Form 8615 - Instructions (2015) printable pdf download

2015

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

Instructions for Form 8615

Tax for Certain Children Who Have Unearned Income

Future Developments

Support. Your child's support includes all amounts spent

to provide the child with food, lodging, clothing, education,

medical and dental care, recreation, transportation, and

For the latest information about developments related to

similar necessities. To figure your child's support, count

Form 8615 and its instructions, such as legislation

support provided by you, your child, and others. However,

enacted after they were published, go to

a scholarship received by your child is not considered

form8615.

support if your child is a full-time student. For details, see

General Instructions

Pub. 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing

Information.

Purpose of Form

Certain January 1 birthdays. Use the following chart to

determine whether certain children with January 1

For children under age 18 and certain older children

birthdays meet condition 3 under Who Must File.

described below in Who Must File, unearned income over

$2,100 is taxed at the parent's rate if the parent's rate is

higher than the child's. If the child's unearned income is

IF a child was born on...

THEN, at the end of 2015,

more than $2,100, use Form 8615 to figure the child's tax.

the child is considered to

Unearned Income

be...

For Form 8615, “unearned income” includes all taxable

January 1, 1998

18*

income other than earned income as defined later.

January 1, 1997

19**

Unearned income includes taxable interest, ordinary

January 1, 1992

24***

dividends, capital gains (including capital gain

distributions), rents, royalties, etc. It also includes taxable

*This child is not under age 18. The child meets condition 3 only if

social security benefits, pension and annuity income,

the child did not have earned income that was more than half of the

taxable scholarship and fellowship grants not reported on

child's support.

Form W-2, unemployment compensation, alimony, and

**This child meets condition 3 only if the child was a full-time student

income (other than earned income) received as the

who did not have earned income that was more than half of the

beneficiary of a trust.

child's support.

***Do not use Form 8615 for this child.

Who Must File

Form 8615 must be filed for any child who meets all of the

following conditions.

The parent may be able to elect to report the

1. The child had more than $2,100 of unearned

child's interest, ordinary dividends, and capital

TIP

income.

gain distributions on the parent's return. If the

parent makes this election, the child will not have to file a

2. The child is required to file a tax return.

return or Form 8615. However, the federal income tax on

3. The child either:

the child's income, including qualified dividends and

a. Was under age 18 at the end of 2015,

capital gain distributions, may be higher if this election is

b. Was age 18 at the end of 2015 and did not have

made. For more details, see Form 8814, Parents' Election

To Report Child's Interest and Dividends.

earned income that was more than half of the child's

support, or

Additional Information

c. Was a full-time student at least age 19 and under

age 24 at the end of 2015 and did not have earned

For more details, see Pub. 929, Tax Rules for Children

income that was more than half of the child's support.

and Dependents.

Incomplete Information for Parent or

(Earned income is defined later. Support is defined

below.)

Other Children

4. At least one of the child's parents was alive at the

If the parent's taxable income, filing status, or the net

end of 2015.

unearned income of the parent's other children is not

5. The child does not file a joint return for 2015.

known by the due date of the child's return, reasonable

estimates can be used. Enter “Estimated” next to the

For these rules, the term “child” includes a legally

appropriate line(s) of Form 8615. When the correct

adopted child and a stepchild. These rules apply whether

information is available, file Form 1040X, Amended U.S.

or not the child is a dependent. These rules do not apply if

Individual Income Tax Return.

neither of the child’s parents were living at the end of the

year.

May 26, 2015

Cat. No. 28914R

Form 8615 - Instructions (2015)

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