Form 8801 

Department of the Treasury 

Internal Revenue Service (99)

Credit for Prior Year Minimum Tax— 

Individuals, Estates, and Trusts

▶ Information about Form 8801 and its separate instructions is at www.irs.gov/form8801.

▶ Attach to Form 1040, 1040NR, or 1041.

OMB No. 1545-1073

2012

Attachment 

Sequence No. 74

Name(s) shown on return Identifying number

Part I Net Minimum Tax on Exclusion Items 

1 Combine lines 1 and 10 of your 2011 Form 6251. Estates and trusts, see instructions . . . . . 1 

2 Enter adjustments and preferences treated as exclusion items (see instructions) . . . . . . 2 

3 Minimum tax credit net operating loss deduction (see instructions) . . . . . . . . . . . 3 ( )

4 Combine lines 1, 2, and 3. If zero or less, enter -0- here and on line 15 and go to Part II. If more 

than $223,900 and you were married filing separately for 2011, see instructions . . . . . . 4 

5 Enter: $74,450 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) for 2011; $48,450 if single or head of 

household for 2011; or $37,225 if married filing separately for 2011. Estates and trusts, enter $22,500 5 

6 Enter: $150,000 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) for 2011; $112,500 if single or head 

of household for 2011; or $75,000 if married filing separately for 2011. Estates and trusts, enter 

$75,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

7 Subtract line 6 from line 4. If zero or less, enter -0- here and on line 8 and go to line 9 . . . . 7 

8 Multiply line 7 by 25% (.25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

9 Subtract line 8 from line 5. If zero or less, enter -0-. If under age 24 at the end of 2011, see instructions 9 

10 Subtract line 9 from line 4. If zero or less, enter -0- here and on line 15 and go to Part II. Form 

1040NR filers, see instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

11 • If for 2011 you filed Form 2555 or 2555-EZ, see instructions for the amount to enter. 

• If for 2011 you reported capital gain distributions directly on Form 1040, line 13; you 

reported qualified dividends on Form 1040, line 9b (Form 1041, line 2b(2)); or you had a 

gain on both lines 15 and 16 of Schedule D (Form 1040) (lines 14a and 15, column (2), of 

Schedule D (Form 1041)), complete Part III of Form 8801 and enter the amount from line 

47 here. Form 1040NR filers, see instructions.

• All others: If line 10 is $175,000 or less ($87,500 or less if married filing separately for 

2011), multiply line 10 by 26% (.26). Otherwise, multiply line 10 by 28% (.28) and subtract 

$3,500 ($1,750 if married filing separately for 2011) from the result. Form 1040NR filers, 

see instructions. 

} 11 

12 Minimum tax foreign tax credit on exclusion items (see instructions) . . . . . . . . . . 12 

13 Tentative minimum tax on exclusion items. Subtract line 12 from line 11 . . . . . . . . . 13 

14 Enter the amount from your 2011 Form 6251, line 34, or 2011 Form 1041, Schedule I, line 55 . . 14 

15 Net minimum tax on exclusion items. Subtract line 14 from line 13. If zero or less, enter -0- . . 15 

For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see instructions. Cat. No. 10002S Form 8801 (2012) 
Form 8801 (2012) Page 2 

Part II Current Year Nonrefundable and Refundable Credits and Carryforward to 2013

16 Enter the amount from your 2011 Form 6251, line 35, or 2011 Form 1041, Schedule I, line 56 . . 16 

17 Enter the amount from line 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

18 Subtract line 17 from line 16. If less than zero, enter as a negative amount . . . . . . . . 18 

19 2011 credit carryforward. Enter the amount from your 2011 Form 8801, line 28 . . . . . . 19 

20 Enter your 2011 unallowed qualified electric vehicle credit (see instructions) . . . . . . . . 20 

21 Combine lines 18 through 20. If zero or less, stop here and see the instructions . . . . . . . 21 

22 Enter your 2012 regular income tax liability minus allowable credits (see instructions) . . . . . 22 

23 Enter the amount from your 2012 Form 6251, line 33, or 2012 Form 1041, Schedule I, line 54 . . 23 

24 Subtract line 23 from line 22. If zero or less, enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

25 Current year nonrefundable credit. Enter the smaller of line 21 or line 24. Also enter this amount 

on your 2012 Form 1040, line 53 (check box b); Form 1040NR, line 50 (check box b); or Form

1041, Schedule G, line 2c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

26 Estates and trusts: Skip lines 26 and 27 and go to line 28.

Individuals: Did you have a minimum tax credit carryforward to 2010 (on your 2009 Form 8801, 

line 30)?

No. Leave lines 26 and 27 blank and go to line 28. 

Yes. Complete Part IV of Form 8801 to figure the amount to enter . . . . . . . . . . 26 

27 Is line 26 more than line 25? 

No. Leave line 27 blank and go to line 28. 

Yes. Subtract line 25 from line 26. This is your current year refundable credit. Enter the

result here and on your 2012 Form 1040, line 71 (check box c), or Form 1040NR, line 67 

(check box c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

28 Credit carryforward to 2013. Subtract the larger of line 25 or line 26 from line 21. Keep a record

of this amount because you may use it in future years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Form 8801 (2012) 
Form 8801 (2012) Page 3 

Part III Tax Computation Using Maximum Capital Gains Rates 

Caution. If you did not complete the 2011 Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, 

the 2011 Schedule D Tax Worksheet, or Part V of the 2011 Schedule D (Form 1041), see the

instructions before completing this part. 

29 Enter the amount from Form 8801, line 10. If you filed Form 2555 or 2555-EZ for 2011, enter the

amount from line 3 of the Foreign Earned Income Tax Worksheet in the instructions . . . . . 29

Caution. If for 2011 you filed Form 1040NR, 1041, 2555, or 2555-EZ, see the instructions before 

completing lines 30, 31, and 32. 

30 Enter the amount from line 6 of your 2011 Qualified Dividends and 

Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, the amount from line 13 of your 2011 

Schedule D Tax Worksheet, or the amount from line 22 of the 2011 

Schedule D (Form 1041), whichever applies* . . . . . . . . . 30 

If you figured your 2011 tax using the 2011 Qualified Dividends and 

Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, skip line 31 and enter the amount 

from line 30 on line 32. Otherwise, go to line 31. 

31 Enter the amount from line 19 of your 2011 Schedule D (Form 1040), or 

line 14b, column (2), of the 2011 Schedule D (Form 1041) . . . . . 31 

32 Add lines 30 and 31, and enter the smaller of that result or the amount 

from line 10 of your 2011 Schedule D Tax Worksheet . . . . . . 32

33 Enter the smaller of line 29 or line 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

34 Subtract line 33 from line 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

35 If line 34 is $175,000 or less ($87,500 or less if married filing separately for 2011), multiply line 34 

by 26% (.26). Otherwise, multiply line 34 by 28% (.28) and subtract $3,500 ($1,750 if married filing 

separately for 2011) from the result. Form 1040NR filers, see instructions . . . . . . . . ▶ 35

36 Enter: 

• $69,000 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) for 2011, 

• $34,500 if single or married filing separately for 2011, 

• $46,250 if head of household for 2011, or 

• $2,300 for an estate or trust. 

Form 1040NR filers, see instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 

37 Enter the amount from line 7 of your 2011 Qualified Dividends and 

Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, the amount from line 14 of your 2011 

Schedule D Tax Worksheet, or the amount from line 23 of the 2011 

Schedule D (Form 1041), whichever applies. If you did not complete 

either worksheet or Part V of the 2011 Schedule D (Form 1041), enter 

-0-. Form 1040NR filers, see instructions . . . . . . . . . . 37

38 Subtract line 37 from line 36. If zero or less, enter -0- . . . . . . 38 

39 Enter the smaller of line 29 or line 30 . . . . . . . . . . . 39

40 Enter the smaller of line 38 or line 39 . . . . . . . . . . . 40 

41 Subtract line 40 from line 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

42 Multiply line 41 by 15% (.15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ▶ 42 

If line 31 is zero or blank, skip lines 43 and 44 and go to line 45. Otherwise, go to line 43. 

43 Subtract line 39 from line 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

44 Multiply line 43 by 25% (.25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ▶ 44 

45 Add lines 35, 42, and 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 

46 If line 29 is $175,000 or less ($87,500 or less if married filing separately for 2011), multiply line 29 

by 26% (.26). Otherwise, multiply line 29 by 28% (.28) and subtract $3,500 ($1,750 if married filing 

separately for 2011) from the result. Form 1040NR filers, see instructions . . . . . . . . . 46

47 Enter the smaller of line 45 or line 46 here and on line 11. If you filed Form 2555 or 2555-EZ for 

2011, do not enter this amount on line 11. Instead, enter it on line 4 of the Foreign Earned Income

Tax Worksheet in the instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

* The 2011 Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet is in the 2011 Instructions for Form 1040. The 2011 Schedule D Tax Worksheet is in the 2011 Instructions 

for Schedule D (Form 1040) (or the 2011 Instructions for Schedule D (Form 1041)). 

Form 8801 (2012) 
Form 8801 (2012) Page 4 

Part IV Tentative Refundable Credit 

48 Enter the amount from line 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

49 Enter the total of lines 18 and 20 from your 2010 Form 8801. 

If zero or less, enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 

50 Enter the total of lines 18 and 20 from your 2011 Form 8801. 

If zero or less, enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

51 Enter the total of lines 18 and 20 from your 2012 Form 8801. 

If zero or less, enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

52 Add lines 49 through 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

53 Long-term unused minimum tax credit. Subtract line 52 from line 48 (If zero or less, enter -0-

here and on line 26. Do not complete the rest of Part IV) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

54 Multiply line 53 by 50% (.50) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

55 Enter the amount from your 2011 Form 8801, line 57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 

56 Enter the larger of line 54 or line 55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

57 Enter the smaller of line 53 or line 56. Enter the result here and on line 26 . . . . . . . . 57

Form 8801 (2012)