Interactive Tax Forms

This interactive tool tells you a little about what is behind the tax forms. What does each line mean? How many people make an entry? How does it affect revenues and the distribution of tax burdens across income categories?

This yearï¿½s version covers the 2015 Form 1040ï¿½the most common returnï¿½and Schedule A, where taxpayers tally up itemized deductions.

Click on a link to bring up a form. Then hover your cursor over a line to see basic information and click to bring up a box with additional information.

This year, we also offer a new feature that explains in broader brush strokes how the federal income tax works. The new presentation talks about different aspects of filling out your returnï¿½who count as dependents, what income do you report and what is left out, what deductions and credits can you claim, and how do taxes affect education, retirement, and health expenses. Check it out here.

Unmarried individuals without dependents or who do not maintain their own household file as single.

Married couples generally file one joint return that combines the income and expenses of both spouses.

Married couples may file two tax returns, reporting each spouse's income and expenses separately.

An unmarried individual who maintains his/her own household and has dependents may file as Head of Household.

A widow(er) may file a joint return as married in the year of a spouseï¿½s death. For the next two years, the surviving spouse may continue to file a joint return if s/he maintains a household and has a dependent son or daughter.

A taxpayer may claim an exemption for him/herself, his/her spouse, and all dependents.

A taxpayer may claim an exemption for his or her spouse, and all dependents. A widower whose spouse died during the previous year may also claim a spousal exemption.

A taxpayer may claim exemptions for children who were 1) under age 19 at the end of 2014 2) under age 24 if they were at least half-time students, or 3) were totally and permanently disabled as well as for other dependents.

Income earned from job(s).

Interest earned on bank accounts and bonds.

Interest paid on municipal and state bonds on which individuals pay no federal income tax.

Dividends paid to shareholders by corporations or mutual funds.

Dividends that are subject to a lower tax rate than ordinary income. Qualified dividends are identified separately on information returns provided by payers.

Some or all of any refund of the prior year's state and local income taxes. The amount of any refund included as income on this year's tax returns is determined using the State and Local Income Tax Refund worksheet.

Alimony or separate maintenance payments received in the filing year. The person making these payments may subtract them in calculating adjusted gross income (AGI) on his/her income tax return.

Income (net of expenses) earned from a business or sole proprietorship as reported on Schedule C or C-EZ.

Gain or loss from the sale of an asset such as a stock or bond.

Gains or losses from the sale of assets used in a trade or business.

Amount withdrawn from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) during the tax year.

Amount of withdrawals from IRAs that is subject to income tax.

Amounts received from pensions or annuities.

Amount of pension or annuity payments that is subject to income tax.

Income from rental property, royalties, partnerships, S corporations, estates, trusts, and other entities, net of expenses.

Profit or loss from farming.

Total unemployment compensation received, net of contributions to unemployment or family leave programs, and repayment of excess compensation in prior years.

Total Social Security benefits received.

Taxable amount of Social Security benefits. Between 0 and 85 percent of benefits are taxable, depending on the recipientï¿½s income.

All taxable income not reported in other categories, including most prizes and awards, gambling winnings, pay for jury duty, canceled debts, and other income.

Total income subject to income tax, before adjustments.

Educators may deduct up to $250 spent on qualified education expenses, such as books, supplies, equipment, and other materials used in the classroom.

Expenses incurred as an employee that are not reimbursed by employer.

Contributions made to an Archer health savings account (except those made by employers) for individuals and families with high-deductible health plans.

Unreimbursed moving and travel expenses.

People with business, sole-proprietorship, or farm income may deduct half of the self-employment tax paid to fund Social Security and Medicare.

Contributions by self-employed individuals to qualified retirement plans.

Premiums paid for health insurance by self-employed individuals, net of deductible self-employment tax and deductible contributions to retirement plans.

Penalty imposed on early withdrawals from deferred-interest accounts.

Taxpayers who make alimony or separate maintenance payments may deduct those payments from income. Recipients of these alimony payments must report them as income on their income tax returns.

N/A

Contributions made to deductible IRAs.

Taxpayers may deduct up to $2,500 of interest paid on student loans, subject to income and filing limitations.

Taxpayers may deduct up to $4,000 of qualifying tuition and fees, subject to income limits.

Taxpayers may deduct up to 9 percent of income from qualified domestic production activities.

Total deductions allowed against total income in the calculation of adjusted gross income.

Adjusted gross income (AGI) is the total income subject to tax before exemptions and either the standard or itemized deductions.