The three forms used for filing individual federal income tax returns are Form 1040EZ, Form 1040A, and Form 1040.

Form 1040EZ is the simplest form to fill out. You may be able to use Form 1040EZ if you meet these conditions:

1.your filing status is single or married filing jointly;

2.you claim no dependents;

3.you, and your spouse if filing a joint return, were under 65 and not blind;

4.you have only wages, salaries, tips, taxable scholarships, fellowships, grants, unemployment compensation, and $400 or less of taxable interest income;

5.your taxable income is less than $50,000;

6.you did not receive any advance earned income credit payments from your employer; and

7.if you were a nonresident alien at any time during 1996 you must file a joint return.

If you file Form 1040EZ, you cannot itemize deductions or claim any adjustments to income or tax credits except for the earned income credit.

If you cannot use Form 1040EZ, you may be able to use Form 1040A if:

1.your income is only from wages, salaries, tips, taxable scholarships and fellowships, interest, dividends, pensions, annuities, IRAs, unemployment compensation, and taxable social security or railroad retirement benefits;

2.your taxable income is less than $50,000; and

3.your only taxes are the amount from the Tax Table, alternative minimum tax, employment taxes on cash wages you paid to a household employee, and any advance earned income credit payments.

If you file Form 1040A, you cannot itemize deductions, and the only adjustment to income you can claim is for IRA contributions. The only credits you can claim are the credit for child and dependent care expenses, the earned income credit, and the credit for the elderly or the disabled.

Finally, you must use Form 1040 under certain circumstances, such as:

1.your taxable income is $50,000 or more;

2.you have certain types of income such as capital gains or self-employment earnings; or

3.you itemize deductions or claim certain tax credits or adjustments to income.

A complete list of conditions for when Form 1040 must be used is in the instructions for Form 1040A.

Although you may receive in the mail the type of tax form you filed last year, review your situation to see if filing a different form may be more advantageous for you.

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