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In the Right Form at Tax Time

© Ann Needle

Whether it's your retirement income or income taxes, it's time to claim it for the 1999 tax year. So, this list organizes each major retirement income publication and income tax filing form -- here the major criteria for determining who qualifies to file each form is also listed.

RETIREMENT INCOME PUBLICATIONS

Trying to sort through the questions about claiming any retirement information, but dread trying to ask the Internal Revenue Service? Well, here's a summary of the important ones -- and the direct links to get you here. Good luck!

Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income http://www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/pubs/p525t... -- Tax treatment of long-term care insurance premiums, inherited individual retirement accounts (IRAs), and gifts and inhetiences.

Publication 553, Highlights of 1999 Tax Changes http://www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/pubs/p553t... -- Head right for Chapter 3 for tax changes to IRAs for both 1999 and 2000.

Publication 554, Older Americans' Tax Guide http://www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/pubs/p554t... -- You know if you need it -- and it's a terrific guide to the tax code if you do.

Publication 560, Retirement Plans for Small Business http://www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/pubs/p560t... -- It's the alphabet soup of SEPs, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLEs all in one place.

Publication 575, Pension and Annuity Income http://www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/pubs/p575t... -- A great review of how to treat rollovers from 401(k)s to other plans, plus important information for beneficiaries of pensions and 401(k)s.

Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements http://www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/pubs/p590t... -- THE publication to have if you have an IRA of any kind.

INCOME TAXES

Many of you will find this awfully simplistic, I know - but someone always wants to know if they can use another form to file the tax mess on, so here goes.

For more on who needs to file which form, you can easily download the Internal Revenue Service's Publication 17, Federal Tax Form for Individuals, at http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/forms_pubs/pu... The criteria for filing a particular form are listed under "Which Form Should I Use?" Keep in mind that you must meet all criteria listed, or use another form.

Also, don't forget to file your state taxes along with your federal forms. You can easily access a copy of your state's tax form by heading to Quicken.com's Web Sites for State Taxes at http://www.quicken.com/dir/?p=intuit/tax...

1040EZ

This is by far the easiest to use, designed for those with nothing to claim other than income from a job. You can file with a 1040EZ if you -

· Have taxable income of less than $50,000

· Are single, or married and filing jointly

· Don't claim any dependents

· Were under age 65 (along with your spouse) on the January 1 of the year in which you are filing the return

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