Introduction 1 Part 1: Getting Ready to File 5 Chapter 1: Understanding the U.S Tax System 7 Chapter 2: Tax Return Preparation Options and Tools 19 Chapter 3: Getting and Staying Organized 31 Chapter 4: What Kind of Taxpayer Are You? 43 Part 2: Tackling the Main Forms 67 Chapter 5: All The Form 1040s: Income Stuff 69 Chapter 6: Form 1040, Schedule 1, Part I: Additional Income 107 Chapter 7: Form 1040, Schedule 1, Part II: Adjustments to Income Stuff 125 Chapter 8: Form 1040, Schedule 2: Additional Taxes 151 Chapter 9: Form 1040, Schedule 3: Adding Up Your Credits and Payments 165 Chapter 10: Finishing Up the 1040 177 Part 3: Filling Out Schedules and Other Forms 195 Chapter 11: Itemized Deductions: Schedule A 197 Chapter 12: Interest and Dividend Income: Form 1040, Schedule B 235 Chapter 13: Business Tax Schedules: C and F 253 Chapter 14: Capital Gains and Losses: Schedule D and Form 8949 295 Chapter 15: Supplemental Income and Loss: Schedule E 327 Chapter 16: Giving Credits Where Credits Are Due 345 Chapter 17: Other Schedules and Forms to File 361 Part 4: Audits and Errors: Dealing with the IRS 381 Chapter 18: Dreaded Envelopes: IRS Notices, Assessments, and Audits 383 Chapter 19: Fixing Mistakes the IRS Makes 405 Chapter 20: Fixing Your Own Mistakes 421 Part 5: Year-Round Tax Planning 445 Chapter 21: Tax-Wise Personal Finance Decisions 447 Chapter 22: Trimming Taxes with Retirement Accounts 457 Chapter 23: Small-Business Tax Planning 477 Chapter 24: Your Investments and Taxes 495 Chapter 25: Real Estate and Taxes 511 Chapter 26: Children and Taxes 529 Chapter 27: Estate Planning 543 Part 6: The Part of Tens 555 Chapter 28: Ten Tips for Reducing Your Chances of Being Audited 557 Chapter 29: Ten Overlooked Opportunities to Trim Your Taxes 563 Chapter 30: Ten (Plus One) Tax Tips for Military Families 569 Chapter 31: Ten Interview Questions for Tax Advisors 575 Appendix: Glossary 581 Index 595.