2016 Publication
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Userid: CPM Schema: tipx Leadpct: 100% Pt. size: 8 Draft Ok to Print AH XSL/XML Fileid: … tions/P501/2016/A/XML/Cycle03/source (Init. & Date) _______ Page 1 of 30 14:46 19Dec2016 The type and rule above prints on all proofs including departmental reproduction proofs. MUST be removed before printing. Publication 501 Cat. No. 15000U Contents What's New .................. 1 Department of the Exemptions, Reminders ................... 1 Treasury Internal Introduction .................. 2 Revenue Standard Service Who Must File ................. 3 Deduction, Who Should File ............... 5 and Filing Filing Status .................. 6 Exemptions ................. 11 Information Exemptions for Dependents ....... 11 Phaseout of Exemptions ......... 23 For use in preparing Social Security Numbers for Dependents .............. 23 2016 Returns Standard Deduction ............ 24 2016 Standard Deduction Tables .... 25 How To Get Tax Help ........... 27 Index ..................... 29 What's New Who must file. In some cases, the amount of income you can receive before you must file a tax return has increased. Table 1 shows the fil ing requirements for most taxpayers. Exemption amount. The amount you can de duct for each exemption has increased. It was $4,000 for 2015. It is $4,050 for 2016. Exemption phaseout. You lose at least part of the benefit of your exemptions if your adjusted gross income is above a certain amount. For 2016, the phaseout begins at $155,650 for mar ried individuals filing separate returns; $259,400 for single individuals; $285,350 for heads of household; and $311,300 for married individuals filing joint returns or qualifying widow(er)s. See Phaseout of Exemptions, later. Standard deduction increased. The stand ard deduction for some taxpayers who don't itemize their deductions on Schedule A of Form 1040 is higher for 2016 than it was for 2015. The amount depends on your filing status. You can use the 2016 Standard Deduction Tables near the end of this publication to figure your standard deduction. Reminders Future developments. Information about any future developments affecting Pub. 501 (such as legislation enacted after we release it) will be posted at IRS.gov/pub501. Get forms and other information faster and easier at: Taxpayer identification number for aliens. • IRS.gov (English) • IRS.gov/Korean (한국어) If you are a nonresident or resident alien and • IRS.gov/Spanish (Español) • IRS.gov/Russian (Pусский) you don't have and aren't eligible to get a social • IRS.gov/Chinese (中文) • IRS.gov/Vietnamese (TiếngViệt) security number (SSN), you must apply for an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Nov 15, 2016 Page 2 of 30 Fileid: … tions/P501/2016/A/XML/Cycle03/source 14:46 19Dec2016 The type and rule above prints on all proofs including departmental reproduction proofs. MUST be removed before printing. Table 1. 2016 Filing Requirements Chart for Most Taxpayers standard deduction for taxpayers who are blind or age 65 or older, as well as special rules that THEN file a return limit the standard deduction available to de pendents. In addition, this section helps you de if your gross cide whether you would be better off taking the AND at the end of 2016 you income was at standard deduction or itemizing your deduc IF your filing status is... were...* least...** tions. single under 65 $10,350 How To Get Tax Help explains how to get tax help from the IRS. 65 or older $11,900 This publication is for U.S. citizens and resi dent aliens only. If you are a resident alien for head of household under 65 $13,350 the entire year, you must follow the same tax 65 or older $14,900 rules that apply to U.S. citizens. The rules to de termine if you are a resident or nonresident *** married, filing jointly under 65 (both spouses) $20,700 alien are discussed in chapter 1 of Pub. 519, 65 or older (one spouse) $21,950 U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens. 65 or older (both spouses) $23,200 Nonresident aliens. If you were a nonresident married, filing separately any age $4,050 alien at any time during the year, the rules and tax forms that apply to you may be different qualifying widow(er) with under 65 $16,650 from those that apply to U.S. citizens. See Pub. 519. dependent child 65 or older $17,900 * If you were born before January 2, 1952, you're considered to be 65 or older at the Comments and suggestions. We welcome end of 2016. (If your spouse died in 2016, see Death of spouse, later. If you're your comments about this publication and your preparing a return for someone who died in 2016, see Death of taxpayer, later. suggestions for future editions. You can send us comments from IRS.gov/ ** Gross income means all income you receive in the form of money, goods, formspubs. Click on “More Information” and property, and services that isn't exempt from tax, including any income from sources then on “Give us feedback.” outside the United States or from the sale of your main home (even if you can exclude Or you can write to: part or all of it). Don't include any social security benefits unless (a) you're married filing a separate return and you lived with your spouse at any time during 2016 or (b) Internal Revenue Service Tax Forms and Publications onehalf of your social security benefits plus your other gross income and any 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR6526 taxexempt interest is more than $25,000 ($32,000 if married filing jointly). If (a) or (b) Washington, DC 20224 applies, see the Form 1040 instructions to figure the taxable part of social security benefits you must include in gross income. Gross income includes gains, but not We respond to many letters by telephone. losses, reported on Form 8949 or Schedule D. Gross income from a business means, Therefore, it would be helpful if you would in for example, the amount on Schedule C, line 7, or Schedule F, line 9. But in figuring clude your daytime phone number, including gross income, don't reduce your income by any losses, including any loss on the area code, in your correspondence. Schedule C, line 7, or Schedule F, line 9. Although we can’t respond individually to each comment received, we do appreciate your *** If you didn't live with your spouse at the end of 2016 (or on the date your spouse feedback and will consider your comments as died) and your gross income was at least $4,050, you must file a return regardless of we revise our tax products. your age. Ordering forms and publications. Visit IRS.gov/formspubs to download forms and Your spouse also may need an ITIN if he or she income, reading this section will help you de publications. Otherwise, you can go to IRS.gov/ doesn't have and isn't eligible to get an SSN. cide if you have to file a return. orderforms to order current and prioryear forms See Form W7, Application for IRS Individual Who Should File helps you decide if you and instructions. Your order should arrive within Taxpayer Identification Number. Also, see So should file a return, even if you aren't required 10 business days. cial Security Numbers for Dependents, later. to do so. Photographs of missing children. The Inter Filing Status helps you determine which fil Tax questions. If you have a tax question nal Revenue Service is a proud partner with the ing status to use. Filing status is important in not answered by this publication, check National Center for Missing and Exploited Chil determining whether you must file a return and IRS.gov and How To Get Tax Help at the end of dren. Photographs of missing children selected whether you may claim certain deductions and this publication. by the Center may appear in this publication on credits. It also helps determine your standard pages that would otherwise be blank. You can deduction and tax rate. Useful Items help bring these children home by looking at the Exemptions, which reduce your taxable in You may want to see: photographs and calling 1800THELOST come, are discussed in Exemptions. (18008435678) if you recognize a child. Exemptions for Dependents explains the difference between a qualifying child and a Publication qualifying relative. Other topics include the so 559 Survivors, Executors, and Introduction cial security number requirement for depend Administrators ents, the rules for multiple support agreements, This publication discusses some tax rules that and the rules for divorced or separated parents. 929 Tax Rules for Children and affect every person who may have to file a fed Phaseout of Exemptions explains how to de Dependents eral income tax return. It answers some basic termine whether you must reduce the dollar questions: who must file; who should file; what amount of exemptions you claim and, if so, the Form (and Instructions) filing status to use; how many exemptions to amount of the reduction. claim; and the amount of the standard deduc Standard Deduction gives the rules and dol 1040X Amended U.S. Individual Income tion. lar amounts for the standard deduction — a Tax Return Who Must File explains who must file an in benefit for taxpayers who don't itemize their de come tax return. If you have little or no gross 2848 Power of Attorney and Declaration ductions. This section also discusses the of Representative Page 2 Publication 501 (2016) Page 3 of 30 Fileid: … tions/P501/2016/A/XML/Cycle03/source 14:46 19Dec2016 The type and rule above prints on all proofs including departmental reproduction proofs.