You should become familiar with the tax forms you may be required to file each year. There are Instruction booklets and Publications that can be used to understand how to complete tax forms that apply to your situation. Individuals whose only income is from being an employee should become familiar with the applicable returns, schedules, and related documents needed to file every year. The same applies to individuals who receive income as an employee and independent contractor.
Tax forms include “information returns” that are required to be issued for preparation of a tax return; “schedules” are used to support the basis for deductions and credits used to compute a refund or tax liability; and “tax returns” are used to report income and claim deductions and credits. “Instruction” booklets explain how to complete each line items on a tax return or schedule and “Publications” contain detailed information on income, expenses, deductions, credits, rights, responsibilities, guidance, and expectations.
It is also important to understand tax terms such as income, employee, independent contractor, deduction, and credit because this will help understand tax documents and how to prepare tax returns and schedules needed to compute a refund or tax liability. The following is a list of some of the tax forms used to file individual tax returns.
Individual Income Tax Returns
1040, Individual Income Tax Return
1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals
1040-EZ, Income Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers With No Dependents
1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors
1040-SS, U.S. Self-Employment Tax Returns
1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
1098, Mortgage Interest Statement
1098-E, Student Loan Interest
1099-B, Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions
1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions
1099-G, Certain Government Payments
1099-INT, Interest Income
1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income
1099-R, Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement, or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRS, Insurance Contracts, etc.
1310, Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Deceased Taxpayer
2106, Employee Business Expenses
2120, Multiple Support Declaration
2210, Underpayment of Estimate Taxes
2441, Child and Dependent Care Expenses
2848, Power of Attorney
3468, Investment Credit
3800, General Business Credit
3903, Moving Expenses
4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return
4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File
4972, Investment Interest Expense Deduction
4972, Tax on Lump Sum Distribution
6251, Alternative Minimum Tax
8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions
8379, Injured Spouse Allocation
8829, Expenses for Business Use of Your Home
8863, Education Credits
8879, IRS e-file Signature Authorization
8880, Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contribution
8888, Direct Deposit of Refund to more than 1 account
8889, Health Savings Accounts
8960, Net Investment Income Tax
8917, Tuition and Fees Deduction
W-2, Wage and Tax Statement
W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings
W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate
W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification
W-10, Dependent Care Provider’s Identification and Certification
Schedules related to Individual income tax returns
Schedule 1, Additional Income and Adjustments to Income
Schedule 2, Additional Tax
Schedule 3, Nonrefundable Credits
Schedule 8812, Additional Child Tax Credit
Schedule A, Itemized Deductions
Schedule B, Interest and Ordinary Dividends
Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business
Schedule C-EZ, Net Profit from Business
Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses
Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss
Schedule EIC, Earned Income Credit
Schedule F, Profit or Loss from Farming
Schedule J, Farm Income Averaging
Schedule R, Credit for Elderly or the Disabled
Schedule SE, Self-Employment Tax
Instructions related to Individual income tax returns
Instructions for 1040
Instructions for Earned Income Credit
Instructions for Schedule A
Instructions for 1040-X
Publications related to Individual income taxes
Pub. 17, Your Federal Income Tax
Pub. 501 Dependents, Standard Deduction and Filing Information
Pub. 503, Child & Dependent Care Expenses
Pub. 516, Tax Treatment of Allowances, Differentials, and Other Special Pay
Pub. 521, Moving Expenses
Pub. 523, Selling Your Home
Pub. 525, Taxable and Non-taxable Income
Pub. 527, Residential Rental Property
Pub. 529, Miscellaneous Deduction
Pub. 544, Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets
Pub. 550, Investment Income and Expenses
Pub. 554, Tax Guide for Seniors
Pub. 557, Pension and Annuity Income
Pub. 907, Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities
Pub. 908, Bankruptcy Guide
Pub. 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
Pub. 970, Tax Benefits for Education
Pub. 972, Child Tax Credit
Pub. 4681, Canceled Debt, Foreclosures, Repossessions and Abandonment
Pub. 5081, Education Credit Online Resource Guide
Pub. 5197, Education Credit and School Counselors