They wanted Income Tax Returns to be the size of a post card - some musings [View all]

After the "Tax Reform" Act. Yes, it was, a size of a large post card; would require extra postage. A two sided form with tiny fonts that I, at least, needed a magnifying glass to read it. Thankfully, TurboTax and other tax preparers would generate the final returns on regular 8 x 11 pages.

All this is out of the window. Form 1040 for 2019 had 24 Lines; for 2020 - 34. And these are just the numbered lines without the sub lines a, b, c. etc. For example, Line 25a is for Federal Tax withheld on Form(s) W-2, 25b - Form(s) 1099, 25c - Other forms and 25d - total.

And some of us may wonder whether the 2020 return may be missing a form. On the 2019 return we reported Estimated tax payments on Schedule 3. On the 2020 - Line 26 on Form 1040. Bye bye Schedule 3. For now.

(OK, Schedule 3 is still used for credits like childcare, education, IRA, contributions and others. Again, for now)