There’s a new tax form designed with seniors in mind. The IRS released a draft form of the 1040-SR, “U.S. Tax Return for Seniors,” says Kiplinger in its article, “IRS Releases Draft Form of New 1040 Tailored for Seniors.”
This form was created by the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act. One of its provisions required the development of a tax return that would be easy for seniors to use. The form will highlight retirement income streams and other tax benefits for seniors. Taxpayers age 65 and older can use this form to file their 2019 tax returns.
It’s designed off the regular 1040, and the IRS says it uses all the same schedules, instructions, and attachments. Taxpayers who use tax software to file may not even notice the difference.
However, for taxpayers who still complete paper tax forms, the new form will be friendlier to aging eyes. The font is bigger, and the shading on the regular 1040 has been removed to improve the contrast and increase legibility.
One important feature of the new tax form is the addition of a standard deduction chart. The form lists the standard deduction amounts, including the extra standard deduction amount for which taxpayers age 65 and older qualify. This way, seniors don’t have to search around for the information. The chart also makes it simpler for seniors to take advantage of the full standard deduction for which they’re eligible, especially for those who may not even be aware of the extra amount for which they qualify.
The tax form has lines for specific retirement income streams, like Social Security benefits, IRA distributions, and pensions, as well as earned income from work.
The draft form will be finalized later this year.
Reference: Kiplinger (July 12, 2019) “IRS Releases Draft Form of New 1040 Tailored for Seniors”
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