Free IRS form · Official PDF

Form 1040: U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

2025 tax year · Download free — no email, no account

Form 1040 is the master form of American taxes — the return nearly every individual filer sends the IRS each year. Download the official PDF free below, then use the guide to understand what goes on it and which schedules you may need to attach.

Form 1040 — U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

Free · Official IRS PDF · 2025 tax year · Print-ready
↓  Download Form 1040 (PDF) Instructions: irs.gov

What is Form 1040?

Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, is the form individuals use to report a year's income to the IRS, claim deductions and credits, and settle up — either paying the balance due or claiming a refund. Wages, self-employment income, interest, dividends, capital gains, and retirement income all flow onto it.

The 1040 itself is short — two pages. The detail lives in its schedules: Schedule 1 for additional income and adjustments, Schedule C if you run a business, Schedule D for capital gains, Schedule A if you itemize, and so on. You attach only the schedules that apply to you.

Who files Form 1040?

  • Most U.S. citizens and resident aliens with income over the filing threshold for their filing status and age.
  • Self-employed people with $400 or more of net self-employment earnings — even if total income is otherwise low.
  • Anyone owed a refund — you must file to get withheld tax or refundable credits back, even when filing isn't required.
  • Dependents with income above the dependent filing thresholds.

Deadlines

Form 1040 is generally due April 15 of the year after the tax year (pushed to the next business day when the 15th lands on a weekend or holiday). Need more time? File Form 4868 for an automatic six-month extension to mid-October — but remember the extension moves the paperwork deadline, not the payment deadline.

How to fill out Form 1040

  1. Gather your income documents

    W-2s from employers, 1099s for contract work, interest and dividends, brokerage statements, and records of other income.

  2. Fill in filing status and dependents

    Your filing status drives your standard deduction and tax brackets, so get it right first.

  3. Report income and attach schedules

    Lines 1–9 collect income. Anything beyond wages and basic interest usually routes through a schedule — Schedule 1, C, D, or E — that totals onto the 1040.

  4. Take deductions and credits

    Choose the standard deduction or itemize on Schedule A, then apply credits like the Child Tax Credit via the relevant schedules.

  5. Compute tax, compare withholding, sign

    The difference between total tax and what was withheld or paid in estimates is your refund or balance due. An unsigned return is not a filed return.

Form 1040 — frequently asked questions

They're the same return with the same lines. Form 1040-SR is a large-print version available to filers 65 and older that includes the standard deduction chart. Use whichever you prefer — the math is identical.
Yes. You can print the official PDF, fill it in, and mail it to the IRS address for your state. E-filing is faster for refunds, but paper filing remains fully valid.
Only the ones that apply. Common ones: Schedule 1 (additional income/adjustments), Schedule A (itemized deductions), Schedule C (self-employment), Schedule D (capital gains), Schedule E (rentals), and new Schedule 1-A for the tips, overtime, and senior deductions starting in 2025.
File Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. You generally have three years from the date you filed the original return to claim a refund on an amendment.

Related IRS forms

Schedule 1Additional Income and Adjustments to IncomeSchedule AItemized DeductionsSchedule CProfit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship)Form 4868Application for Automatic Extension of Time to FileForm 1040-SRU.S. Tax Return for Seniors

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Important: BizDocs is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Internal Revenue Service. The forms offered on this page are official, unmodified IRS documents provided free as a public resource; the IRS publishes them in the public domain at irs.gov. The guides on this page are general information, not tax or legal advice — tax rules change and depend on your situation, so verify details in the official IRS instructions or with a qualified tax professional before filing.