2024 1040EZ Form and Instructions

Form 1040EZ is the simplest form available to federal income tax payers. The abbreviation EZ is widely used to mean Easy. Form 1040EZ has been discontinued by the IRS beginning with the 2018 income tax year. If you filed Form 1040EZ in prior years, then you will use the redesigned IRS Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR for the 2024 tax year. Prior year 1040EZ tax forms and instructions may still be printed using the links below on this page.

File Form 1040EZ if you meet these requirements:

• Filing status is single or married filing jointly.
• No dependents to claim.
• You and your spouse were under age 65 and not blind.
• Taxable interest income of $1,500 or less.
• Taxable income is less than $100,000.
• Earnings are from wages, salaries, tips, taxable scholarships or grants, unemployment compensation, Alaska Permanent Fund.
• No deductions for educator expenses, student loan interest, tuition and fees, or itemized deductions.
• No credits for education, retirement savings, or health coverage.
• No advance earned income credit (EIC) received.
• You CAN claim the earned income credit (EIC) using this form.

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

Click any of the IRS 1040EZ 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 1040EZ Files

Printable Form 1040EZ Instructions

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

When to File Form 1040-EZ

Form 1040-EZ was previously used by taxpayers with simple tax situations, typically single filers or married couples without dependents, to file their federal income tax returns. It allowed taxpayers to report basic income, claim the standard deduction, and receive the Earned Income Credit if eligible. Since its discontinuation, most individual income tax filings are now reported on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. For tax years when 1040-EZ was available, refer to archived IRS instructions if you need to complete it for reference purposes.

Where to Mail Form 1040-EZ

If you filed Form 1040-EZ in a previous tax year, it would have been mailed to the IRS address specified for your location, as indicated in that year's Form 1040-EZ instructions. For current filings, all individual tax returns are reported on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, which include updated instructions for mailing. For past filings, always verify the IRS mailing address based on the instructions specific to the tax year in question.

Common IRS 1040-EZ Mistakes to Avoid

If referencing Form 1040-EZ for past filings, review archived IRS instructions carefully. Mistakes on Form 1040-EZ often involved incorrect entries for income or claiming deductions and credits for which the form wasn't designed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Reporting income over the 1040-EZ limits or ineligible income types, such as self-employment or capital gains.
• Incorrectly claiming the Earned Income Credit without meeting its eligibility criteria.
• Failing to select the standard deduction correctly for the filing year.

IRS instructions for 1040-EZ provide guidance on accurately reporting income and credits for past tax years when this form was used.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Do I file Form 1040-EZ this year?

No, Form 1040-EZ 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 forms.

What is the difference between Form 1040 and Form 1040-EZ?

Form 1040 and Form 1040-EZ were both used by individual taxpayers to file their federal income tax returns, but they had different levels of complexity and eligibility requirements. Form 1040-EZ was a simplified version of Form 1040, designed for taxpayers with basic income sources, such as wages or unemployment, and without dependents, itemized deductions, or credits beyond the Earned Income Credit. In contrast, Form 1040 includes a broader breakdown of income types, deductions, and credits, making it suitable for a wider range of taxpayers with complex tax situations. Since Form 1040-EZ was discontinued, individual taxpayers now file using Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.

What does 1040-EZ mean?

1040-EZ stands for a simplified version of the 1040 form, designed to be easy to complete for those with straightforward tax situations. The EZ version allowed qualifying taxpayers with no dependents and limited income sources to file quickly without itemizing deductions. Since Form 1040-EZ was discontinued, taxpayers now use the more comprehensive Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to file individual income tax returns.

Last updated: November 17, 2024

Federal Tax Forms