How To Report Dividend Income

Generally, you can use either Form 1040 or Form 1040A to report your dividend income. Report the total of your ordinary dividends on line 9 of Form 1040 or Form 1040A.

If you receive capital gain distributions, you may be able to use Form 1040A or you may have to use Form 1040. See Capital gain distributions only in chapter 17. If you receive nontaxable distributions required to be reported as capital gains, you must use Form 1040. You cannot use Form 1040EZ if you receive any dividend income.

Form 1099-DIV. If you owned stock on which you received $10 or more in dividends and other distributions, you should receive a Form 1099-DIV. Even if you do not receive Form 1099-DIV, you must report all of your taxable dividend income.

See Form 1099-DIV for more information on how to report dividend income.

Form 1040A. You must complete Part II of Schedule 1 (Form 1040A) and attach it to your Form 1040A, if:

1. Your ordinary dividends (box 1 of Form 1099-DIV) are more than $400, or
2. You received, as a nominee, dividends that actually belong to someone else.

List on line 5 each payer's name and the amount of ordinary dividends you received. If you received a Form 1099-DIV from a brokerage firm, list the brokerage firm as the payer.

Enter on line 6 the total of the amounts listed on line 5. Also enter this total on line 9, Form 1040A.

Form 1040. You must fill in Part II of Schedule B and attach it to your Form 1040, if:

1. Your ordinary dividends (box 1 of Form 1099-DIV) are more than $400, or
2. You received, as a nominee, dividends that actually belong to someone else.

If your ordinary dividends are more than $400, you must also complete Part III of Schedule B.

List on line 5, Part II of Schedule B, each payer's name and the amount of ordinary dividends you received. If your securities are held by a brokerage firm (in "street name"), list the name of the brokerage firm that is shown on Form 1099-DIV as the payer. If your stock is held by a nominee who is the owner of record, and the nominee credited or paid you dividends on the stock, show the name of the nominee and the dividends you received or for which you were credited.

Enter on line 6 the total of the amounts listed on line 5. Also enter this total on line 9, Form 1040.

Expenses related to dividend income. You may be able to deduct expenses related to dividend income if you itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). See chapter 30 for general information about deducting expenses of producing income.

More information. For more information about how to report dividend income, see chapter 1 of Publication 550 or the instructions for the form you must file.

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