Instructions for 2005 Form 1040A

Lines 19 through 30

Line 19: Tuition and Fees Deduction

• If you took college classes in 2005, you can choose to deduct the tuition and school fees you paid. Alternatively, you can take the Hope or Lifetime Learning tax credits.
• Add up your expenses for tuition, registration fees, and other required fees. Do not include the cost of books, supplies, software, room and board, or other miscellaneous expenses for schooling.
• The maximum amount of tuition and fees you can claim is $4,000 per year (or $2,000 if your total income is over $65,000).
• Put the lower of your actual tuition and fees or the maximum on Line 19.

Line 20: Total Adjustments

• Using a calculator, add up the amounts in lines 16, 17, 18, and 19.
• Put the total on line 20.

Line 21: Adjusted Gross Income

• Using a calculator, enter the amount from line 15 (Total Income) and subtract the amount on line 20 (Total Adjustments).
• Put the total figure on Line 21.
• This figure is your Adjusted Gross Income. AGI is used to figure your tax.

Line 22: Adjusted Gross Income

• Copy the figure from Line 21.

Line 23: Over 65 or Blind or Married Filing Separately

• If you were born before January 2, 1940 of if you are blind, check the appropriate boxes on line 23.
• If your filing status is married filing separately, and your spouses itemizes, then check the box on line 23b.

Tax Tip — If you checked the box on line 23b, you should really file on Form 1040 and itemize your deductions on Schedule A. That's because any itemized deductions at all will result in lower taxes than using Form 1040A.

Line 24: Standard Deduction

• Enter your standard deduction using the chart on Form 1040A, page 2.
• If you checked any boxes in line 23a or if you can be claimed as a dependent by someone else, then you should use the "Standard Deduction Worksheet" on page 33 of the Instructions for Form 1040A (PDF).

Line 25

• Using a calculator, enter the amount on line 22, and then subtract the amount on line 24.
• Put the result on Line 25.

Line 26: Personal Exemptions

• Look at line 6d, on page 1 of your Form 1040A.
• Using a calculator, multiply this number times $3,200.
• Put the total figure on Line 26.
• Your personal exemptions may be reduced if your adjusted gross income (line 22) is over $109,475. You should use Form 1040 if your adjusted gross income is more than $100,000.
• Your personal exemptions and standard deduction represents the amount of income that is tax-free.

ONLY FOR 2005 — If you provided free housing to a person displaced by Hurricane Katrina, you can take an additional personal exemption. You will need to use IRS Form 8914 to claim this special tax break.

Line 27: Taxable Income

• Using a calculator, enter the amount from line 25, and then subtract the amount on line 26.
• Put the result on line 27. This is your taxable income.
• This figure will be used to calculate your tax.

Line 28: Tax

• Look at the figure on Line 27. This is your taxable income.
• Use this figure to look up the amount of tax using the tax tables in the instruction booklet, beginning on page 61.
• Put the tax figure on Line 28.

If you have qualified dividends (line 9b) or capital gains distributions (line 10), you need to calculate your tax using the Tax Worksheet on page 36 of the instruction booklet.

Line 29: Tax Credit for child and dependent care expenses

• Day care expenses you paid for your child or dependent may reduce your taxes.
• Your child must be 12 years old or younger at the end of the year.
• If your child turned 13 during the year, only those expenses before the child turned 13 can be claimed.
• If your dependent age 13 or older is unable to care for himself or herself, then you can claim those day care expenses.
• Use 1040A Schedule 2 to claim this tax credit. Attach Schedule 2 to your tax return.

Line 30: Credit for the Elderly or Disabled

• You can reduce your taxes if you are age 65 or older,
• or if you have a disability pension, and you are permanently disabled.
• Use 1040A Schedule 3 to claim this tax credit. Attach Schedule 3 to your tax return.

Table of Contents
Form 1040A: Lines 1 to 11 (page 1)
Form 1040A: Lines 12 to 18 (page 2)
Form 1040A: Lines 19 to 30 (page 3)
Form 1040A: Lines 31 to 40 (page 4)
Form 1040A: Lines 41 to 48 (page 5)