The 1040A is a simpler version of Form 1040. You can use it if you meet the less-complex 1040A requirements. Also, if you're filing a paper return and meet the requirements, using the simpler 1040A reduces the chance for both:

• Costly errors
• A delay in your return’s processing

Your taxable income must be less than $100,000 to use the 1040A. Your income can come only from these sources:

• Wages, salaries, and tips
• Interest and dividends
• Capital gain distributions
• Taxable scholarship and fellowship grants
• Pensions, annuities, and IRAs
• Unemployment compensation
• Taxable Social Security and railroad retirement benefits
• Alaska Permanent Fund dividends

The only adjustments to income you can claim are:

• IRA deduction
• Student-loan interest deduction

You can claim these adjustments to income:

• Educator expenses
• Tuition and fees deduction

The only credits you can claim are:

• Child tax credit
• Additional child tax credit
• Education credits
• Earned Income Credit (EIC)
• Credit for child- and dependent-care expenses
• Credit for the elderly or the disabled
• Retirement savings contributions credit

You can also use a 1040A if you:

• Receive dependent-care benefits
• Owe tax from the recapture of an education credit or the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)

Restrictions for using a 1040A include:

• You can’t itemize deductions. So you can't deduct charitable donations or mortgage interest paid.
• You can't claim an AMT adjustment on stock acquired from exercising an incentive stock option.