Why the difference in Return forms between 2020 and 2021?

[Lonestar]

I'm needing a PDF of my 2020 tax return. I 'printed' it to PDF and when I opened it, I noticed the forms are not the traditional forms typically in my returns, though they were submitted to the IRS and all was fine. I thought maybe something got corrupted since I last used that app and that it wasn't showing the correct forms, but I found a paper copy I printed back in 2021 after e-filing, and it's the same set of forms! No change there.

Oddly, I apparently didn't question the forms at the time and the IRS accepted the return and all was fine. I'm a bit confounded that the return for that year and for 2021 both now use the 1040-SR rather than 1040A. But I digress. I guess that somehow it got by me since I just did the TurboTax thing and that's what it spit out.

At any rate, looking at my 2021 return, I see it's more like previous years, I'm wondering what in the world happened in 2020. 

Case in point, see the two screenshots. The 2020 return has no Schedule A, B or D! I'm sure I had entries that fit in those forms for that year but ... they aren't there! As for 2021, you can see that all those 'standard' forms have 'come back'.

What could cause this difference? What don't I understand?  

😅

Thanks!

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

There has not been a 1040A since 2017 returns were filed.  Now everyone uses either Form 1040 or Form 1040SR.   The only difference between those forms is the larger print on the 1040SR.   All of the calculations are the same.   The software uses your age at the end of the tax year to determine whether you are on a Form 1040 or 1040SR---if you were 65 or older at the end of the tax year, you are on a 1040SR.

If you did not enter enough itemized deductions to exceed your standard deduction, you will not have a Schedule A.   The form and schedules generated for your return depend on the data you enter each year.