Individual vs. Family Trust Tax Return

[Helen-P]

I'm doing my Dad's taxes for the first time. All of his Bank and K-1 info is addressed to the Family Trust, but his SSI and other Retirement 1099s have his name as an individual. When do I need to consider do a Family Trust tax return vs. an individual tax return?

[M-MTax]

If he's getting a K-1 from this family trust that means someone is already doing his 1041.....trust return.....enter the K-1 into his individual tax return.

[Mike9241]

we know nothing about the Family trust that got the K-1 and other tax documents.  the FT could be a Simple Trust - 1041 required - all ordinary income passes through to its beneficiaries. a Complex Trust. if the income was not distributed in accordance with the trust document and the tax laws, the trust would report all the income and pay the taxes.  Grantor trust with its Tax ID # on the K-1 and other tax documents received.  - file a 1041 grantor trust return. the income also gets reported on the grantor's return.  Grantor Trust with the grantor's SSN on all the tax documents - no 1041 required. pick up the income directly on the taxpayers's return with the matching SSN.  

your best clue is to look at prior returns.