Tax Return Forms and Schedules

There are hundreds of IRS tax forms and schedules out there that a tax filer can come across. Here are some of the more common ones that you should know about:

Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

Used by U.S. taxpayers to file an annual income tax return.

Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return

Used by U.S. nonresident taxpayers to file an annual income tax return.

Form 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors

An optional alternative to using Form 1040 for taxpayers who are age 65 or older.

Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

Used to amend or fix a submitted tax return.

Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals

Used to figure and pay your estimated tax.

Form 1041, U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts

Used to report income, deductions, gains, losses, liabilities, etc. of an estate or trust.

Schedule A, Itemized Deductions

Used to figure your itemized deductions.

Schedule B, Interest and Ordinary Dividends

Used in some scenarios when you’ve earned taxable interest or dividends.

Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business (Sole Proprietorship)

Used to report income or losses from a business you operated or a profession you practiced as a sole proprietor.

Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses

Used to report capital gains and losses for the year.

Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss

Used to report income or loss from rental real estate, royalties, partnerships, S corporations, estates, trusts, and residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs).

Schedule EIC, Earned Income Credit

Used to give the IRS information about your qualifying child(ren).

Schedule F, Profit or Loss From Farming

Used to report farm income and expenses.

Schedule H, Household Employment Taxes

Used to report household employment taxes if you paid cash wages to a household employee and the wages were subject to social security, Medicare, or FUTA taxes, or if you withheld federal income tax.

Schedule J, Income Averaging for Farmers and Fishermen

Used to figure your income tax by averaging, over the previous 3 years, all or some of your taxable income from your farming or fishing business.

Schedule R, Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled

Used to figure the credit for the elderly or the disabled.

Schedule SE, Self-Employment Tax

Used to figure the tax due on net earnings from self-employment.

Schedule 8812, Credits for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents

Used to figure your child tax credits.

Application Forms

Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number

Used to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), a nine-digit number assigned to sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts, and other entities for tax filing and reporting purposes.

Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

Used to request an automatic extension of time to file a U.S. individual income tax return.

Form 7004, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns

Used to request an automatic 6-month extension of time to file certain business income tax, information, and other returns.

Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Used to apply for an IRS individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN).

Income and Payment Reporting Forms

Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement

Used to report wages paid to employees and the taxes withheld from them.

Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings

Used to report gambling winnings and any federal income tax withheld on those winnings.

Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate

Used so that your employer can withhold the correct federal income tax from your pay.

Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification

Used by employers or other entities to verify the name, address, and tax identification number of an individual, usually a citizen or a resident alien, receiving income.

Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement

Used to report mortgage interest of $600 or more received by you during the year.

Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement

Used to report tuition payments received and payments due from the paying student.

Form 1098-E, Student Loan Interest Statement

Used to report the amount of interest you paid on student loans in a calendar year.

Form 1099-B, Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions

Used to report any gains and losses from stock and bond transactions made throughout the tax year.

Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions

Used to report dividends and other distributions to taxpayers and to the IRS.

Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments

Used to report payments received from federal, state, or local governments, such as unemployment benefits, tax refunds, grants, etc.

Form 1099-INT, Interest Income

Used to report interest income you received, any taxes withheld, and if any of the interest is tax-exempt.

Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions

Used to report payments and transactions from online platforms, apps, or payment card processors.

Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income

Used to report miscellaneous compensation such as rents, prizes, medical payments, and others.

Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation

Used to report self-employment or contract work, such as freelance work or rideshare driving.

Form 1099-R, Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.

Used to report distributions from annuities, profit-sharing plans, retirement plans, IRAs, insurance contracts, or pensions.

Form 1099-S, Proceeds from Real Estate Transactions

Used to report the sale or exchange of real estate.