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OMB No. 1545-0998 Tax for Children Under Age 14

Who Have Investment Income of More Than $1,200 Form 8615

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

Attachment

© Attach ONLY to the child’s Form 1040, Form 1040A, or Form 1040NR. Sequence No. 33

General Instructions

Purpose of Form.—For children under

age 14, investment income over $1,200

is taxed at the parent’s rate if the

parent’s rate is higher than the child’s

rate. If the child’s investment income is

more than $1,200, use this form to

figure the child’s tax.

Note: The parent may be able to elect to

report the child’s interest and dividends

on his or her return. If the parent makes

this election, the child will not have to

Who Must File.—Generally, Form 8615

must be filed for any child who was

under age 14 on January 1, 1995, had

more than $1,200 of investment income,

and is required to file a tax return. If

neither parent was alive on December

31, 1994, do not use Form 8615.

Instead, figure the child’s tax in the

normal manner.

Child’s name shown on return Child’s social security number

Parent’s name (first, initial, and last). Caution: See instructions on back before completing. Parent’s social security number

Parent’s filing status (check one):

Figure child’s net investment income

Enter child’s investment income, such as taxable interest and dividend income. See instructions.

If this amount is $1,200 or less, stop here; do not file this form 

1

1

If the child DID NOT itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040 or Form 1040NR), enter

$1,200. If the child ITEMIZED deductions, see instructions

2

2

Subtract line 2 from line 1. If the result is zero or less, stop here; do not complete the rest of

this form but ATTACH it to the child’s return 

3

3

4 Enter child’s taxable income from Form 1040, line 37; Form 1040A, line 22; or Form 1040NR, line 36 4

5 Enter the smaller of line 3 or line 4 © 5

Figure tentative tax based on the tax rate of the parent listed on line A

Enter parent’s taxable income from Form 1040, line 37; Form 1040A, line 22; Form 1040EZ, line

5; or Form 1040NR, line 36. If the parent transferred property to a trust, see instructions

6

6

Enter the total net investment income, if any, from Forms 8615, line 5, of ALL OTHER children

of the parent identified above. Do not include the amount from line 5 above

7

7

8 Add lines 5, 6, and 7 8

9

Tax on line 8 based on the parent’s filing status. See instructions. If from Capital Gain Tax

Worksheet, enter amount from line 4 of that worksheet here ©

9

10 Enter parent’s tax from Form 1040, line 38; Form 1040A, line 23; Form 1040EZ, line 9; or Form

1040NR, line 37. If from Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, enter amount from line 4 of that worksheet

here © 10

Subtract line 10 from line 9. If line 7 is blank, enter on line 13 the amount from line 11; skip

lines 12a and 12b

11

11

12a Add lines 5 and 7 12a

b Divide line 5 by line 12a. Enter the result as a decimal (rounded to two places) 12b . 13 Multiply line 11 by line 12b © 13

Figure child’s tax—If lines 4 and 5 above are the same, enter -0- on line 15 and go to line 16.

14 Subtract line 5 from line 4 14

15

15 Tax on line 14 based on the child’s filing status. See instructions. If from Capital Gain Tax

Worksheet, enter amount from line 4 of that worksheet here ©

16 Add lines 13 and 15 16

17

17 Tax on line 4 based on the child’s filing status. See instructions. If from Capital Gain Tax

Worksheet, check here ©

18 Enter the larger of line 16 or line 17 here and on Form 1040, line 38; Form 1040A, line 23; or Form

1040NR, line 37. Be sure to check the box for “Form 8615” even if line 17 is more than line 16 © 18

For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see back of form. Form 8615 (1994)

A B

C

Single Married filing jointly Married filing separately Head of household Qualifying widow(er)

Incomplete Information for Parent.—If

the parent’s taxable income or filing

status or the net investment income of

the parent’s other children is not known

by the due date of the child’s return,

reasonable estimates may be used.

Write “Estimated” on the appropriate

line(s) of Form 8615. For more details,

see Pub. 929.

Investment Income.—As used on this

form, “investment income” includes all

taxable income other than earned

income as defined on page 2. It includes

income such as taxable interest,

dividends, capital gains, rents, royalties,

etc. It also includes pension and annuity

Cat. No. 64113U

3

Additional Information.—For more

details, get Pub. 929, Tax Rules for

Children and Dependents.

© See instructions below and on back.

income and income (other than earned

income) received as the beneficiary of a

trust.

file a return or Form 8615. For more

details, see the instructions for Form

1040 or Form 1040A, or get Form 8814,

Parents’ Election To Report Child’s

Interest and Dividends.
Form 8615 (1994) Page 2

Line 6.—If the parent’s taxable income is

less than zero, enter zero on line 6. If the

parent filed a joint return, enter the

taxable income shown on that return

even if the parent’s spouse is not the

child’s parent. If the parent transferred

property to a trust which sold or

exchanged the property during the year

at a gain, include any gain that was

taxed to the trust under section 644 in

the amount entered on line 6. Enter

“Section 644” and the amount to the

right of the line 6 entry. Also, see the

instructions for line 10.

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice.—We

ask for the information on this form to

carry out the Internal Revenue laws of

the United States. You are required to

give us the information. We need it to

ensure that you are complying with

these laws and to allow us to figure and

collect the right amount of tax.

The time needed to complete and file

this form will vary depending on

individual circumstances. The estimated

average time is: Recordkeeping,

13 min.; Learning about the law or the

form, 12 min.; Preparing the form,

45 min.; and Copying, assembling, and

sending the form to the IRS, 17 min.

If the child had earned income, use

the following worksheet to figure the

amount to enter on line 1. But if the

If you have comments concerning the

accuracy of these time estimates or

suggestions for making this form

simpler, we would be happy to hear from

you. You can write to both the IRS and

the Office of Management and Budget

at the addresses listed in the

instructions of the tax return with which

this form is filed.

Line 10.—If the parent filed a joint

return, enter the tax shown on that

return even if the parent’s spouse is not

the child’s parent. If the parent filed

Form 8814, enter “Form 8814” and the

total tax from line 8 of Form(s) 8814 in

the space next to line 10 of Form 8615.

Line Instructions

Worksheet (keep a copy for your records)

Enter the amount from the

child’s Form 1040, line 22;

Form 1040A, line 14; or

Form 1040NR, line 23,

whichever applies

1.

Lines A and B.—If the child’s parents

were married to each other and filed a

joint return, enter the name and social

security number (SSN) of the parent who

is listed first on the joint return. For

example, if the father’s name is listed

first on the return and his SSN is

entered in the block labeled “Your social

security number,” enter his name on line

A and his SSN on line B.

Enter the child’s earned

income (defined below)

plus any deduction the

child claims on Form 1040,

line 28, or Form 1040NR,

line 28, whichever applies

2.

Subtract line 2 from line 1.

Enter the result here and

on Form 8615, line 1

3.

If the parents were married but filed

separate returns, enter the name and

SSN of the parent who had the higher

taxable income. If you do not know

which parent had the higher taxable

income, see Pub. 929.

Earned income includes wages, tips,

and other payments received for

personal services performed. Generally,

earned income is the total of the

amounts reported on Form 1040, lines 7,

12, and 18; Form 1040A, line 7; or Form

1040NR, lines 8, 13, and 19.

If the parents were unmarried, treated

as unmarried for Federal income tax

purposes, or separated either by a

divorce or separate maintenance decree,

enter the name and SSN of the parent

who had custody of the child for most of

the year (the custodial parent).

Line 2.—If the child itemized

deductions, enter on line 2 the greater

of:

● $600 plus the portion of the amount

on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 29, or

Schedule A (Form 1040NR), line 18, that

is directly connected with the production

of the investment income on Form 8615,

line 1; OR

● $1,200.

Note: If the parents were unmarried but

lived together during the year with the

child, enter the name and SSN of the

parent who had the higher taxable

income.

Section references are to the Internal

Revenue Code.

Line 9.—Figure the tax using the Tax

Table, Tax Rate Schedules, or the

Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, whichever

applies. If any net capital gain is

included on lines 5, 6, and/or 7, the tax

on the amount on line 8 may be less if

the Capital Gain Tax Worksheet can be

used to figure the tax. See Pub. 929 for

details on how to figure the net capital

gain included on line 8 and how to

complete the worksheet. The Capital

Gain Tax Worksheet should be used to

figure the tax if:

Line 15.—Figure the tax using the Tax

Table, Tax Rate Schedule X, or the

Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, whichever

applies. If line 14 is more than $55,100

and includes any net capital gain, the

tax may be less if the Capital Gain Tax

Worksheet is used to figure the tax. See

Pub. 929 for details on how to figure the

net capital gain included on line 14 and

how to complete the worksheet.

Line 17.—Figure the tax as if these rules

did not apply. For example, if the child

can use the Capital Gain Tax Worksheet

to figure his or her tax, complete that

worksheet.

If the Capital Gain Tax Worksheet is

used to figure the tax, enter on Form

8615, line 9, the amount from line 13 of

that worksheet. Also, enter the amount

from line 4 of that worksheet in the

space next to line 9 of Form 8615.

the parent’s

filing status

is:

the amount on

Form 8615,

line 8, is over:

● Single

● Married filing jointly or

Qualifying widow(er)

● Married filing

separately

● Head of household

$55,100

$91,850

$45,925

$78,700

AND

Line 1.—If the child had no earned

income (defined later), enter the child’s

adjusted gross income from Form 1040,

line 32; Form 1040A, line 17; or Form

1040NR, line 32.

Exception. If the custodial parent

remarried and filed a joint return with his

or her new spouse, enter the name and

SSN of the person listed first on the joint

return, even if that person is not the

child’s parent. If the custodial parent and

his or her new spouse filed separate

returns, enter the name and SSN of the

person with the higher taxable income,

even if that person is not the child’s

parent.

If line 6 includes any gain taxed to a

trust under section 644, add the tax

imposed under section 644(a)(2)(A) to

the tax shown on the parent’s return and

enter the total on line 10. Also, enter

“Section 644” next to line 10.

Alternative Minimum Tax.—A child

whose tax is figured on Form 8615 may

owe the alternative minimum tax. For

details, get Form 6251, Alternative

Minimum Tax—Individuals, and its

instructions.

Amended Return.—If after the child’s

return is filed, the parent’s taxable

income is changed or the net investment

income of any of the parent’s other

children is changed, the child’s tax must

be refigured using the adjusted amounts.

If the child’s tax is changed as a result

of the adjustment(s), file Form 1040X,

Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax

Return, to correct the child’s tax.

Printed on recycled paper

child files Form 2555, Foreign Earned

Income, or Form 2555-EZ, Foreign

Earned Income Exclusion, has a net loss

from self-employment, or claims a net

operating loss deduction, do not use the

worksheet below. Instead, use the

worksheet in Pub. 929 to figure the

amount to enter on line 1.