Do I write 0 or leave the box blank on form 1040 when a sum is zero?

8 You should enter "0" in boxes where the amount is zero rather than leaving them blank. This makes it clear you've considered that line item and confirms the amount is zero, rather than suggesting you might have skipped it accidentally. For your specific examples: For "Taxable interest," write "0" if you have no taxable interest. And for "Alimony received," also write "0" since you don't receive any. This approach helps prevent confusion and shows the IRS you've actively considered each line item on your return. The only exceptions are typically sections that say "if applicable" or similar wording, or schedules you don't need to complete at all because they don't apply to your situation.

15 I used to worry about the same thing until I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) last year when I was freaking out about my tax forms. I had several zero-balance sections on my 1040 and wasn't sure what to do. The service actually analyzes your specific tax situation and tells you exactly how to handle each section, including whether to use zeros or leave things blank. For me, it confirmed I should use zeros for things like interest income and dividend lines where I had nothing to report. But it also showed me that for certain schedules and worksheets, blanks were actually preferred. Saved me so much stress trying to figure out these little details that keep you up at night during tax season!

3 Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the recommendation above. It was actually super helpful! I uploaded my W-2s and some investment statements, and it specifically pointed out where I needed to put zeros versus where I could leave things blank. For anyone else confused about form 1040 entries like I was, it showed me that for the main numbered lines on the 1040, using zeros is generally correct when something doesn't apply to you. But for some of the worksheets and supplemental schedules, there are specific rules about blank entries. The analysis saved me from making several mistakes I wouldn't have caught on my own.

5 If you're trying to get clarification directly from the IRS on form completion rules like this, good luck getting through to anyone! I spent hours on hold last month trying to ask about zeros vs. blanks on some unusual deductions. After three failed attempts, I tried Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and watched their demo (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) which showed how they get you connected to an actual IRS agent without the insane hold times. Within 45 minutes I was talking to someone who confirmed I needed to enter zeros on all the main 1040 form lines, even when the amount was zero. The agent explained that blanks can trigger unnecessary review flags in their system. Getting a direct answer from the IRS itself gave me peace of mind that I was doing it right.

14 I need to eat my words from my skeptical comment above. After more tax frustration this weekend, I broke down and tried Claimyr yesterday. I was connected to an IRS representative within about 40 minutes without having to sit on hold myself. The agent confirmed that for the 1040 form specifically, zeros should be entered for any line where the amount is zero, especially for the income sections. She explained that leaving lines blank can cause processing delays because the IRS system might flag it as potentially missing information. For my specific question about reporting small cryptocurrency losses, I needed to use zeros rather than blanks. Not having to spend hours on hold was absolutely worth it.

22 Ugh I made this mistake last year and left a bunch of boxes blank instead of putting zeros. Sure enough, got a letter from the IRS three months later asking me to clarify those sections. Nothing bad happened but it delayed my refund by like 6 weeks. Just put the zeros in!

17 I've been doing my own taxes for 15 years now and ALWAYS put zeros. My tax preparer buddy told me the IRS computer systems are programmed to look for numbers in certain fields, and a blank field can sometimes be interpreted as "this person didn't complete this section" rather than "this value is zero.

This is such a common confusion point! I just went through this same dilemma last month. After calling the IRS taxpayer assistance line (took forever to get through), the representative confirmed that for Form 1040, you should write "0" in boxes where the amount is zero rather than leaving them blank. The reasoning is that their processing systems are designed to expect numerical entries, and blank fields can sometimes trigger manual review flags. For your examples - taxable interest and alimony received - definitely put "0" if those amounts are zero for you. One tip I learned: if you're using tax software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA, they automatically handle this for you by entering zeros where appropriate. But if you're filing by hand or using fillable PDFs, make sure to enter those zeros manually. Better safe than sorry when it comes to avoiding processing delays!

I work as a tax preparer and can confirm that you should definitely write "0" in boxes where amounts are zero on Form 1040. This is standard practice and what we recommend to all our clients. The IRS processing systems are designed to read numerical entries, and blank fields can cause unnecessary delays or trigger review flags. For your specific examples - taxable interest and alimony received - both should show "0" if you have no amounts to report. One thing to keep in mind is that this rule applies consistently across most tax forms. When in doubt, "0" is almost always the safer choice than leaving something blank. The only exceptions are usually clearly marked with instructions like "leave blank if not applicable" which is rare on the main 1040 form. Your concern about getting flagged for an audit over this is understandable, but using zeros appropriately actually reduces your audit risk by showing you've properly considered each line item on your return.