Form 1040A Instructions 2015 Checklist
Overview of Form 1040A for Tax Year 2015
Form 1040A for tax year 2015 is a simplified individual income tax return available to taxpayers who meet specific eligibility requirements related to income sources, adjustments, and credits.
The form supports wages, taxable interest, ordinary and qualified dividends, capital gain distributions, IRA distributions, pensions and annuities, unemployment compensation, Alaska
Permanent Fund dividends, and Social Security benefits.
Form 1040A does not allow itemized deductions, self-employment income, rental income, partnership income, S corporation income, or business losses. Eligibility depends on the combination of permitted income types, taxable income limits, allowable adjustments, and supported credits, rather than filing status alone.
Affordable Care Act Individual Responsibility
Requirement for 2015
For tax year 2015, the Affordable Care Act individual shared responsibility provision applies.
Taxpayers who file a return must address health coverage by indicating full-year coverage, claiming a coverage exemption, or reporting a shared responsibility payment when applicable.
This requirement is handled directly on Form 1040A line 38. Form 8965 is attached only when claiming coverage exemptions. If a shared responsibility payment applies, the amount is calculated using the worksheet in the Form 8965 instructions and reported on line 38, while the worksheet itself is not attached to the return.
If you enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace plan and received an advance premium tax credit, Form 1095-A information is required to complete and attach Form 8962 to reconcile the premium tax credit. Cost-sharing reductions are not reconciled on the tax return.
Ten-Step Checklist for Form 1040A (2015)
Step 1: Verify Eligibility to Use Form 1040A
Confirm that your filing status is Single, Married filing jointly, Married filing separately, Head of household, or Qualifying widow(er) with dependent child. Verify that your income sources are limited to those allowed on Form 1040A and that taxable income is under $100,000. Taxpayers
with self-employment income, rental income, or capital asset sales requiring Schedule D must file Form 1040.
Step 2: Gather Wage and Income Statements
Collect Forms W-2 for wages, Forms 1099-INT for interest, Forms 1099-DIV for ordinary dividends, qualified dividends, and capital gain distributions, Forms 1099-R for IRA, pension, and annuity distributions, Forms 1099-G for unemployment compensation, and Form SSA-1099 for Social Security benefits.
Step 3: Obtain Health Coverage Documents if Applicable
If you were enrolled in a Marketplace health plan and received an advance premium tax credit, obtain Form 1095-A and prepare Form 8962. If you plan to claim a health coverage exemption, review the Form 8965 instructions to determine whether an attachment is required.
Step 4: Report Income Using Correct Line Numbers
Report wages on line 7, taxable interest on line 8a, tax-exempt interest on line 8b, ordinary dividends on line 9a, qualified dividends on line 9b, and capital gain distributions on line 10.
Report IRA distributions on lines 11a and 11b, pensions and annuities on lines 12a and 12b, unemployment compensation and Alaska Permanent Fund dividends on line 13, and Social
Security benefits on lines 14a and 14b. Add lines 7 through 14b to report total income on line
15.
Step 5: Attach Schedule B When Required
Attach Schedule B if taxable interest or ordinary dividends exceed $1,500, if nominee interest or dividends were received, or if foreign account reporting questions apply. Filing Schedule B does not disqualify use of Form 1040A when all other eligibility conditions are satisfied.
Step 6: Calculate Adjusted Gross Income Correctly
Subtract allowable adjustments from total income to compute Adjusted Gross Income on line
21. Permitted adjustments include educator expenses, deductible IRA contributions, student loan interest, and the tuition and fees deduction using Form 8917 when applicable. The standard deduction is not subtracted when calculating Adjusted Gross Income.
Step 7: Apply the Standard Deduction and Exemptions
Enter the standard deduction on line 24 using the amount applicable to your filing status and age or blindness. Claim exemptions on line 26 by multiplying the exemption amount by the number of exemptions claimed. Form 1040A does not allow itemized deductions and does not use Schedule A.
Step 8: Claim Only Credits Allowed on Form 1040A
Claim only credits permitted on Form 1040A, including the child and dependent care credit using Form 2441, the credit for the elderly or disabled using Schedule R, education credits using Form 8863, the retirement savings contributions credit using Form 8880, the child tax credit on line 35 with Schedule 8812 when required, the earned income credit on line 42a with
Schedule EIC when applicable, the additional child tax credit on line 43 using Schedule 8812, and the refundable American opportunity credit on line 45 from Form 8863. There is no dependent exemption credit, as exemptions reduce taxable income rather than tax.
Step 9: Address Health Coverage on the Return
Complete line 38 to indicate full-year health coverage. Attach Form 8965 only if you are claiming a coverage exemption. If a shared responsibility payment applies, calculate the amount using the Form 8965 worksheet and report it on line 38.
- Full IRS transcript retrieval (Wage & Income + Account)
- Professional tax form review
- Preparation & filing support
- Tax relief options if you owe the IRS
Step 10: Report Payments, Sign, and File
Enter federal income tax withheld on line 40 and estimated tax payments or amounts applied from a prior-year return on line 41. Add total payments on line 46 and determine the refund or amount owed on lines 47 through 51. Attach Forms W-2 in the space provided on the front of the return and include required schedules and forms in attachment sequence number order.
Sign and date the return, noting that both spouses must sign joint returns.
For tax year 2015, the filing deadline was April 18, 2016, or April 19, 2016, for taxpayers in
Maine or Massachusetts. Mail the return to the address listed in the 2015 Form 1040A instructions based on residence and payment status.
Line Clarifications for Form 1040A (2015)
Health Care Individual Responsibility
Line 38 is used to indicate full-year health coverage, claim exemptions using Form 8965, or report a shared responsibility payment when required.
Child Tax Credit
The Child Tax Credit is claimed on line 35. Schedule 8812 is attached only when required by the associated worksheet.
Additional Child Tax Credit
The refundable Additional Child Tax Credit is reported on line 43 using Schedule 8812.
Total Tax and Refundable Credits
Total tax is calculated on line 39. The earned income credit appears on line 42a, the additional child tax credit on line 43, and the refundable American opportunity credit on line 45. Total payments are calculated on line 46.
If you’re missing tax documents or want to ensure the numbers you enter match IRS records, we can help.
