What is the difference between 1040 and 1040A tax forms?

Form 1040A is easier than Form 1040. You use Form 1040A if the following apply. One, your taxable income is less than $100,000. Two, your income is only from certain sources (wages/salaries/tips; taxable scholarship/fellowship; interest or ordinary dividends; capital gain distributions; pensions/annuities/IRAs; unemployment compensation; taxable social security/railroad retirement benefits; Alaska Permanent Fund dividends). Three, you're taking the standard deduction (i.e., you're not itemizing with Schedule A). Four, your only adjustments, if any, are IRA and education expenses (student loan interest, tuition/fees, educator expenses). Five, you're only claiming certain credits, if any (earned income, elderly/disabled, retirement savings, child tax, children/dependent care, earned income).

Form 1040 is required for more complicated situations, such as itemizing deductions with Schedule A, having taxable income of at least $100,000, other forms of income (self-employment, partnership, etc.), and more.

For more information, go online at www.irs.gov/taxtopics. Select Topic 352 9Which Form --- 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ?).