, so you don't make errors on your taxes and be penalized for them. Below is a very broad definition of Form 1040:
Form W-2 is a 1099–R, also known as a non-cash form. Not all employers use this form. You may file Form W-2 through you employer. Some may use form W-2G to report certain income on an employee's Form 1040. It's the easiest to do this, but you may face a penalty for the return.
The form 1040 is a single-page form. You fill out the form entirely, and print your own copy.
Form 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ are all one-page forms that show your total income for the year.
Form 1040EZ is for the Self-Employed.
Form 1040, 1040A, and 1040NR are for taxpayers in the service.
What is Form 1040EZ(a) and Form 1040NR(a)?
If you're a military veteran, you may receive a Form 1040EZ from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It's a tax form that your employer must fill out for you to receive.
How many people fill out Form 1040 each year?
As of December 2012, there were about 6.4 million Form 1040 filers in the United States, according to The U.S. House of Representatives. That represents about 1 in every 21 filers — which is an increase of about 500,000 filers over the past year. The IRS has reported 2 million returns since the beginning of 2012.
How accurate are most of the 1040 calculations? What percentage of returns include the proper reporting of Social Security numbers?
Most 1040s are pretty accurate because they are prepared by the IRS based on income data from the IRS's Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The IRS says about 90 percent of all 1040 returns are filed correctly, according to a 2012 briefing paper [PDF] from the Internal Revenue Service. However, there are about 944,831 Social Security numbers in the federal tax returns it has received in 2012, a number that may be overstated. In 2011, the number of cases in which the IRS was able to identify which social security numbers the taxpayer reported increased by 23 percent in the last year alone. The percentage of returns that include the proper numbers increased to 92 percent. “When a taxpayer who qualifies for a Social Security number and pays income tax withholds a Social Security tax, the taxpayer will fill out a 1040-EZ or 1040-EZ-EZ,” the IRS says on its website. “For purposes of the tax return, the Social Security number that the taxpayer reported in his/her federal income tax returns for the prior year does not have to be included and may be reported on any IRS Form 1099-MISC (for information on how to file a Form 1099-MISC and obtain a refund, see IRS Publication 1349, Refunds for Individuals with No Tax Liability and Others with No Income.”)
How do you know if your Form 1040 is going to be audited?
If the IRS has enough information to prove that it was entitled to get any portion of income reported, it will be audited — for example, a person who gets a large tax refund and fails to send in his 1040. As we explained above, the government is required to audit a person for failure to file its annual income tax returns, if the person was delinquent for more than two years. It's not considered an open-and-shut auditing situation, however, if the IRS believes that the person failed to file its returns because of negligence, mistake or misunderstanding.
Is there a due date for Form 1040?
No. This is a discretionary form that can be completed at any time. Many people prefer to use the due date on Form 1040, which shows a certain date that the taxpayer must file their return or request a refund: April 15. This means that the due date for Form 1040 does not change throughout the year, as it is calculated from the last day of the tax filing season. If you have filed a late return as of the due date, you still haven't paid any tax, and it shows up on the due date as a late return for which a refund is available. It also shows up on Form 1040A as late income tax return, whether as a tax return, a check, or in a tax refund.
Why is there a “for further action” stamp on Form 1040A?
It shows that the Department of the Treasury has reason to believe that the return or information is incomplete. The “for further action” stamp shows how serious the IRS is about the fact that the return or information in question is incomplete. If, for further information, the IRS believes that the matter with the return or information is resolved, that stamp is removed from the return or information. If the IRS believes that nothing has been done, that stamp remains on the return or information.
Do I have to mail an additional form in addition to Form 1040 (I.R.S. 1040A, 1040EZ)?
Yes. You must mail Form 1040A, 1040EZ, or 1040A.1040 (or any other return or information required), along with your original return.
How do I mail an additional Form 1040 (I.R.S. 1040A, 1040EZ)?
In the address line enter the following information:
FOOTER
Attn: Form SSA, EZ-1040, SSA-1040A, 1040EZ, or 1040
P.O. Box 817, Louisville, KY 40229-817
Attn: 1040A
Mail to:
Form SSA, EZ-1040, SSA-1040A, 1040EZ, or 1040
P.O.