2024 1040A Form and Instructions

Form 1040A is the abbreviated or shorter form available to federal income tax payers. For this reason it is often referred to as the Short Form. Form 1040A has been discontinued by the IRS beginning with the 2018 income tax year. If you filed Form 1040A in prior years, then you will use the redesigned IRS Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR for the 2024 tax year. Prior year 1040A tax forms and instructions can still be printed using the links below on this page.

File Form 1040A if you meet these requirements:

• Taxable income less than $100,000.
• No itemized deductions, mortgage interest, property tax, etc.
• No capital gain or loss, no other gains or losses.
• No business income or loss, self-employed, LLC, etc.
• No farm or fisherman income or loss.
• No rental, royalty, partnership, S corporation, or trust income.
• No alimony income received or alimony paid.
• No household employment taxes.
• Educator expense, IRA deduction, student loan interest, and tuition and fees gross income adjustments are allowed.
• Credits for child and dependent care expenses, elderly or the disabled, education, earned income credit (EIC), adoption, and retirement savings contributions are allowed.
• All filing statuses are allowed.

If you do not meet the above requirements, go to Form 1040.

Click any of the IRS 1040A Form and Instructions links below to download, save, view, and print the file for the corresponding year. These free PDF files are unaltered and are sourced directly from the publisher.

Printable Form 1040A Files

Printable Form 1040A Instructions

Form 1040A was discontinued by the IRS beginning with the 2018 income tax year. If you filed Form 1040A in prior years, then you will use the redesigned IRS Form 1040 for the current year.

When to File Form 1040A

Form 1040A was previously used by individuals with relatively simple tax situations who didn't qualify for Form 1040-EZ but also didn't need the full Form 1040. It allowed taxpayers to report basic income sources, claim certain credits, and itemize a limited number of deductions, such as for IRA contributions and student loan interest. Since Form 1040A was discontinued, individual tax filings are now reported on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. If referencing past years, archived IRS instructions for Form 1040A provide guidance on completing this form.

Where to Mail Form 1040A

If you filed Form 1040A in a previous tax year, it would have been mailed to the IRS address specified for your location, as listed in that year's Form 1040A instructions. For current filings, report all individual income and credits on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, and follow the updated instructions for mailing. For past filings, always verify the IRS mailing address based on the instructions specific to that tax year.

Common IRS Form 1040A Mistakes to Avoid

If referencing Form 1040A for past filings, review the archived IRS instructions carefully. Errors on Form 1040A often involved exceeding income limits or misreporting credits and deductions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Exceeding the income limits allowed for using Form 1040A, resulting in ineligible filing status.
• Incorrectly claiming tax credits, such as the education credits or child and dependent care credit, without meeting eligibility requirements.
• Misreporting deductions, such as IRA contributions or student loan interest, that had specific limits.

IRS instructions for 1040A provide detailed guidance on accurately reporting income, credits, and deductions for past tax years when this form was in use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Form 1040A before it was discontinued.

Do I file Form 1040A this year?

No, Form 1040A has been discontinued. All individual tax returns are now filed on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR as part of IRS updates to consolidate and simplify tax reporting.

Why was Form 1040A called the Short Form?

Form 1040A was often referred to as the Short Form because it allowed taxpayers to report basic income, deductions, and credits without the complexity of the full Form 1040, known as the Long Form.” It was designed for individuals with simple tax situations who didn't need to itemize deductions, making it a shorter, streamlined option for filing federal income tax returns.

Why was it named Form 1040A?

Form 1040A received its name as an alternative or simplified version of Form 1040, with the A distinguishing it from the full form. The IRS created Form 1040A to offer a streamlined option for individuals with simpler income and deduction situations, making it an Alternative to the more comprehensive Form 1040.

What types of income could be reported on Form 1040A?

Form 1040A allowed taxpayers to report basic income sources such as wages, salaries, tips, interest, dividends, capital gains distributions, pensions, annuities, unemployment compensation, and Social Security benefits. Those with more complex income sources, like self-employment or rental income, needed to file using the full Form 1040.

Could taxpayers claim itemized deductions on Form 1040A?

No, Form 1040A did not allow for itemized deductions. Taxpayers using Form 1040A could only claim the standard deduction and certain credits, such as the Earned Income Credit, child tax credit, and education credits. If a taxpayer wished to itemize deductions, they were required to use Form 1040 instead.

Last updated: October 24, 2024

Federal Tax Forms