Frequently Asked Tax Questions And Answers

Welcome to the Internal Revenue Service's general questions and answers section. These questions and answers came from taxpayers like you. You should find them helpful and informative.

If you don't find the answer to your general tax question below, also check Tax Topics and Tax Trails. If you still don't find the answer to your question, please call the toll-free tax assistance line at 1-800-829-1040 for individual tax questions or 1-800-829-4933 for business tax questions.

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

1. IRS Procedures
2. Filing Requirements/Status/Dependents/Exemptions
3. Itemized Deductions/Standard Deductions
4. Interest/Dividends/Other Types of Income
5. Pensions/Annuities/Retirement Plans (i.e., 401(k), etc.)
6. Social Security Income
7. Child Care Credit/Other Credits
8. Earned Income Tax Credit
9. Estimated Tax
10. Capital Gains, Losses/Sale of Home
11. Sale or Trade of Business, Depreciation, Rentals
12. Small Business/Self-Employed/Other Business
13. Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad
14. Electronic Filing (e-file)
15. Magnetic Media Filers
16. Other (Alternative Minimum Tax, Estates, Trusts, Tax Shelters, State Tax Inquiries)
17. Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)

Frequently Asked Questions by Subcategory

1. IRS Procedures
   1. General Procedural Questions
   2. Address Changes
   3. Amended Returns & Form 1040X
   4. Code, Revenue Procedures, Regulations, Letter Rulings
   5. Collection Procedural Questions
   6. Copies & Transcripts
   7. Extensions
   8. Forms & Publications
   9. Injured Spouse
   10. Name Changes & Social Security Number Matching Issues
   11. Notices & Letters
   12. Refund Inquiries
   13. Reporting Fraud
   14. Signing the Return
   15. W–2 - Additional, Incorrect, Lost, Non-receipt, Omitted
   16. W–4 - Allowances, Excess FICA, Students, Withholding
2. Filing Requirements/Status/Dependents/Exemptions
   1. Filing Requirements
   2. Filing Status
   3. Dependents & Exemptions
3. Itemized Deductions/Standard Deductions
   1. Autos, Computers, Electronic Devices (Listed Property)
   2. Education & Work-Related Expenses
   3. Gifts & Charitable Contributions
   4. Interest, Investment, Money Transactions (Alimony, Bad Debts, Applicable Federal Interest Rate, Gambling, Legal Fees, Loans, etc.)
   5. 5. Medical, Nursing Home, Special Care Expenses
   6. 6. Real Estate (Taxes, Mortgage Interest, Points, Other Property Expenses)
   7. 7. Other Deduction Questions
4. Interest/Dividends/Other Types of Income
   1. 1099–DIV Dividend Income
   2. 1099–INT Interest Income
   3. 1099–MISC, Independent Contractors, and Self-employed
   4. 1099 Information Returns (All Other)
   5. Alimony, Child Support, Court Awards, Damages
   6. Employee Reimbursements, Form W–2, Wage Inquiries
   7. Gifts & Inheritances
   8. Grants, Scholarships, Student Loans, Work Study
   9. Life Insurance & Disability Insurance Proceeds
   10. Ministers' Compensation & Housing Allowance
   11. Savings Bonds
   12. Tips
5. Pensions/Annuities/Retirement Plans (i.e., 401(k), etc.)
   1. General/Taxability Issues including Distributions, Early Withdrawals, 10% Additional Tax, Defaulted Loans
   2. Rollovers
   3. Types of Plans
   4. Plan Operations
   5. Plan Design
   6. Correcting Plan Errors
6. Social Security Income
   1. Back Payments
   2. Regular & Disability Benefits
   3. Survivors' Benefits
7. Child Care Credit/Other Credits
   1. Child and Dependent Care Credit & Flexible Benefit Plans
   2. Child Tax Credit
   3. Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled
   4. Hope & Life Time Learning Educational Credits
   5. Other Credits
8. Earned Income Tax Credit
   1. Qualifying Child Rules
   2. Taxable & Nontaxable Income
   3. Other EITC Issues
9. Estimated Tax
   1. Businesses
   2. Farmers & Fishermen
   3. Individuals
   4. Large Gains, Lump-sum Distributions, etc.
   5. Penalty Questions
10. Capital Gains, Losses/Sale of Home
    1. Property (Basis, Sale of Home, etc.)
    2. Stocks (Options, Splits, Traders)
    3. Mutual Funds (Costs, Distributions, etc.)
    4. Losses (Homes, Stocks, Other Property)
11. Sale or Trade of Business, Depreciation, Rentals
    1. Depreciation & Recapture
    2. Rental Expenses versus Passive Activity Losses (PALs)
    3. Personal Use of Business Property (Condo, Timeshare, etc.)
    4. Sales, Trades, Exchanges
12. Small Business/Self-Employed/Other Business
    1. Entities: Sole Proprietor, Partnership, Limited Liability Company/Partnership (LLC/LLP), Corporation, Subchapter S Corporation
    2. Form 1099–MISC & Independent Contractors
    3. Form W–2, FICA, Medicare, Tips, Employee Benefits
    4. Form W–4 & Wage Withholding
    5. Form SS–4 & Employer Identification Number (EIN)
    6. Forms 941, 940, Employment Taxes
    7. Income & Expenses
    8. Schedule C & Schedule SE
    9. Starting or Ending a Business
13. Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad
    1. Canadian & U.S. Tax Issues
    2. Exchange Rate
    3. Foreign Income & Foreign Income Exclusion
    4. Nonresident Alien - General
    5. Nonresident Alien - Tax Withholding
    6. Nonresident Alien - Students
    7. U.S. Citizens Overseas
    8. Other
14. Electronic Filing (e-file)
    1. Age/Name/SSN Rejects, Errors, Correction Procedures
    2. Amended Returns
    3. Due Dates & Extension Dates for e-file
    4. Forms W–2 & Other Attachments
15. Magnetic Media Filers
16. Other (Alternative Minimum Tax, Estates, Trusts, Tax Shelters, State Tax Inquiries)
17. Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
    1. Distributions, Early Withdrawals, 10% Additional Tax
    2. Rollovers
    3. Roth IRA
    4. Traditional IRA

Frequently Asked Questions by Keyword

Select the appropriate keyword to get questions and answers across all categories.

10% Additional Tax (Penalty) 1040-ES 1040X Amended/Corrected Tax Return 1099 Information Returns 1099-MISC 1099-R 401(k) Pension Plan 403(b) Pension Plan Address Changes Alimony Allocated Tips Amended/Corrected Tax Return (Form 1040X) Apartment Building Average Costs Bill/Debt/Liability Business Use/Expense Canada/Canadian Issues Capital Gains Capital Loss 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 Custodial Parent Deductible Contributions (Charitable) Deductible Contributions (IRA) Dependent Care Benefits Dependent Care Credit Dependents/Exemptions Depreciation Deduction Disability Income Distributions Dividend Reinvestment Dividends Divorced or Separated Spouses/Parents Due Date/Deadline E-file (Electronic Filing) Early Withdrawals/Distributions Earned Income Tax Credit Education IRA Education Tax Credits Educational Expenses 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 Farming Federal Tax ID Number Fellowships Filing Status Financial Aid First-Time Home Buyer Flexible Spending Account Foreign Country Forms/Publications Foster Child Fraud Gifts Grants Green Card Head of Household Holding Period Home Based Business Home Mortgage Interest Home Office Hope Credit Housing Allowance ID Number IRA Account IRS Will Figure Your Tax Independent Contractor Inheritance Injured Spouse Installment Agreement/Payment Plan Installment Proceeds Insurance Proceeds Interest Expense Interest Income Investment Interest Itemized Deductions Joint Custody Joint Return Letter Ruling Letter/Notice Lifetime Learning Credit

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 Medicare Tax Mileage Rate Minimum Distribution Monthly Payment Plan/Installment Agreement Mortgage Interest Deduction Mutual Fund Name Changes/Corrections New Business New Tax Law Changes Noncustodial Parent Nondeductible Contributions (IRA) Nonemployee Compensation Nonresident Alien 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 Primary Residence Profit Sharing Plan Property Taxes Publications/Forms Qualified Plan Qualifying Child (EITC) Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments Refinancing Fees Refund Reimbursements Rejected Return Rental 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 or C-EZ Schedule D Schedule SE Scholarships Self-employed Self-employment Tax Separate Returns Separated or Divorced Spouses/Parents Short Sale Simple IRA Single Filing Status Social Security Benefits Social Security Benefits/Income 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 Tips/Allocated Tips Traditional IRA Travel Expenses Trust U.S. Citizen Abroad VISA Status Vacation Home W-2 W-4 Withholding Allowances (Form W-4) Withholding Taxes Work Opportunity Tax Credit Worthless Securities