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Step 7: Complete Form 1040

Form 1040 is your main U.S. individual tax return. This is where your income, deductions, credits, exclusions, additional taxes, payments, and final tax result come together.

What Happens on Form 1040

• Your income is reported and summarized
• Adjustments and deductions are applied
• Exclusions and credits may affect the final tax result
• Additional taxes, such as self-employment tax, may be included
• Payments, withholding, and credits are applied
• Your refund or balance due is calculated

Common Forms That May Feed Into Form 1040

Depending on your situation, these forms and schedules may connect to your Form 1040:

• Schedule 1 for additional income and adjustments
• Schedule C for self-employed business income
• Schedule SE for self-employment tax
• Form 2555 for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
• Form 1116 for the Foreign Tax Credit

Download Form 1040

Download Form 1040 from the IRS

Use the IRS PDF for reference, but remember that many expat calculations are completed on supporting forms before the final numbers reach Form 1040.

Before You File

• Review all transferred numbers carefully
• Confirm income and exclusions match earlier forms
• Check whether Schedule C, Schedule SE, Form 2555, or Form 1116 applies
• Confirm credits, payments, and withholding are entered correctly
• Check for missing schedules, signatures, or required attachments

A careful final review can help prevent delays, notices, and amended returns later.

Final Step

Once your supporting forms have been completed and your Form 1040 has been reviewed, your return may be ready to file.