Prepare your 2026 Form 1040
How to start a return, fill it in with the interview or the forms, type over a figure, review it and print it.
Updated Nov 2, 2026
Pop Books helps you prepare your federal return. It does not send anything to the IRS. When the return is ready you print it, sign it and mail it yourself (see us-print-and-mail). This gives no tax advice. Ask your accountant about your own situation.
Start a return
- Open Taxes, then the Returns and filing tab.
- Choose Start a return.
- Pick the kind. A personal return has Form 1040 with Schedules 1, 2, C and SE. A business return has Schedule C and Schedule SE only.
- Pick the United States and the tax year. Only 2026 is built so far. Canada and India are shown as not built yet, with help on filing yourself.
The new return opens in the editor. To come back to it later, choose Open on its row.
Two ways to fill it in
Use the Interview or Forms buttons at the top of the editor. Both show the same figures, so you can switch at any time and you stay where you were.
- Interview walks you through in plain steps: About you, your business income and expenses, other income, and payments and adjustments. Use Back and Next, or pick a step by name. The last step is a check of your work.
- Forms shows every line of every form, in order, with its line number. Typed lines have a box. Worked-out lines are read only.
Type amounts in dollars, such as 1,250 or 1250.50. Use a minus sign or brackets for a loss. Press Tab or Enter to save a line. Every other figure is worked out again for you as soon as you change one, and the editor announces the new totals.
Your name and filing status
Type your name as it appears on your Social Security card. If you file jointly, type your spouse's name too. The name is printed on the cover page of your filing package. It does not change any figure.
Single, married filing jointly and married filing separately are supported. Head of household and qualifying surviving spouse are not supported yet.
Fill Schedule C from your books
In the Interview, the business income step has Fill Schedule C from my books. It uses the accounts you have matched to Schedule C lines (see tax-lines) for the tax year. Check every line afterwards. Anything your books hold that does not map to a Schedule C line is listed so nothing is lost without you knowing.
Type over a worked-out figure
Sometimes a figure that is worked out for you is never the one you need. Choose Override beside it, type the figure and say why. The calculated figure stays beside yours, and the reason is kept and printed with your return. Choose Remove override to go back to the calculated figure.
What to check
The list on the side shows what needs your attention. Items marked Fix first stop you from reviewing. Choose Go to on any item and the editor takes you to that field.
Review and print
- Choose Review. Clear every error, confirm each figure you typed over, and accept the licence terms and the statement on how your tax information is used.
- Choose Mark as reviewed.
- Choose Filing package, then Print.
If you change the return after a review, it needs reviewing again. The review is there so that you look at the return before you sign it.