GENERAL INFORMATION

Income tax forms are the official government documents that you must fill out when you pay your taxes.

Introduction
Tax forms are the official government documents that you are required to fill out when you pay your taxes. In general, the more complex your finances are, the more tax forms you will have to complete. Each state and city also creates its own forms, but they are often modeled after federal forms.

IRS tax forms for 2018 and later years.
Beginning with 2018, we will only have Forms 1040 and 1040-SR, which can be used by most taxpayers regardless of marital status or income level. Form 1040-SR provides an alternative to Form 1040 for taxpayers age 65 or older, and uses the same schedules and instructions as Form 1040. The font size of Form 1040-SR is larger and may be easier to read than the paper version of Form 1040.

IRS tax forms for 2017 and prior years.
Most taxpayers use Forms 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ to report their taxable income to the IRS annually in years prior to 2018. Anyone could elect to file Form 1040. However, prior to 2018, if your income was less than $100,000, you claim the standard deduction and claim no dependents, you may be eligible to use Form 1040EZ, one of the simplest forms.

Alternatively, you may choose to prepare a Form 1040A, which is also shorter than Form 1040, but the only deductions you can claim are student loan interest and IRA contributions; itemized deductions are not allowed on this form. Regardless of which form you choose, you must fully report your income and deductions on one of them.

Additional Tax Listings
The IRS may ask you to complete additional forms depending on your particular financial circumstances. If you operate a business as self-employed, you must attach a Schedule C to report business income and expenses separately. You may also need to complete a Schedule E to report gain or loss from your rental property and a Schedule D to report capital gains or losses from the sale of capital assets, such as stocks and other investments.

The forms to report your income
If you work as an employee, your employer is required to send you a W-2 form by the end of January of the month following the tax year. The W-2 reports the amount of income you have earned and how much the employer withholds from your paycheck for taxes. This will help you determine if you have to send a check to the IRS when you mail your Form 1040 or if you can start thinking about how to spend your refund.

Independent contractors usually receive a Form 1099 from their clients, which also reports annual income, but usually does not include any tax withholding.

Obtaining Tax Forms
The days of the IRS mailing you the tax forms you need to complete your return are long gone. It is now possible to access the forms and complete your tax returns using a computer using income tax software. For example, TurboTax offers an easy-to-use program that allows you to quickly prepare your tax returns. It can even e-file your return, which reduces the amount of time you have to wait to receive your refund.