Yes, you can print your tax return double sided, and the IRS actually prefers it. Publication 1167, which governs substitute and computer-generated tax forms, states that both sides of the paper should be used, matching the page layout of the official forms.1Internal Revenue Service. Publication 1167 – Substitute Printed, Computer-Prepared, and Computer-Generated Tax Forms and Schedules There is one rule you cannot break: two different forms or schedules must never share a sheet.
The One Rule That Trips People Up
A multi-page form can use both sides of the paper. Page one of Form 1040 on the front, page two on the back is fine. The same goes for any schedule or form that runs longer than a single page.
What you cannot do is put Schedule C on the front and Schedule A on the back, or Schedule E on one side and Schedule SE on the other. Each form or schedule is its own unit, and information from more than one form cannot appear on the same printed page.1Internal Revenue Service. Publication 1167 – Substitute Printed, Computer-Prepared, and Computer-Generated Tax Forms and Schedules
There is a narrow exception. Schedules A and B (Form 1040) are printed back-to-back by the IRS itself, so putting those two on opposite sides of a single sheet is acceptable.1Internal Revenue Service. Publication 1167 – Substitute Printed, Computer-Prepared, and Computer-Generated Tax Forms and Schedules
Single-sided printing is not rejected. The IRS accepts it. Double-sided is simply the preferred format.
Setting Up the Print Job
Tax preparation software does not always arrange pages for clean duplex output. Open the print preview before you send anything to the printer and confirm which pages are paired. You want page one and page two of the same form on opposite sides, not page one of the 1040 backed by page one of Schedule C. If your software doesn’t handle the pairing automatically, print single-sided first and then manually run the correct pairs through as duplex sheets.
Use at least 20-pound white paper. Thinner stock lets ink bleed through and can make the opposite side unreadable. Laser printers produce cleaner output than inkjet on regular paper, though either works with decent stock. Standard 8.5 by 11 inch paper is required; the Form 1040 instructions warn against cutting paper to a smaller size, which causes processing problems.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1040 and 1040-SR
Check that every character is legible on both sides. If your toner or ink is running low, replace the cartridge before printing the return. A faded Social Security number or income figure can delay processing as easily as a missing form.
State Returns Follow Different Rules
State tax agencies set their own rules for paper filings, and there is no single national standard. Some states follow the IRS approach; others may require single-sided submissions. Check your state tax authority’s website or the instructions that came with the state return before printing. If the instructions are silent, printing single-sided is the safe default and costs you nothing but a few extra sheets.
Assembling the Return After You Print
Getting the printing right only helps if the pages arrive in the order the IRS expects. Form 1040 goes on top. Attach copies of Forms W-2 and 2439 directly to Form 1040, along with any Forms W-2G and 1099-R that show withholding.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1040 and 1040-SR
Behind the 1040, arrange your schedules and forms in the order shown by the “Attachment Sequence No.” printed in the upper-right corner of each one. Supporting statements go last, in the same order as the schedules or forms they support.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1040 and 1040-SR Do not attach your payment to the return itself.
The correct mailing address depends on your state and whether you’re enclosing a payment; the addresses differ between the two, so verify before sealing the envelope.3Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Paper Tax Returns With or Without a Payment Certified mail with a return receipt gives you prima facie evidence of delivery if the IRS ever claims the return didn’t arrive.4Internal Revenue Service. USPS Delivery Confirmation
One Alternative Worth Considering
If your only reason for printing is a personal copy, you can e-file the return and print the copy afterward. Over 93% of individual federal returns are now filed electronically,5Internal Revenue Service. Returns Filed, Taxes Collected and Refunds Issued and the IRS offers Free File Fillable Forms at no cost.6Internal Revenue Service. Free File Fillable Forms Every printing concern in this article disappears when the return moves electronically.