What is a 1040 Form?
A 1040 form is the basic tax form which individuals use to file [1] their tax returns.
The 1040 form summarizes information about an individual’s income and deductions [2] and calculates whether the individual owes the government money or receives a tax refund [3].
Tax forms 1040 must be filed by the tax deadline [4], April 15, unless you file for an extension [5].
When Do I Use a 1040 Form?
All individuals filing a tax return will use a 1040 form whether they realize it or not. There are various 1040 forms, based on how complicated your taxes are.
- When you input information into software like TurboTax Online [6], TaxAct [7] or H&R Block [8], they fill out a 1040 for you.
- If your tax situation is complicated, you may have multiple schedules (for example, Schedule A [9]) that support the 1040 tax, but you are still using a 1040 tax form.
Other 1040 Tax Forms for 2013
If your taxes are not complicated, you may be able to use one of the simplified IRS 1040 forms:
- Form 1040EZ [10]
- Form 1040A [11]
How Do I Get My IRS 1040 Form?
If you are doing your taxes without the help of software or want to see what a 1040 form looks like, you can download the IRS 1040 form and 1040 instructions at the IRS website: