Every line on your tax form, explained.

Plain-English answers for every line on every major IRS form. No jargon. No IRS-speak.

Your forms, explained

Form 1040 57 lines →
U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

The primary form filed by most individual U.S. taxpayers. Form 1040 covers wages, interest, dividends, capital gains, deductions, credits, and tax owed or refunded.

Tricky lines Line 11 Adjusted Gross Income Line 27 Earned Income Credit
Schedule C 53 lines →
Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship)

Used by sole proprietors to report income and expenses from a business. Schedule C calculates net profit or loss, which flows to Form 1040 as self-employment income.

Tricky lines Line 28 Total Expenses
Form W-2 16 lines →
Wage and Tax Statement

The form your employer sends you each year showing your total wages, tips, and other compensation along with all taxes withheld. You need this form to file your federal and state tax returns.

Tricky lines Box 12 W-2 Codes

1040 Schedules

10 forms
Schedule 1Additional Income and Adjustments to Income27 lines
Schedule 2Additional Taxes15 lines
Schedule 3Additional Credits and Payments15 lines
Schedule AItemized Deductions23 lines
Schedule BInterest and Ordinary Dividends7 lines
Schedule DCapital Gains and Losses26 lines
Schedule ESupplemental Income and Loss40 lines
Schedule EICEarned Income Credit Qualifying Child Information8 lines
Schedule LEPRequest for Change in Language Preference4 lines
Schedule SESelf-Employment Tax21 lines

Credits & Deduction Forms

8 forms
Form 2441Child and Dependent Care Expenses8 lines
Form 5695Residential Energy Credits8 lines
Form 8283Noncash Charitable Contributions9 lines
Schedule 8812Credits for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents26 lines
Form 8862Information To Claim Certain Credits After Disallowance8 lines
Form 8863Education Credits (American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Credits)8 lines
Form 8880Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions8 lines
Form 8995Qualified Business Income Deduction Simplified Computation18 lines

Tax Calculation Forms

6 forms
Form 2106Employee Business Expenses10 lines
Form 4137Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income9 lines
Form 5329Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans (Including IRAs) and Other Tax-Favored Accounts14 lines
Form 8829Expenses for Business Use of Your Home10 lines
Form 8949Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets4 lines
Form 982Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of Indebtedness (and Section 1082 Basis Adjustment)15 lines

Life Events

4 forms
Form 3903Moving Expenses5 lines
Form 5405Repayment of the First-Time Homebuyer Credit7 lines
Form 8889Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)9 lines
Form 8962Premium Tax Credit (PTC)14 lines

Other Filing Forms

4 forms
Form 1040-SRU.S. Tax Return for Seniors20 lines
Form 1040-XAmended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return19 lines
Form 4684Casualties and Thefts12 lines
Form 8888Allocation of Refund (Including Savings Bond Purchases)7 lines

Informational

1 forms
1099-NECNonemployee Compensation7 lines
View all 36 forms →