Frequently Asked Tax Questions And Answers
Welcome to the Internal Revenue Service's general questions and answers section. Each year we update the answers to reflect the latest changes in tax regulations. These questions and answers came from taxpayers like you. We hope you find them helpful and informative.
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You may select frequently asked questions by: Select keyword "New Tax Law Changes" in list below for a grouping of frequently asked questions impacted by recent legislative changes.
Frequently Asked Questions by Category
- IRS Procedures
- Filing Requirements/Status/Dependents/Exemptions
- Itemized Deductions/Standard Deductions
- Interest/Dividends/Other Types of Income
- Pensions and Annuities
- Social Security Income
- Child Care Credit/Other Credits
- Earned Income Tax Credit
- Estimated Tax
- Capital Gains, Losses/Sale of Home
- Sale or Trade of Business, Depreciation, Rentals
- Small Business/Self-Employed/Other Business
- Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad
- Electronic Filing (e-file)
- Magnetic Media Filers
- Other (Alternative Minimum Tax, Estates, Trusts, Tax Shelters, State Tax Inquiries)
- Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
Frequently Asked Questions by Subcategory
1.1. General Procedural Questions
1.2. Address Changes
1.3. Amended Returns & Form 1040X
1.4. Code, Revenue Procedures, Regulations, Letter Rulings
1.5. Collection Procedural Questions
1.6. Copies & Transcripts
1.7. Extensions
1.8. Forms & Publications
1.9. Injured & Innocent Spouse
1.10. Name Changes & Social Security Number Matching Issues
1.11. Notices & Letters
1.12. Refund Inquiries
1.13. Reporting Fraud
1.14. Signing the Return
1.15. W–2 - Additional, Incorrect, Lost, Non-receipt, Omitted
1.16. W–4 - Allowances, Excess FICA, Students, Withholding
2. Filing Requirements/Status/Dependents/Exemptions
2.1. Filing Requirements
2.2. Filing Status
3. Itemized Deductions/Standard Deductions
3.1. Autos, Computers, Electronic Devices (Listed Property)
3.2. Education & Work-Related Expenses
3.3. Gifts & Charitable Contributions
3.5. 5. Medical, Nursing Home, Special Care Expenses
3.6. 6. Real Estate (Taxes, Mortgage Interest, Points, Other Property Expenses)
3.7. 7. Other Deduction Questions
4. Interest/Dividends/Other Types of Income
4.3. 1099–MISC, Independent Contractors, and Self-employed
4.4. 1099 Information Returns (All Other)
4.5. Alimony, Child Support, Court Awards, Damages
4.6. Employee Reimbursements, Form W–2, Wage Inquiries
4.7. Gifts & Inheritances
4.8. Grants, Scholarships, Student Loans, Work Study
4.9. Life Insurance & Disability Insurance Proceeds
4.10. Ministers' Compensation & Housing Allowance
4.11. Savings Bonds
4.12. Tips
5.1. General
5.2. Contributions
5.3. Distributions, Early Withdrawals, 10% Additional Tax
5.4. Loans & Other Retirement Account Transactions
5.5. Rollovers
6.1. Back Payments
6.2. Canadian & Foreign Treaties
6.3. Regular & Disability Benefits
6.4. Survivors' Benefits
7. Child Care Credit/Other Credits
7.1. Child and Dependent Care Credit & Flexible Benefit Plans
7.2. Child Tax Credit
7.3. Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled
7.4. Hope & Life Time Learning Educational Credits
7.5. Other Credits
8.2. Taxable & Nontaxable Income
8.3. Other EITC Issues
9.1. Businesses
9.2. Farmers & Fishermen
9.3. Individuals
9.4. Large Gains, Lump-sum Distributions, etc.
9.5. Penalty Questions
10. Capital Gains, Losses/Sale of Home
10.1. Property (Basis, Sale of Home, etc.)
10.2. Stocks (Options, Splits, Traders)
10.3. Mutual Funds (Costs, Distributions, etc.)
10.4. Losses (Homes, Stocks, Other Property)
11. Sale or Trade of Business, Depreciation, Rentals
11.1. Depreciation & Recapture
11.2. Rental Expenses v Passive Activity Losses (PALs)
11.3. Personal Use of Business Property (Condo, Timeshare, etc.)
11.4. Sales, Trades, Exchanges
12. Small Business/Self-Employed/Other Business
12.2. Form 1099–MISC & Independent Contractors
12.3. Form W–2, FICA, Medicare, Tips, Employee Benefits
12.4. Form W–4 & Wage Withholding
12.5. Form SS–4 & Employer Identification Number (EIN)
12.6. Forms 941, 940, Employment Taxes
12.7. Income & Expenses
12.8. Schedule C & Schedule SE
12.9. Starting or Ending a Business
13. Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad
13.1. Canadian & U.S. Tax Issues
13.2. Exchange Rate
13.3. Foreign Income & Foreign Income Exclusion
13.4. Nonresident Alien - General
13.5. Nonresident Alien - Tax Withholding
13.6. Nonresident Alien - Students
13.7. U.S. Citizens Overseas
13.8. Other
14. Electronic Filing (e-file)
14.1. Age/Name/SSN Rejects, Errors, Correction Procedures
14.2. Amended Returns
14.3. Due Dates & Extension Dates for e-file
14.4. Forms W–2 & Other Attachments
16. Other (Alternative Minimum Tax, Estates, Trusts, Tax Shelters, State Tax Inquiries)
17. Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
17.1. Distributions, Early Withdrawals, 10% Additional Tax
17.2. Rollovers
17.3. Roth IRA
17.4. Traditional IRA
Frequently Asked Questions by Keyword
Numeric A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V W
Select the appropriate keyword to get questions and answers across all categories.
- 10% Additional Tax (Penalty)
- 1031 Like-Kind Exchange
- 1040-ES
- 1040NR
- 1040X Amended/Corrected Tax Return
- 1099 Information Returns
- 1099-MISC
- 1099-R
- 401(k) Pension Plan
- 403(b) Pension Plan
- Additional child tax credit
- Address Changes
- Advanced Earned Income Credit
- Alimony
- Allocated Tips
- Alternative Minimum Tax
- Amended/Corrected Tax Return (Form 1040X)
- Apartment Building
- Appeal Rights
- Assistance for Taxpayers
- Average Costs
- Awards
- Bill/Debt/Liability
- Business Use/Expense
- Canada/Canadian Issues
- Capital Gains
- Capital Loss
- Care provider
- Change of Address
- Change of Name
- Child Care Credit
- Child Custody Tax Issues
- Child Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Closing Costs
- Computer
- Considered Taxable Income (SSA)
- Contributions (Charitable)
- Contributions (IRAs & Pension Plans)
- Copy of Return
- Corporation
- Corrected/Amended Tax Return (Form 1040X)
- Cost Basis
- Credit for Children
- Credit for the Elderly and Disabled
- Custodial Parent
- Damages/Settlements
- Day Trader
- Deductible Contributions (Charitable)
- Deductible Contributions (IRA)
- Depe
- Dependent Care Benefits
- Dependent Care Credit
- Dependents/Exemptions
- Depreciation Deduction
- Depreciation Recapture
- Direct Deposit
- Disability Income
- Distributions
- Dividend Reinvestment
- Dividends
- Divorced or Separated Spouses/Parents
- Due Date/Deadline
- E-file (Electronic Filing)
- Early Withdrawals/Distributions
- Earned Income Credit
- Earned Income Tax Credit
- Education Tax Credits
- Educational Expenses
- Elderly Disabled Credit
- Employee - Independent Contractor
- Employee Benefits
- Employee Business Expenses
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Employment Taxes
- Error Code/Message
- Estate
- Estimated Tax Payments
- Exemption/Support Issues
- Extensions
- FICA Taxes
- Fair Market Value
- Farming
- Federal Tax ID Number
- Fellowships
- Filing Status
- Financial Aid
- First-Time Home Buyer
- Flexible Spending Account
- Flexible Spending Plan
- Foreclosures
- Foreign Country
- Form 8332
- Forms/Publications
- Foster Child
- Fraud
- Gifts
- Grants
- Green Card
- Head of Household
- Health Insurance Premiums
- Holding Period
- Home Based Business
- Home Mortgage Interest
- Home Office
- Hope Credit
- Housing Allowance
- ID Number
- IRA Account
- IRS Will Figure Your Tax
- Income Averaging
- Independent Contractor
- Inheritance
- Injured Spouse
- Installment Agreement/Payment Plan
- Installment Proceeds
- Insurance Proceeds
- Interest Expense
- Interest Income
- Internal Revenue Code
- Investment Interest
- Itemized Deductions
- Job Search Expenses
- Joint Custody
- Joint Return
- Legal Fees
- Letter Ruling
- Letter/Notice
- Lifetime Learning Credit
- Like-Kind Exchange
- Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Listed Property
- Living Together Tax Issues
- Loan Origination Fee
- Loans
- Lump-Sum Distribution
- Magnetic Media
- Maiden/Married Name
- Main Home Sale
- Married Filing Jointly
- Married Filing Separately
- Maximum Contribution
- Medical Expenses
- Medical Insurance Premiums
- Medicare Tax
- Mileage Rate
- Minimum Distribution
- Monthly Payment Plan/Installment Agreement
- Mortgage Interest Deduction
- Mutual Fund
- Name Changes/Corrections
- New Business
- New Job Search Expenses
- New Tax Law Changes
- Noncustodial Parent
- Nondeductible Contributions (IRA)
- Nonemployee Compensation
- Nonresident Alien
- Offer in compromise
- Owe Tax Bill/Debt/Liability
- Partnership
- Past/Previous Years' Tax Returns
- Payment Plan/Installment Agreement
- Payment Voucher (1040-ES)
- Penalty for Underpayment
- Pension Plan
- Permanent Resident
- Postsecondary Educational Institution
- Power of Attorney
- Primary Residence
- Prizes
- Profit Sharing Plan
- Property Taxes
- Publications/Forms
- Qualfying Child
- Qualified Plan
- Qualifying Child (EITC)
- Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments
- Recovery Period
- Refinancing Fees
- Refund
- Reimbursements
- Reinvested Dividends
- Rejected Return
- Rental Property
- Replacement Property
- Resident Alien
- Retirement Plan
- Revenue Procedure/Ruling/Regulations
- Rollover
- Roth IRA
- S Corporation
- SEP-IRA
- Salaries
- Sale of Home
- Sale or Trade of Business Property
- Savings Bonds
- Schedule C
- Schedule C or C-EZ
- Schedule D
- Schedule SE
- Scholarships
- Self-employed
- Self-employment Tax
- Separate Returns
- Separated or Divorced Spouses/Parents
- Settlements/Damages
- Severance Pay
- Short Sale
- Simple IRA
- Single Filing Status
- Social Security Benefits
- Social Security Administration
- Social Security Benefits/Income
- Social Security Disability Benefits
- Social Security Number
- Social Security Survivor (Death) Benefits
- Social Security Tax
- Software for On-line Filing
- Sole Proprietor
- Standard Meal Allowance
- Standard Mileage Rate
- State Taxes
- Stock Options
- Stock Sale
- Stock Split
- Student
- Student Loan Interest Deduction
- Substantial Presence Test
- Support/Exemption Issues
- Tax Bill/Debt/Liability
- Tax Forms
- Tax Identification Number
- Tax Preparer
- Tax Refund
- Tax Shelter
- Tax Treaty
- Tax Year
- Taxpayer Identification Number
- Tips/Allocated Tips
- Traditional IRA
- Travel Expenses
- Trust
- U.S. Citizen Abroad
- VISA Status
- Vacation Home
- W-2
- W-4
- Wages
- Wash Sale
- Winnings
- Withholding Allowances (Form W-4)
- Withholding Taxes
- Work Opportunity Tax Credit
- Worthless Securities
- au pair
- baby sitting
- day camp
- daycare provider
- home daycare
- ndent Care Credit
- summer camp