Publication 17
Your Federal Income Tax

For Individuals

For use in preparing 2002 Returns

Important Reminders

Listed below are important reminders and other items that may help you file your 2002 tax return. Many of these items are explained in more detail later in this publication.

Write in your social security number.   To protect your privacy, social security numbers (SSNs) are not printed on the peel-off label that comes in the mail with your tax instruction booklet. This means you must enter your SSN `in the space provided on your tax form. If you filed a joint return for 2001 and are filing a joint return for 2002 with the same spouse, enter your names and SSNs in the same order as on your 2001 return. See chapter 1.

Taxpayer identification numbers.   You must provide the taxpayer identification number for each person for whom you claim certain tax benefits. This applies even if the person was born in 2002. Generally, this number is the person's social security number (SSN). See chapter 1.

Child tax credit.   You may be able to claim a tax credit for each of your qualifying children under age 17 at the end of the year. This credit can be as much as $600 for each qualifying child. See chapter 35.

Tax relief for victims of terrorist attacks.   Under the Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act of 2001, the federal income tax liability of those killed in the following attacks is forgiven for certain tax years.

• The April 19, 1995, terrorist attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building (Oklahoma City).
• The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
• The terrorist attacks involving anthrax occurring after September 10, 2001, and before January 2, 2002.

The Act also exempts from federal income tax certain amounts received by survivors.

For more information, see Publication 3920, Tax Relief for Victims of Terrorist Attacks.

Parent of a kidnapped child.   The parent of a child who is presumed by law enforcement authorities to have been kidnapped by someone who is not a family member may be able to take the child into account in determining his or her eligibility for the following.

• Head of household or qualifying widow(er) with dependent child filing status.
• Exemption for dependents.
• Child tax credit.
• Earned income credit.

See Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information and Publication 596, Earned Income Credit (EIC).

Payments to Holocaust victims.   Restitution payments received after 1999 (and certain interest earned on the payments) are not taxable and do not affect the taxability of certain benefits, such as social security benefits. For more details, see chapter 13.

Advance earned income credit.   If a qualifying child lives with you and you expect to qualify for the earned income credit in 2003, you may be able to get part of the credit paid to you in advance throughout the year (by your employer) instead of waiting until you file your tax return. See chapter 37.

Sale of your home.   Generally, you will only need to report the sale of your home if your gain is more than $250,000 ($500,000 if married filing a joint return). See chapter 16.

Individual retirement arrangements (IRAs).   The following paragraphs highlight important reminders that relate to IRAs. See chapter 18 for details.

Individual retirement arrangement (IRA) for spouse. A married couple filing a joint return can contribute up to the maximum amount each to their IRAs, even if one spouse had little or no income.

Spouse covered by plan. Even if your spouse is covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you may be able to deduct contributions to your traditional IRA if you are not covered by an employer plan.

Roth IRA. You may be able to establish a Roth IRA. In this type of IRA, contributions are not deductible but earnings grow tax free and qualified withdrawals are not taxable. You may also be able to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, but you must include all or part of the taxable converted amount in income.

Foreign source income.   If you are a U.S. citizen with income from sources outside the United States (foreign income), you must report all such income on your tax return unless it is exempt by U.S. law. This is true whether you reside inside or outside the United States and whether or not you receive a Form W-2 or 1099 from the foreign payer. This applies to earned income (such as wages and tips) as well as unearned income (such as interest, dividends, capital gains, pensions, rents and royalties).

If you reside outside the United States, you may be able to exclude part or all of your foreign source earned income. For details, see Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad.

Joint return responsibility.   Generally, both spouses are responsible for the tax and any interest or penalties on a joint tax return. In some cases, one spouse may be relieved of that responsibility for items of the other spouse that were incorrectly reported on the joint return. For details, see Joint responsibility in chapter 2.

Include your phone number on your return.   To promptly resolve any questions we have in processing your tax return, we would like to be able to call you. Please enter your daytime telephone number on your tax form next to your signature.

Third party designee.   You can check the Yes box in the Third Party Designee area of your return to authorize the IRS to discuss your return with a friend, family member, or any other person you choose. This allows the IRS to call the person you identified as your designee to answer any questions that may arise during the processing of your return. It also allows your designee to perform certain actions. See your income tax package for details.

Payment of taxes.   Make your check or money order payable to United States Treasury. You can pay your taxes by credit card or, if you file electronically, by electronic funds withdrawal. See chapter 1.

Faster ways to file your return.   The IRS offers fast, accurate ways to file your tax return information without filing a paper tax return. You can use IRS e-file (electronic filing). For details, see chapter 1.

Mailing your return.   If you are filing a paper return, you may be mailing your return to a different address because the IRS has changed the filing location for several areas. If you received an envelope with your tax package, please use it. Otherwise, see your tax form instructions.

Private delivery services.   You may be able to use a designated private delivery service to mail your tax returns and payments. See chapter 1 for more information.

Refund on a late filed return.   If you were due a refund but you did not file a return, you generally must file within 3 years from the date the return was originally due to get that refund.

Privacy Act and paperwork reduction information.   The IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, the Privacy Act of 1974, and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 require that when we ask you for information we must first tell you what our legal right is to ask for the information, why we are asking for it, how it will be used, what could happen if we do not receive it, and whether your response is voluntary, required to obtain a benefit, or mandatory under the law. A complete statement on this subject can be found in your tax form instruction booklet.

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.   If you want to confidentially report misconduct, waste, fraud, or abuse by an IRS employee, you can call 1-800-366-4484 (1-800-877- 8339 for TTY/TDD users). You can remain anonymous.

Photographs of missing children.   The Internal Revenue Service is a proud partner with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Photographs of missing children selected by the Center may appear in this publication on pages that would otherwise be blank. You can help bring these children home by looking at the photographs and calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) if you recognize a child.

- Continue -