Instructions For Form 1040ez - 2008 Page 14

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Form 1040EZ— Lines 8a and 8b
1. Enter “EIC” in the space to the left of line 8a on Form
2.
Is your earned income less than $12,880 ($15,880 if
1040EZ.
married filing jointly)?
2. Be sure you enter the nontaxable combat pay you elect to
include in earned income on Form 1040EZ, line 8b. See
Yes. Go to Step 3.
No.
STOP
Combat pay, nontaxable, on this page.
You cannot take the
3. If your EIC for a year after 1996 was reduced or disallowed,
credit.
see Form 8862, who must file, below.
Form 8862, who must file. You must file Form 8862 if your
Step 3
How To Figure the Credit
EIC for a year after 1996 was reduced or disallowed for any
reason other than a math or clerical error. But do not file Form
1.
Do you want us to figure the credit for you?
8862 if either of the following applies.
Yes. See Credit
No. Go to the worksheet
1. You filed Form 8862 for another year, the EIC was allowed
figured by the IRS on
on this page.
for that year, and your EIC has not been reduced or disal-
this page.
lowed again for any reason other than a math or clerical
error.
2. The only reason your EIC was reduced or disallowed in the
earlier year was because it was determined that a child
Definitions and Special Rules
listed on Schedule EIC was not your qualifying child.
(listed in alphabetical order)
Also, do not file Form 8862 or take the credit for:
Combat pay, nontaxable. If you were a member of the U.S.
2 years after the most recent tax year for which there was
Armed Forces who served in a combat zone, certain pay is
a final determination that your EIC claim was due to
excluded from your income. See Combat Zone Exclusion in Pub.
reckless or intentional disregard of the EIC rules, or
3. You can elect to include this pay in your earned income
10 years after the most recent tax year for which there
when figuring the EIC. The amount of your nontaxable combat
was a final determination that your EIC claim was due to
pay should be shown in box 12 of Form(s) W-2 with code Q. If
fraud.
you are filing a joint return and both you and your spouse
received nontaxable combat pay, you each can make your own
Members of the military. If you were on extended active
election.
duty outside the United States, your home is considered to be
in the United States during that duty period. Extended active
Credit figured by the IRS. To have the IRS figure the credit
duty is military duty ordered for an indefinite period or for a
for you:
period of more than 90 days. Once you begin serving ex-
Earned Income Credit (EIC) Worksheet— Lines 8a and 8b
Keep for Your Records
1. Enter your earned income from Step 2 on page 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.
2. Look up the amount on line 1 above in the EIC Table on page 16 to find the credit. Be sure you
use the correct column for your filing status (Single or Married filing jointly).
Enter the credit here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.
STOP
If line 2 is zero,
You cannot take the credit. Enter “No” in the space to the left of line 8a.
3. Enter the amount from Form 1040EZ, line 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.
4. Are the amounts on lines 3 and 1 the same?
Yes. Skip line 5; enter the amount from line 2 on line 6.
No. Go to line 5.
5. Is the amount on line 3 less than $7,200 ($10,200 if married filing jointly)?
Yes. Leave line 5 blank; enter the amount from line 2 on line 6.
No. Look up the amount on line 3 in the EIC Table on page 16 to find the credit. Be sure
you use the correct column for your filing status (Single or Married filing jointly).
Enter the credit here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.
Look at the amounts on lines 5 and 2. Then, enter the smaller amount on line 6.
6. Earned income credit. Enter this amount on Form 1040EZ, line 8a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.
If your EIC for a year after 1996 was reduced or disallowed, see above to find out if you
!
must file Form 8862 to take the credit for 2008.
CAUTION
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