This is U.S. federal tax guidance for tax year 2024. Living in Australia, or running a business there, does not create a Form 1040-SS filing requirement on its own. Foreign income and U.S. customers are not standalone triggers either.
Below, you'll find who must file, what changed with the 1040-PR, what to gather, how to complete the form, the deadlines, and when to bring in a professional.
Key Takeaways
- Form 1040-SS covers self-employment tax for qualifying territory residents, not standard U.S. income tax.
- Form 1040-PR was discontinued for 2023 and later years.
- Eligibility turns on bona fide territory residency, net self-employment or church-employee income, and special cases.
- Confirm deadlines, extensions and figures against official IRS 2024 guidance.
Form 1040-SS vs. Form 1040-PR: Purpose and 2024 Status
What Form 1040-SS does
Form 1040-SS calculates Social Security and Medicare self-employment tax for bona fide residents of these U.S. territories who aren't required to file Form 1040:
- Puerto Rico
- Guam
- American Samoa
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Eligible bona fide Puerto Rico residents can also use it to claim the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC).
It is not a complete income tax return. Depending on your residency and income, you may still owe a territorial return or a U.S. federal filing.
Form 1040-PR for tax year 2024
The IRS tells filers to use Form 1040-SS instead of Form 1040-PR for tax year 2023 and later. There is no separate 2024 Form 1040-PR, so don't work from an older copy.
The 2024 Form 1040-SS and its instructions are available in Spanish, as are the applicable schedules.
Form 1040 versus Form 1040-SS
Form 1040 is the general U.S. individual income tax return and reports overall income and tax. Form 1040-SS focuses on self-employment tax and certain territory-specific items.
Being self-employed isn't enough to choose a form. Residency, income type, territory rules and whether you must file Form 1040 all need to be weighed together.
Who Needs Form 1040-SS for Tax Year 2024?
For 2024, you generally must file if all three of these apply:
- You (or your spouse, on a joint return) had net self-employment earnings of $400 or more, or church-employee income of $108.28 or more.
- You aren't required to file Form 1040.
- You were a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the USVI or the CNMI.
Bona fide residency in a U.S. territory
Publication 570 sets three tests, and you need to meet all of them:
- Presence: for example, 183 days in the territory, or no more than 90 days in the U.S. Other alternatives exist.
- Tax home: no tax home outside the territory during the year, generally your main place of business or work.
- Closer connection: no closer connection to the U.S. or a foreign country than to the territory.
If you moved or split time between a territory and the mainland in 2024, read Publication 570 and the 2024 Form 1040-SS instructions carefully.
Self-employment and church-employee triggers
The threshold looks at net earnings, not gross receipts. The church trigger applies to wages of $108.28 or more from a church or qualified church-controlled organisation with an effective election exempting it from employer Social Security and Medicare taxes.
It excludes services as a minister or member of a religious order, which fall under separate self-employment rules.
Other situations that may require filing
Even below the usual threshold, you may need Form 1040-SS to report:
- Household employment taxes
- Additional Medicare Tax
- A Puerto Rico ACTC claim
On a joint return, each spouse with self-employment income completes a separate Schedule SE.
Puerto Rico-specific considerations
Only eligible bona fide Puerto Rico residents use the ACTC section. Residents of the other four territories don't. Check child eligibility, Social Security number rules and wage documentation in the current instructions.
Australian readers with U.S. tax connections
An Australian resident, company or business owner shouldn't use Form 1040-SS just because of overseas income or U.S. customers. Form 1040-SS may still apply if you have:
- Bona fide residence in a U.S. territory
- U.S. self-employment activity
- U.S. citizenship or residency status
- Separate U.S. filing obligations
How to Complete Form 1040-SS for 2024
Prepare the income and residency information first
Gather these before you start:
- Taxpayer identification details and territory residency evidence
- Gross business receipts and ordinary and necessary expenses
- Estimated tax payments and wage statements
- Prior-year returns
Net earnings come from Schedule C (nonfarm) or Schedule F (farm) profit or loss, which then feeds Schedule SE.
Complete the self-employment tax calculation
Schedule SE multiplies positive net profit by 92.35% to get net earnings. The rates are:
- 12.4% Social Security, up to the $168,600 combined wage and self-employment base
- 2.9% Medicare, with no wage limit
- 15.3% combined, before base limits
Schedule SE's instructions tell Form 1040-SS filers to skip the one-half deduction line. Half of self-employment tax is used instead in the ACTC calculation.
Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% applies above $250,000 (married filing jointly), $125,000 (married filing separately) or $200,000 (other statuses). If it applies, attach Form 8959.
Address Puerto Rico's Additional Child Tax Credit section
Eligible Puerto Rico residents can claim up to $1,700 per qualifying child. Qualifying children must:
- Be under 17 at year-end
- Meet the relationship, support and residency tests
- Hold an employment-valid SSN issued by the due date, including extensions
An ITIN does not qualify the child for this credit.
Modified AGI benchmarks are $400,000 (joint) and $200,000 (other statuses), after which the credit phases out. Part II also uses Social Security and Medicare amounts from Forms 499R-2/W-2PR; attach copies of those forms.
Add required schedules and supporting documents
- Schedule C or F for business or farm income
- Schedule SE for self-employment tax
- Form 8959 where applicable
- Schedule H for household employment taxes
- Form 499R-2/W-2PR for ACTC claims
Keep these separate from any territorial return or Form 1040 filing package.
Review, sign, submit and retain records
Check names, taxpayer identification numbers, residency details, income, schedules and signatures. IRS error guidance flags incorrect SSNs and unsigned returns as common problems.
The 2024 form can be e-filed through software or a practitioner. On paper, both joint filers sign by hand. Mail to:
- With payment: Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 1303, Charlotte, NC 28201-1303
- Without payment: Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Austin, TX 73301-0215
Keep records generally for 3 years, or 6 if you omitted more than 25% of gross income. Employment tax records need at least 4 years.
2024 Deadlines, Filing Methods, and Common Mistakes
Original deadline
For calendar-year 2024, the return was due April 15, 2025. A 2024 return is prepared after the year ends, which is why the tax year and filing year differ.
Extensions and payment obligations
- Form 4868, filed by April 15, 2025, extends filing to October 15, 2025. It does not extend time to pay.
- Bona fide residents of American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam or the USVI outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico on the due date may file and pay by June 16, 2025 with a statement attached. Interest still runs from April 15.
- Late-filing, late-payment and estimated-tax penalties can apply. The 2024 Form 1040-ES has a worksheet for Form 1040-SS filers.
Payment options
You can pay through:
- IRS Direct Pay
- Debit or credit card
- Electronic funds withdrawal with e-file
- EFTPS
Keep your acceptance or mailing evidence.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using an old Form 1040-PR
- Treating Form 1040-SS as a substitute for every territorial or federal return
- Assuming a territory return satisfies the federal self-employment tax obligation
- Reporting gross receipts instead of net earnings
- Omitting Schedule SE or territory wage statements
- Claiming the Puerto Rico credit without meeting its requirements
- Copying 2025 thresholds, rates or line numbers into a 2024 return
2024 Pre-Filing Checklist and Getting Professional Help
2024 Form 1040-SS document checklist
- Proof of bona fide territory residency
- Business income and expense records, including Forms 1099 or equivalents
- Territory wage statements and estimated payments
- Prior returns and identification details
- Required schedules
Then compare the finished return with the official 2024 Form 1040-SS, its instructions, Publication 570 and any territorial guidance.
When professional review may be appropriate
Get a second opinion if you have:
- Uncertain residency or time in several jurisdictions
- Multiple businesses or a joint return
- Puerto Rico credit claims or Additional Medicare Tax
- Unfiled or amended returns, or IRS notices
A reviewer should assess your whole filing position, not just the arithmetic, especially when Form 1040-SS accompanies a territorial return or Form 1040. The IRS also advises choosing preparers who sign and include a valid PTIN.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a 2024 Form 1040?
Download the 2024 Form 1040 PDF and its instructions from the IRS. It is a different form from Form 1040-SS.
Do I still use Form 1040-PR for 2024?
No. The IRS discontinued it for 2023 and later years. Check the current Form 1040-SS instructions for tax year 2024.
Who needs to file Form 1040-SS for tax year 2024?
Bona fide residents of the five specified territories who aren't required to file Form 1040 and have self-employment or church-employee income at the thresholds. Household employment tax, Additional Medicare Tax or a Puerto Rico ACTC claim can also require filing.
What is the difference between Form 1040 and Form 1040-SS?
Form 1040 is the general individual income tax return. Form 1040-SS covers self-employment tax and the Puerto Rico ACTC, so some taxpayers may need both.
What documents do I need to complete Form 1040-SS?
Business income and expense records, residency proof, identification details, wage statements, estimated payments and the applicable schedules or forms.
When was the 2024 Form 1040-SS due?
April 15, 2025. Form 4868 extended filing to October 15, 2025 but not payment. Special territory rules may give until June 16, 2025.
