How to complete a Form 540 (Step by Step)

To complete a Form 540, you need to provide the following information:

• Personal information
  • First name, middle initial, last name, suffix
  • SSN or ITIN
  • Spouse’s name and SSN or ITIN
  • Additional information
  • PBA code
  • Street address
  • Date of birth
  • Spouse’s date of birth
  • Prior name
  • Spouse’s prior name
• Filing status
  • Single, married/RDP filing jointly, married RDP filing separately, head of household, qualifying widow(er) with dependent child
• Exemptions
  • Personal
  • Blind
  • Senior
  • Dependents
  • Exemption amount
• Taxable income
  • State wages from Form W-2
  • Federal adjusted gross income from Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ
  • California adjustments
  • California adjusted gross income
  • Taxable income
• Tax
  • Tax table/tax rate schedule, FTB 3800, FTB 3803
  • Exemption credits
  • Tax
• Special credits
  • Nonrefundable child and dependent care expenses credit
  • Credit name, code, amount
  • Schedule P if more than 2 credits
  • Nonrefundable renter’s credit
  • Total credits
• Other taxes
  • Alternative minimum tax
  • Mental health services tax
  • Other taxes and credit recapture
  • Total tax
• Payments
  • California income tax withheld
  • 2017 CA estimated tax and other payments
  • Withholding
  • Excess SDI or VPDI withheld
  • Earned income tax credit (EITC)
  • Total payments
• Use tax
  • Use tax
  • Indication if no use tax is owed or you paid use tax obligation directly to CDTFA
  • Overpaid tax/tax due
  • Payments balance
  • Use tax balance
  • Overpaid tax
  • Amount over overpaid tax you want applied to next year’s estimated tax
  • Overpaid tax available this year
  • Tax due
• Contributions
  • Amount you wish to contribute to any of the special funds
• Amount you owe
  • Total amount owed
• Interest and penalties
  • Interest, later return penalties, late payment penalties
  • Underpayment of estimated tax (attach FTB 5805 or FTB 5805F)
  • Total amount due
• Refund and direct deposit
  • Refund due
  • Account information for deposit
  • Direct deposit amount
• Signature
  • Signature
  • Date
  • Spouse’s signature
  • Email address
  • Preferred phone number
  • Firm’s name
  • Firm’s address
  • Third party designee’s name
  • Phone number