IRS form that 1040 filers can begin. Availability by mid-February. Taxpayers using the following forms can begin filing their tax returns in mid-February after the IRS updates its processing systems.

• Form 8863 Education Credits

List of IRS forms that 1040 filers can begin filing in late February or into March 2013. The following tax forms will be accepted by the IRS in late February or into March 2013 after updating forms and completing programming and testing of its processing systems. A specific date will be announced in the near future.

• Form 3800 - General Business Credit
• Form 4136 - Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels
• Form 4562 - Depreciation and Amortization (including information on Listed Property)
• Form 5074 - Allocation of Individual Income Tax to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
• Form 5471 - Information Return of U.S. Persons with Respect to certain Foreign Corporations
• Form 5695 - Residential Energy Credits
• Form 5735 - American Samoa Economic Development Credit
• Form 5884 - Work Opportunity Credit
• Form 6478 - Credit for Alcohol Used as Fuel
• Form 6765 - Credit for Increasing Research Activities
• Form 8396 - Mortgage Interest Credit
• Form 8582 - Passive Activity Loss Limitations
• Form 8820 - Orphan Drug Credit
• Form 8834 - Qualified Plug-in Electric and Electric Vehicle Credit
• Form 8839 - Qualified Adoption Expenses
• Form 8844 - Empowerment Zone and Renewal Community Employment Credit
• Form 8845 - Indian Employment Credit
• Form 8859 - District of Columbia First-Time Homebuyer Credit
• Form 8864 - Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Fuels Credit
• Form 8874 - New Markets Credits
• Form 8900 - Qualified Railroad Track Maintenance Credit
• Form 8903 - Domestic Production Activities Deduction
• Form 8908 - Energy Efficient Home Credit
• Form 8909 - Energy Efficient Appliance Credit
• Form 8910 - Alternative motor Vehicle Credit
• Form 8911 - Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit
• Form 8912 - Credit to Holders of Tax Credit Bonds
• Form 8923 - Mine Rescue Team training Credit
• Form 8932 - Credit for Employer Differential Wage Payments
• Form 8936 - Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit

Form availability will be posted here.

Depreciation provisions modified and extended. The following depreciation provisions are retroactively extended by the Act through 2014:

• 15-year straight line cost recovery for qualified leasehold improvements, qualified restaurant buildings and improvements, and qualified retail improvements;
• increased expensing limitations (section 179) and treament of certain real property to $500,000
• The 50% bonus depreciation provision for qualified property has been extended for 1 year for property placed in service after December 31, 2012

Itemized Deduction Limitations. For tax year beginning after 2012, the itemized deduction limitation on itemized deductions, is reinstated with a starting threshold for those making $300,000 for joint filers and a surviving spouse, $275,000 for head of household, $250,000 for single filers, and $150,000 for married taxpayers filing separately. Thus, for taxpayers subject to the limitation, the total amount of their itemized deductions is reduced by 3% of the amount by which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds the threshold amount, with the reduction not to exceed 80% of the otherwise allowable itemized deductions. These dollar amounts are inflation-adjusted for tax years after 2013.

Personal Exemption Phaseout Limitations. For tax years beginning after 2012, the Personal Exemption Phaseout is reinstated with a starting threshold for those making $300,000 for joint filers and a surviving spouse; $275,000 for head of households; $250,000 for single filers; and $150,000 for married taxpayers filing separately. Under the phaseout, the total amount of exemptions that can be claimed by a taxpayer subject to the limitation is reduced by 2% for each $2,500 (or portion thereof) by which the taxpayer's AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) exceeds the applicable threshold. These dollar amounts are inflation-adjusted for tax years after 2013.

Tax Rates. For tax years beginning after 2012, the income tax rates for individuals will stay at 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% and 35% (instead of moving to 15%, 28%, 31%, 36% and 39.6%), but with a 39.6% rate applying to taxpayers whose taxable income is $450,000 for joint filers and surviving spouses; $425,000 for head of household; $400,000 for single filers; and $225,000 for married taxpayers filing separately. These dollar amounts are inflation-adjusted for tax years after 2013.

Pension Provision. For transfers after December 31, 2012, in tax years ending after the given date, plan provisions in an applicable retirement plan (which includes a qualified Roth contribution program) can allow participants to elect to transfer amounts to designated Roth accounts with the transfer being treated as a taxable qualified rollover contribution.