taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#f24811v01taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP4c3d5b04taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP020021d0taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP00b153d2taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP1ceb3059If you have earned income from work, you may be able to take this credit. It is 6.2% of your earned income but cannot be more than $400 ($800 if married filing jointly). See page 47.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP6039ee1dYou may be able to take this credit if you get a government pension or annuity, but it reduces any making work pay credit. See page 47.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP450ad5e8Any economic recovery payment you received is not taxable for federal income tax purposes, but it reduces any making work pay credit or government retiree credit. See pages 29 and 47.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP14c8545fA $3,500 or $4,500 voucher or payment made for such a voucher under the CARS cash for clunkers
program to buy or lease a new fuel-efficient automobile is not taxable for federal income tax purposes.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP58af17fdYou can now receive up to $5,000 of U.S. Series I Savings Bonds as part of your income tax refund without setting up a TreasuryDirect® account in advance. For more details, see Form 8888.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP02345460You do not have to pay tax on unemployment compensation of up to $2,400 per recipient. Amounts over $2,400 are still taxable. See page 27.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP277e3887The 65% subsidy for payment of COBRA health care coverage continuation premiums is not taxable for federal income tax purposes.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP2516113aAny Pay-for-Performance Success Payments that reduce the principal balance of your home mortgage under the Home Affordable Modification Program are not taxable.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP0cfe1c44The maximum Hope education credit has increased to $2,500 for most taxpayers. The increased credit is now called the American opportunity credit. Part of the credit is now refundable for most taxpayers. Claim that part on line 66. Claim any other education credits on line 49. See pages 40 and 72.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP71248943The AMT exemption amount has increased to $46,700 ($70,950 if married filing jointly or a qualifying widow(er); $35,475 if married filing separately).
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP7fc0d383You may be able to take an IRA deduction if you were covered by a retirement plan and your 2009 modified adjusted gross income (AGI) is less than $65,000 ($109,000 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er)). If your spouse was covered by a retirement plan, but you were not, you may be able to take an IRA deduction if your 2009 modified AGI is less than $176,000. See pages 31 and 32 for details and exceptions.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP68471588If you bought a new motor vehicle after February 16, 2009, you may be able to deduct any state or local sales or excise taxes on the purchase. In states without a sales tax, you may be able to deduct certain other taxes or fees instead. Take the deduction on Schedule A if you are itemizing deductions and are not electing to deduct state and local general sales taxes. If you are not itemizing deductions, these taxes increase your standard deduction and are claimed on Schedule L. See the instructions for line 40a beginning on page 35.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP2c7771d9The credit increases to as much as $8,000 ($4,000 if married filing separately) for homes bought after 2008 and before May 1, 2010 (before July 1, 2010, if you entered into a written binding contract before May 1, 2010). You can choose to claim the credit on your 2009 return for a home you bought in 2010 that qualifies for the credit. See page 72.
You generally must repay any credit you claimed for 2008 if you sold your home in 2009 or the home ceased to be your main home in 2009. See the instructions for line 60 on page 46.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP5c31e596You may be able to take this credit for qualifying energy saving items for your home placed in service in 2009. See the instructions for line 52 on page 45.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP792e8442The following credits have increased for some people.
- Additional child tax credit (line 65). See Form 8812.
- Residential energy efficient property credit (line 52). See Form 5695.
The 2009 rate for business use of your vehicle is 55 cents a mile. The 2009 rate for use of your vehicle to get medical care or to move is 24 cents a mile.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP366cef20Each personal casualty or theft loss is limited to the excess of the loss over $500 for 2009. In addition, the 10% of AGI limit generally continues to apply to the net loss.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP779a8d57The EIC has increased for people with three or more children and for some married couples filing jointly. You may be able to take the EIC if:
- Three or more children lived with you and you earned less than $43,279 ($48,279 if married filing jointly),
- Two children lived with you and you earned less than $40,295 ($45,295 if married filing jointly),
- One child lived with you and you earned less than $35,463 ($40,463 if married filing jointly), or
- A child did not live with you and you earned less than $13,440 ($18,440 if married filing jointly).
The maximum AGI you can have and still get the credit also has increased. You may be able to take the credit if your AGI is less than the amount in the above list that applies to you. The maximum investment income you can have and still get the credit has increased to $3,100. See page 48.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP493908e2A noncustodial parent claiming an exemption for a child can no longer attach certain pages from a divorce decree or separation agreement instead of Form 8332 if the decree or agreement was executed after 2008. The noncustodial parent must attach Form 8332 or a similar statement signed by the custodial parent and whose only purpose is to release a claim to exemption. See page 18.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP279f1dc4The following changes to the definition of a qualifying child apply.
- To be your qualifying child, a child must be younger than you unless the child is permanently and totally disabled.
- A child cannot be your qualifying child if he or she files a joint return, unless the return was filed only as a claim for refund.
- If the parents of a child can claim the child as a qualifying child but no parent so claims the child, no one else can claim the child as a qualifying child unless that person's AGI is higher than the highest AGI of any parent of the child.
- Your child is a qualifying child for purposes of the child tax credit only if you can and do claim an exemption for him or her.
The amount of taxable investment income a child can have without it being subject to tax at the parent's rate has increased to $1,900. See Form 8615 on page 38.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP0c1a4177The maximum amount you can defer under all plans is generally limited to $16,500 ($11,500 if you have only SIMPLE plans; $19,500 for section 403(b) plans if you qualify for the 15-year rule). The catch-up contribution limit for individuals age 50 or older at the end of the year has increased to $5,500 (except for section 401(k)(11) plans and SIMPLE plans, for which this limit remains unchanged).
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP11e35090In certain cases, gain from the sale of your main home is no longer excludable from income if it is allocable to periods after 2008 when neither you nor your spouse (or your former spouse) used the property as a main home. See Pub. 523.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP14aa0aecYou may be able to take a credit for:
- A plug-in electric drive motor vehicle placed in service in 2009 (see Form 8936),
- A plug-in electric vehicle bought after February 17, 2009 (see Form 8834), or
- Conversion of a vehicle to a plug-in electric drive motor vehicle placed in service after February 17, 2009 (see Form 8910).
Certain tax benefits for Midwestern disaster areas have expired, including special charitable contribution rules and the election to use your 2007 earned income to figure your 2008 EIC and additional child tax credit. See Pub. 4492-B.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP65bf2d4eThis credit has expired and does not apply for 2009.
taxmap/instr/i1040gi-000.htm#TXMP3dbefea7You may be mailing your return to a different address this year because the IRS has changed the filing location for several areas. If you received an envelope with your tax package, please use it. Otherwise, see Where Do You File? on the back cover.
Previous Page |
Table of Contents |
Index |
Next Page 
"IRS Customer Service Standards"