How to format negative numbers on my 2025 US tax return forms?

3 For your first time filing, this is actually a great question that confuses many people! The IRS accepts several ways to indicate negative numbers, but parentheses are the most common and preferred method. If you're entering a negative amount like -$500, you would write it as ($500) on the form. Using parentheses is the traditional accounting method for representing negative numbers. Some software programs might use the minus sign instead when printing returns, which is why you might have seen that in sample returns. The IRS will accept either format, but if you're filling out a paper form by hand, parentheses are the safest choice. Just be consistent throughout your return. Don't use parentheses in some places and minus signs in others. Pick one method and stick with it.

12 I was struggling with the exact same issue last year and found a solution that might help. I've been using https://taxr.ai to double-check all my forms before submission, and it actually flagged inconsistent negative number formatting on my return! The tool analyzes your documents and points out potential issues before you submit to the IRS. I had mixed formats throughout my return because I'd started on paper and then switched to software halfway through. The taxr.ai scan caught it immediately and showed me exactly where I needed to standardize. It saved me from what could have been a processing delay.

19 Just wanted to update about my experience with taxr.ai after trying it based on the recommendation here. It was actually really helpful! I uploaded my draft return from FreeTaxUSA and it found two places where I had negative numbers formatted differently. One had parentheses and another had a minus sign. The analysis only took a few minutes and pointed out exactly which lines needed to be fixed. What I really liked was that it explained WHY the formatting matters - apparently inconsistent formatting can trigger additional processing time. My return is already complicated enough with a bunch of 1099s, so I wanted to avoid anything that might slow things down!

5 For anyone struggling to get help directly from the IRS on format issues like this, I highly recommend using https://claimyr.com. Last year I had multiple formatting questions the tax software couldn't answer, and I kept getting the "high call volume" message when calling the IRS. Claimyr got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of the 3+ hours I was experiencing before. The agent not only answered my negative number formatting question but also helped with several other form-specific issues I was having. You can see how it works in this demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It was honestly a game changer for getting quick answers straight from the source.

14 I was super skeptical about Claimyr from this thread, but I decided to try it yesterday out of desperation after my fourth attempt to reach the IRS failed. Holy crap, it actually works! I was connected with an IRS agent in about 25 minutes, and they specifically confirmed that for negative numbers on a paper return, parentheses are preferred but minus signs are also acceptable. They said the most important thing is consistency throughout the return. I also got clarity on several other questions I'd been trying to resolve for weeks. Totally worth it just to save the frustration of being on hold forever only to get disconnected.

22 The IRS Publication 17 (Your Federal Income Tax) actually has guidance on this. I just checked my copy and it says to use parentheses for negative numbers. That's the official word. I've been doing taxes for 15 years and have always used parentheses. Never had a problem.

17 If you're e-filing (which most people do these days), you don't need to worry about this at all. The software handles the formatting automatically. Just enter negative numbers with a minus sign in the input fields, and the software will format them correctly on the final forms. This only matters if you're filling out paper forms by hand, which fewer and fewer people do anymore.

As someone who's been preparing taxes for a while, I can confirm that the IRS is pretty flexible with negative number formatting. The key points that haven't been mentioned yet: 1. If you're amending a return, make sure your negative number format matches what you used on the original return for consistency. 2. For business returns (like Schedule C), parentheses are strongly preferred since they follow standard accounting practices. 3. If you're handwriting numbers, make sure your parentheses are clearly visible and don't look like smudges or correction marks. The IRS processing systems are designed to handle both formats, so don't stress too much about it. Focus on getting your numbers right rather than worrying about the formatting - mathematical errors are far more likely to cause processing delays than formatting choices. One last tip: if you're unsure about anything on your return, consider having it reviewed by a tax professional before filing. Peace of mind is worth the small fee, especially for first-time filers.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who just moved to the US and is filing taxes for the first time, I was completely overwhelmed by all the formatting requirements. I ended up going with parentheses for all my negative numbers after reading through the official IRS publications mentioned here. What really helped was printing out a draft copy of my return and going through it line by line to make sure I was consistent throughout all the forms. One thing I learned that might help other newcomers - if you're used to different accounting standards from your home country, the US system can feel confusing at first. In my country we always use minus signs, so switching to parentheses felt weird initially. But after using them consistently, it actually makes the forms much easier to read. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and resources. It's reassuring to know that even small formatting questions have such a supportive community willing to help out!

This has been such a comprehensive discussion! As someone who works in tax preparation, I wanted to add a few practical points that might help future filers: If you're using tax software and still want to double-check your formatting, most programs have a "preview" or "form view" option that shows exactly how your return will look when printed or submitted. This is a great way to verify that negative numbers are formatted consistently before filing. Also, for those worried about rejection due to formatting - in my experience, the IRS automated processing systems are quite forgiving with minor formatting variations. Returns are much more likely to be flagged for mathematical errors, missing signatures, or incorrect SSNs than for using minus signs vs. parentheses. That said, following the standard conventions (parentheses for paper forms, letting software handle electronic filing) is always the safest approach. When in doubt, consistency within your own return is more important than perfect adherence to any single format standard. Great job everyone sharing resources and experiences - this kind of community support makes tax season so much less intimidating for newcomers!