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Home > Tax Calculators & Tips > All Tax Guides > IRS Tax Forms > Video: What are IRS Forms?

Video: What are IRS Forms?

Updated for Tax Year: 2012
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IRS forms are filled out by taxpayers each year to indicate how much money that person owes to the government. Find out about these forms with help from TurboTax in this video on tax tips.

Hello, I'm Sara from TurboTax, with some information about IRS tax forms. It's unlikely you enjoy filling out tax forms, but if you have to pay income tax every year, you should be glad you don't have to come up with one yourself.

The purpose of IRS forms is to collect tax payer information in a uniform way. By issuing standard forms the IRS is able to operate much more efficiently. The most well known IRS form is probably your personal tax return, usually a 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ but there are many more that you may have to include with your tax return.

Commonly, tax payers also have to provide a little more detail on Schedule Attachments. If you itemize your deductions for example, you may be familiar with the Schedule A Form where you list these deductions. Others include the Schedule B to report certain interest income and the Schedule D to report your stock transactions. If you've ever claimed a tax credit then you are well aware that the IRS creates a separate form for each one.

There are even informational forms like your W2 or 1099. These report all the types of income you receive during the year and are vital for preparing your return.

You can easily obtain all IRS forms on its website at www.irs.gov and remember if you use TurboTax to prepare your return, we'll ask you simple questions, guide you step-by-step and fill in all the right forms for you.

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The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always seek the assistance of a professional who knows your particular situation for advice on your taxes, your investments, the law or any other business and professional matters that affect you and/or your business.

 
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