Well, not exactly. There are forms 1040EZ and 1040A, which I have used in the past, and filed for free. This time, it was recommended to file form 1040. It doesn't help me to understand the forms to tell me that the reason I should use it is so that I will have filed correctly. I'd like to know how it affected me to file the forms.
It did give me a choice to not file the forms. It asked me what I wanted to do. It recommended that I switch, but I had a choice not to. Had I not filed them, and stayed with the simpler 1040A or 1040EZ, that's what I'm trying to understand. The amount from Schedule 2 was added to the tax on line 11 of Form 1040. The way it LOOKS to me, is that it increased the tax amount that I owe, then when it subtracted the amount of that that was actually withheld, it turns out to be a larger number for the Amount I Owe.
So - since I was given the choice - would it not have been better for me to not file the Schedule 2 and Form 8962? It seems to me that it would have been better to not file those - that the amount I owe would turn out to be less. But - since I'm not a tax expert, maybe something else happens in a form 1040 that is different than the usual 1040A or 1040EZ, that helped me in another way?
Just trying to understand, since I was given a choice. I assumed it would be to my benefit to do it, but looking it over now, it seems to have not benefited me at all.
