i6251--2020-00-00

2020

Instructions for Form 6251

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service

Alternative Minimum Tax—Individuals
Section references are to the Internal Revenue
Code unless otherwise noted.

General Instructions
Future Developments

For the latest information about
developments related to Form 6251 and
its instructions, such as legislation
enacted after they were published, go to
IRS.gov/Form6251.

What's New
Excess business loss limitation.
Recent legislation has repealed the
excess business loss limitation of
noncorporate taxpayers (Form 461) for
2020 (and retroactively to 2018 and
2019). If you filed a 2018 or 2019 return
with the limitation, you can file an
amended return, Form 1040-X.
Exemption amount. The exemption
amount on Form 6251, line 5, has
increased to $72,900 ($113,400 if
married filing jointly or qualifying
widow(er); $56,700 if married filing
separately).
Also, the amount used to determine
the phaseout of your exemption has
increased to $518,400 ($1,036,800 if
married filing jointly or qualifying
widow(er)).
AMT tax brackets. For 2020, the 26%
tax rate applies to the first $197,900
($98,950 if married filing separately) of
taxable excess (the amount on line 6).
This change is reflected in lines 7, 18,
and 39.

Who Must File

Attach Form 6251 to your return if any of
the following statements are true.
1. Form 6251, line 7, is greater than
line 10.
2. You claim any general business
credit, and either line 6 (in Part I) of
Form 3800 or line 25 of Form 3800 is
more than zero.
3. You claim the qualified electric
vehicle credit (Form 8834), the personal
use part of the alternative fuel vehicle
refueling property credit (Form 8911), or
the credit for prior year minimum tax
(Form 8801).
Jan 08, 2021

4. The total of Form 6251, lines 2c
through 3, is negative and line 7 would
be greater than line 10 if you didn’t take
into account lines 2c through 3.

Purpose of Form

Use Form 6251 to figure the amount, if
any, of your alternative minimum tax
(AMT). The AMT is a separate tax that
is imposed in addition to your regular
tax. It applies to taxpayers who have
certain types of income that receive
favorable treatment, or who qualify for
certain deductions, under the tax law.
These tax benefits can significantly
reduce the regular tax of some
taxpayers with higher economic
incomes. The AMT sets a limit on the
amount these benefits can be used to
reduce total tax.
Also use Form 6251 to figure your
tentative minimum tax (Form 6251,
line 9). You may need to know that
amount to figure the tax liability limit on
the credits listed under Who Must File,
earlier.

Figuring AMT Amounts

For the AMT, certain items of income,
deductions, etc., receive different tax
treatment than for the regular tax.
Therefore, you will need to figure items
for the AMT differently from how you
figured them for the regular tax. These
instructions will help you figure AMT
items by using the amount you figured
for the regular tax and refiguring it for
the AMT. In some cases, it is easiest to
refigure an item for AMT by completing
a tax form or worksheet a second time
using additional AMT instructions.
These instructions refer to such a form
or worksheet as an “AMT” version. If
you do complete an AMT version of a
form or worksheet, don’t attach it to your
tax return unless instructed to do so. For
example, you may have to attach an
AMT Form 1116, Foreign Tax Credit, to
your return; see Line 8, later.
As you figure some deductions and
credits for the AMT, carrybacks or
carryforwards to other tax years may be
different from what you figured for the
regular tax. Examples are investment
interest expense, a net operating loss, a
capital loss, a passive activity loss, and
the foreign tax credit. Your at-risk limits
Cat. No. 64277P

and basis amounts may also differ for
the AMT.

Recordkeeping

You must keep records to support items
reported on Form 6251 in case the IRS
has questions about them. If the IRS
examines your tax return, you may be
asked to explain the items reported.
Good records will help you explain any
item and arrive at the correct AMT.
Keep records that show how you
figured income, deductions, etc., for the
AMT. Also keep records of any items
that you used to figure the AMT that
differ from what you used to figure the
regular tax. For example, you will need
to separately figure and track certain
carrybacks, carryforwards, basis
amounts, depreciation, and loss
limitation amounts that differ between
the AMT and the regular tax.
If you refigure an item for AMT by
completing an AMT version of a form or
worksheet, keep a copy of that AMT
form or worksheet for your records.

Partners and Shareholders
If you are a partner in a partnership or a
shareholder in an S corporation, see
Schedule K-1 and its instructions to
figure your adjustments or preferences
from the partnership or S corporation to
include on Form 6251.

Nonresident Aliens

If you are a nonresident alien and you
disposed of U.S. real property interests
at a gain, you must make a special
computation. Fill in Form 6251 through
line 6. If your net gain from the
disposition of U.S. real property
interests and the amount on line 4 are
both greater than the tentative amount
you figured for line 6, replace the
amount on line 6 with the smaller of that
net gain or the amount on line 4. Also,
enter “RPI” on the dotted line next to
line 6. Otherwise, don’t change line 6.

Credit for Prior Year
Minimum Tax

See Form 8801, Credit for Prior Year
Minimum Tax—Individuals, Estates, and
Trusts, if you paid AMT for 2019 or you
had a minimum tax credit carryforward

on your 2019 Form 8801. If you pay
AMT for 2020, you may be able to take
a credit on Form 8801 for 2021.

Optional Write-off for
Certain Expenditures

There is no AMT adjustment for the
following items if you elect for the
regular tax to deduct them ratably over
the period of time shown.
• Circulation expenditures—3 years
(section 173).
• Research and experimental
expenditures—10 years (section
174(a)).
• Mining exploration and development
costs—10 years (sections 616(a) and
617(a)).
• Intangible drilling costs—60 months
(section 263(c)).
For information on making the
election, see section 59(e) and
Regulations section 1.59-1. Also see
Pub. 535, Business Expenses.

Specific Instructions
If you owe AMT, you may be

TIP able to lower your total tax

(regular tax plus AMT) by
claiming itemized deductions on Form
1040 or Form 1040-SR, even if your
total itemized deductions are less than
the standard deduction. This is because
the standard deduction isn’t allowed for
the AMT and, if you claim the standard
deduction on Form 1040 or Form
1040-SR, you can’t claim itemized
deductions for the AMT.

Part I—Alternative
Minimum Taxable Income
(AMTI)
To avoid duplication, any
adjustment or preference for
CAUTION line 2m or 2n or for a tax shelter
farm activity on line 3 must not be taken
into account in figuring the amount to
enter for any other adjustment or
preference.

!

Line 1

If Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 15, is
zero and includes a write-in amount
(such as a capital construction fund
deduction for commercial fishermen),
subtract the write-in amount and line 14
of Form 1040 or 1040-SR from line 11 of
Form 1040 or 1040-SR before entering
the result on line 1.

Form 1040-NR. If you are filing Form
1040-NR, enter the amount from Form
1040-NR, line 15. If Form 1040-NR,

line 15, is zero, subtract line 14 from
line 11 of Form 1040-NR and enter the
result. If less than zero, enter as a
negative amount.

deductible if tax-exempt interest on
private activity bonds were includible in
gross income.

Line 2a—Taxes

Step 2. Enter your AMT disallowed
investment interest expense from 2019
on line 2. Complete line 3.

If you aren’t filing Schedule A (Form
1040), then enter the standard
deduction amount that you reported on
Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 12.

Step 3. When completing Part II,
refigure the following amounts, taking
into account all adjustments and
preferences.
• Gross income from property held for
investment.
• Net gain from the disposition of
property held for investment.
• Net capital gain from the disposition
of property held for investment.
• Investment expenses.

Enter the amount of all taxes from
Schedule A (Form 1040), line 7, except
any generation-skipping transfer taxes
on income distributions.

Net qualified disaster loss. If you
filed Schedule A just to claim an
increased standard deduction on Form
1040 or Form 1040-SR due to a loss
you suffered related to property in a
federally declared disaster area, then
enter zero on line 2a and go to line 2b.
You will include the amount of the
standard deduction (before it was
increased by any net qualified disaster
loss) on line 3.
Form 1040-NR. If you are filing Form
1040-NR, enter the amount of all taxes
from Schedule A (Form 1040-NR),
line 1b, plus any foreign income taxes
you are deducting on Schedule A
(instead of claiming a credit on Form
1116). Don’t include any
generation-skipping transfer taxes on
income distributions.

Line 2b—Refund of Taxes

Include any refund from Schedule 1
(Form 1040), line 1, that is attributable
to state or local income taxes. Also
include any refunds received in 2020
and included in income on Schedule 1
(Form 1040), line 8, that are attributable
to state or local personal property taxes
or general sales taxes, foreign income
taxes, or state, local, or foreign real
property taxes. Enter the total as a
negative amount. If you include an
amount from Schedule 1 (Form 1040),
line 8, you must enter a description and
the amount next to the entry space for
line 2b. For example, if you include a
refund of real property taxes, enter “real
property” and the amount next to the
entry space.

Line 2c—Investment Interest

If you filled out Form 4952, Investment
Interest Expense Deduction, for your
regular tax, you will need to fill out a
second Form 4952 for the AMT as
follows.
Step 1. Follow the Form 4952
instructions for line 1, but, when
completing line 1, also include any
interest that would have been
-2-

Include on line 4a any tax-exempt
interest income from private activity
bonds that must be included on Form
6251, line 2g. If you have any
investment expenses that would have
been deductible if the interest on the
bonds were includible in gross income
for the regular tax, you can use them to
reduce the amount on line 4a or include
them on line 5.
On line 4g, enter the smaller of:
1. The amount from line 4g of your
regular tax Form 4952, or
2. The total of lines 4b and 4e of this
AMT Form 4952.
Step 4. Complete Part III.
Enter on Form 6251, line 2c, the
difference between line 8 of your AMT
Form 4952 and line 8 of your regular tax
Form 4952. If your AMT expense is
greater, enter the difference as a
negative amount.
Investment interest expense that
isn’t an itemized deduction. If you
didn’t itemize deductions and you had
investment interest expense, don’t enter
an amount on Form 6251, line 2c,
unless you reported investment interest
expense on Schedule E (Form 1040),
Supplemental Income and Loss. If you
did, follow the steps above for
completing Form 4952. Allocate the
investment interest expense allowed on
line 8 of the AMT Form 4952 in the
same way you did for the regular tax.
Enter on Form 6251, line 2c, the
difference between the amount allowed
on Schedule E for the regular tax and
the amount allowed on Schedule E for
the AMT.

Line 2d—Depletion

Refigure your depletion deduction for
the AMT. To do so, use only income
and deductions allowed for the AMT
when refiguring the limit based on
Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

taxable income from the property under
section 613(a) and the limit based on
taxable income, with certain
adjustments, under section 613A(d)(1).
Also, your depletion deduction for
mines, wells, and other natural deposits
under section 611 is limited to the
property's adjusted basis at the end of
the year, as refigured for the AMT,
unless you are an independent
producer or royalty owner claiming
percentage depletion for oil and gas
wells under section 613A(c). Figure this
limit separately for each property. When
refiguring the property's adjusted basis,
take into account any AMT adjustments
you made this year or in previous years
that affect basis (other than current year
depletion).
Enter the difference between the
regular tax and AMT deduction. If the
AMT deduction is more than the regular
tax deduction, enter the difference as a
negative amount.

Line 2f—Alternative Tax Net
Operating Loss Deduction
(ATNOLD)

The ATNOLD is the sum of the
alternative tax net operating loss
(ATNOL) carrybacks and carryforwards
to the tax year subject to the limitation
explained later. Figure your ATNOLD as
follows.
Your ATNOL for a loss year is the
excess of the deductions allowed for
figuring AMTI (excluding the ATNOLD)
over the income included in AMTI.
Figure this excess with the
modifications in section 172(d), taking
into account your AMT adjustments and
preferences (that is, the section 172(d)
modifications must be separately
figured for the ATNOL). For example,
the limitation of nonbusiness deductions
to the amount of nonbusiness income
must be separately figured for the
ATNOL, using only nonbusiness income
and deductions that are included in
AMTI.
Your ATNOLD may be limited. To
figure the ATNOLD limitation, you must
first figure your AMTI without regard to
the ATNOLD. To do this, first figure a
tentative amount for line 2d by treating
line 2f as if it were zero. Next, figure a
tentative total of lines 1 through 3 using
the tentative line 2d amount and treating
line 2f as if it were zero. This is your
AMTI figured without regard to the
ATNOLD. Your ATNOLD is limited to
90% of the result.

qualified disaster losses before
December 19, 2004 (as defined in
section 172(j)), qualified Gulf
Opportunity Zone losses (as defined in
section 1400N(k)(2)), qualified recovery
assistance losses (as defined in Pub.
4492-A, Information for Taxpayers
Affected by the May 4, 2007, Kansas
Storms and Tornadoes), qualified
disaster recovery assistance losses (as
defined in Pub. 4492-B, Information for
Affected Taxpayers in the Midwestern
Disaster Areas), or a 2008 or 2009 loss
that you elected to carry back more than
2 years under section 172(b)(1)(H).
Therefore, if an ATNOL that is carried
back or carried forward to the tax year is
attributable to any of those losses, the
ATNOLD for the tax year is limited to the
sum of:
1. The smaller of:
a. The sum of the ATNOL
carrybacks and carryforwards to the tax
year attributable to net operating losses
other than those losses described in 2a
below, or
b. 90% of AMTI for the tax year
(figured without regard to the ATNOLD);
plus
2. The smaller of:
a. The sum of the ATNOL
carrybacks and carryforwards to the tax
year attributable to qualified disaster
losses, qualified Gulf Opportunity Zone
losses, qualified recovery assistance
losses, qualified disaster recovery
assistance losses, and any 2008 or
2009 loss that you elected to carry back
more than 2 years under section 172(b)
(1)(H), or
b. 100% of AMTI for the tax year
(figured without regard to the ATNOLD)
reduced by the amount determined
under (1).
Enter on line 2f the smaller of the
ATNOLD or the ATNOLD limitation.
Enter it as a negative amount.
Any ATNOL not used may generally
be carried back 2 years or forward up to
20 years if it arose before your 2018 tax
year. Any ATNOL arising after your
2017 tax year may generally be carried
back 5 years or forward indefinitely. For
more information about carryover
periods, see Pub. 536.
The treatment of ATNOLs doesn’t
affect your regular tax NOL. However, if
you elected under section 172(b)(3) to
forgo the carryback period for the
regular tax, the election also applies for
the AMT.

However, the 90% limit doesn’t apply
to an ATNOL that is attributable to
Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

-3-

Line 2g—Interest From Private
Activity Bonds

Enter on line 2g interest income from
“specified private activity bonds”
reduced (but not below zero) by any
deduction that would have been
allowable if the interest were includible
in gross income for the regular tax. Each
payer of this type of interest should
send you a Form 1099-INT showing the
amount of this interest in box 9.
Generally, the term “specified private
activity bond” means any private activity
bond (as defined in section 141) the
interest on which isn’t includible in gross
income for the regular tax, if the bond
was issued after August 7, 1986. But
specified private activity bonds
generally don’t include any bonds
issued in 2009 or 2010. See section
57(a)(5) for other exceptions and more
details.
Don’t include interest on qualified
Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds or
qualified Midwestern disaster area
bonds.
Exempt-interest dividends paid by a
mutual fund or other regulated
investment company are treated as
interest income on specified private
activity bonds to the extent the
dividends are attributable to interest on
the bonds received by the company,
minus an allocable share of the
expenses paid or incurred by the
company in earning the interest. This
amount should be reported to you on
Form 1099-DIV in box 12.
If you are filing Form 8814, Parents'
Election To Report Child's Interest and
Dividends, include on this line any
tax-exempt interest income from line 1b
of that form that is a preference item.

Line 2h—Qualified Small
Business Stock

If you claimed the exclusion under
section 1202 for gain on qualified small
business stock acquired before
September 28, 2010, and held more
than 5 years, multiply the excluded gain
(as shown on Form 8949 in column (g))
by 7% (0.07). Enter the result on line 2h
as a positive amount.

Line 2i—Exercise of Incentive
Stock Options

For the regular tax, no income is
recognized when an incentive stock
option (ISO), as defined in section
422(b), is exercised. However, this rule
doesn’t apply for the AMT. Instead, you
must generally include on line 2i the
excess, if any, of:

1. The fair market value of the stock
acquired through exercise of the option
(determined without regard to any lapse
restriction) when your rights in the
acquired stock first become transferable
or when these rights are no longer
subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture;
over
2. The amount you paid for the
stock, including any amount you paid for
the ISO used to acquire the stock.
Even if your rights in the stock aren’t
transferable and are subject to a
substantial risk of forfeiture, you may
elect to include in AMT income the
excess of the stock's fair market value
(determined without regard to any lapse
restriction) over the exercise price upon
the transfer to you of the stock acquired
through exercise of the option. You
must make the election by the 30th day
after the date of the transfer. See Pub.
525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income,
for more details.
If you acquired stock by exercising
an ISO and you disposed of that stock in
the same year, the tax treatment under
the regular tax and the AMT is the
same, and no adjustment is required.
Increase your AMT basis in any stock
acquired through the exercise of an ISO
by the amount of the adjustment. Keep
adequate records for both the AMT and
regular tax so that you can figure your
adjustment. See the instructions for
line 2k.
Form 3921. If you received a Form
3921, it may help you figure your
adjustment.
Example. You exercised an ISO to
acquire 100 shares of stock in 2020.
Your rights in the acquired stock first
became transferable on the date you
exercised the ISO and weren’t subject
to a substantial risk of forfeiture. You
didn’t pay anything for the ISO. You
didn’t sell the acquired stock during
2020. You received a Form 3921 that
shows $10 in box 3 (the exercise price
you paid for each share), $25 in box 4
(the fair market value of each share on
the exercise date), and 100 shares in
box 5 (the number of shares you
acquired). To figure your adjustment,
multiply the amount in box 4, $25, by the
100 shares in box 5. The result is
$2,500, the fair market value of all the
shares. Then multiply the amount in
box 3, $10, by the 100 shares in box 5.
The result is $1,000, the amount you
paid for all the shares. Your adjustment
is $1,500 ($2,500 − $1,000). Enter it on
Form 6251, line 2i.

Line 2k—Disposition of
Property

Your AMT gain or loss from the
disposition of property may be different
from your gain or loss for the regular tax.
This is because the property may have
a different adjusted basis for the AMT.
Use this line to report any AMT
adjustment resulting from refiguring:
1. Gain or loss from the sale,
exchange, or involuntary conversion of
property reported on Form 4797, Sales
of Business Property;
2. Casualty gain or loss to business
or income-producing property reported
on Form 4684, Casualties and Thefts;
3. Ordinary income from the
disposition of property not already taken
into account in (1) or (2) or on any other
line on Form 6251, such as a
disqualifying disposition of stock
acquired in a prior year by exercising an
incentive stock option; and
4. Capital gain or loss (including any
carryover that is different for the AMT)
reported on Form 8949, Sales and
Other Dispositions of Capital Assets, or
Schedule D (Form 1040), Capital Gains
and Losses.
First figure any ordinary income
adjustment related to (3) above. Then,
refigure Form 4684, Form 4797, Form
8949, and Schedule D for the AMT, if
applicable, by taking into account any
adjustments you made this year or in
previous years that affect your basis or
otherwise result in a different amount for
the AMT. When you refigure your gain
or loss on Form 8949 for AMT, the
amount of gain you elected to defer for
regular tax purposes due to an
investment in a qualified opportunity
fund may need to be adjusted on your
AMT Form 8949. An adjustment may be
required if the regular tax and AMT
adjusted basis of the property you sold
prior to your investment is different.
If you have a capital loss after
refiguring Schedule D for the AMT,
apply the $3,000 capital loss limitation
separately to the AMT loss. Because
the amount of your gains and losses
may be different for the AMT, the
amount of any capital loss carryover
may also be different for the AMT. See
the following example. To figure your
AMT capital loss carryover, fill out an
AMT Capital Loss Carryover Worksheet
in the Schedule D instructions.
For each of the four items listed
earlier, figure the difference between the
amount included in taxable income for
the regular tax and the amount included
-4-

in income for the AMT. Include the
difference as a negative amount on
line 2k if (a) both the AMT and regular
tax amounts are zero or more and the
AMT amount is less than the regular tax
amount, or (b) the AMT amount is a
loss, and the regular tax amount is a
smaller loss, or is zero or more.
Enter on line 2k the combined
adjustments for the four items listed
earlier.
Example. On March 13, 2019,
Victor Ash, whose filing status is single,
paid $20,000 to exercise an ISO (which
was granted to him on January 3, 2018)
to buy 200 shares of stock worth
$200,000. The $180,000 difference
between his cost and the value of the
stock at the time he exercised the option
isn’t taxable for the regular tax. His
regular tax basis in the stock at the end
of 2019 is $20,000. For the AMT,
however, Ash must include the
$180,000 as an adjustment on his 2019
Form 6251. His AMT basis in the stock
at the end of 2019 is $200,000.
On January 18, 2020, Ash sold 100
of the shares for $75,000. Because Ash
didn’t hold these shares more than 1
year, that sale is a disqualifying
disposition. For the regular tax, Ash has
ordinary income of $65,000 ($75,000
minus his $10,000 basis in the 100
shares). Ash has no capital gain or loss
for the regular tax resulting from the
sale. For the AMT, Ash has no ordinary
income, but has a short-term capital
loss of $25,000 ($75,000 minus his
$100,000 AMT basis in the 100 shares).
On April 21, 2020, Ash sold the other
100 shares for $60,000. Because he
held the shares for more than 1 year
and more than 2 years had passed
since the option was granted to him, the
sale isn’t a disqualifying disposition. For
the regular tax, Ash has a long-term
capital gain of $50,000 ($60,000 minus
his regular tax basis of $10,000). For the
AMT, Ash has a long-term capital loss
of $40,000 ($60,000 minus his AMT
basis of $100,000).
Ash has no other sales of stock or
other capital assets for 2020. Ash enters
a total negative adjustment of $118,000
on line 2k of his 2020 Form 6251,
figured as follows.
• Ash figures a negative adjustment of
$65,000 for the difference between the
$65,000 of regular tax ordinary income
and the $0 of AMT ordinary income for
the first sale.
• For the regular tax, Ash has $50,000
capital gain net income from the second
sale. For the AMT, Ash has a $25,000
short-term capital loss from the first
Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

sale, and a $40,000 long-term capital
loss from the second sale, resulting in a
net capital loss of $65,000 for the AMT.
However, only $3,000 of the $65,000
net capital loss is allowed for 2020 for
the AMT. The difference between the
regular tax gain of $50,000 and the
$3,000 loss allowed for the AMT results
in a $53,000 negative adjustment to
include on line 2k.
Ash has an AMT capital loss
carryover from 2020 to 2021 of $62,000,
of which $22,000 is short term and
$40,000 is long term. If he has no other
Form 8949 or Schedule D transactions
for 2021, his adjustment reported on his
2021 Form 6251 would be limited to
($3,000), the amount of his capital loss
limitation for 2021.

Line 2l—Post-1986
Depreciation
To avoid duplication, any AMT
adjustment or tax preference
CAUTION item taken into account on this
line shouldn’t be taken into account in
figuring the amount to enter on any
other adjustment or tax preference item
line of this form.

!

This section describes when
depreciation must be refigured for the
AMT and how to figure the amount to
enter on line 2l.
Don’t use line 2l for depreciation
related to the following.
• Passive activities. Take this
adjustment into account on line 2m.
• An activity for which you aren’t at risk.
Take this adjustment into account on
line 2n.
• Income or loss from a partnership or
an S corporation if the basis limitations
apply. Take this adjustment into account
on line 2n.
• A tax shelter farm activity. Take this
adjustment into account on line 3.

What Depreciation Must Be
Refigured for the AMT?
Generally, you must refigure
depreciation for the AMT, including
depreciation allocable to inventory
costs, for:
• Property placed in service after 1998
that is depreciated for the regular tax
using the 200% declining balance
method (generally 3-, 5-, 7-, and
10-year property under the modified
accelerated cost recovery system
(MACRS), except for certain qualified
property eligible for the special
depreciation allowance (discussed
later));
Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

• Section 1250 property placed in
service after 1998 that isn’t depreciated
for the regular tax using the straight line
method; and
• Tangible property placed in service
after 1986 and before 1999. (If the
transitional election was made under
section 203(a)(1)(B) of the Tax Reform
Act of 1986, this rule applies to property
placed in service after July 31, 1986.)
What Depreciation Isn’t Refigured
for the AMT?
Don’t refigure depreciation for the AMT
for the following.
• Residential rental property placed in
service after 1998.
• Nonresidential real property with a
class life of 27.5 years or more placed in
service after 1998 that is depreciated for
the regular tax using the straight line
method.
• Other section 1250 property placed in
service after 1998 that is depreciated for
the regular tax using the straight line
method.
• Property (other than section 1250
property) placed in service after 1998
that is depreciated for the regular tax
using the 150% declining balance
method or the straight line method.
• Property for which you elected to use
the alternative depreciation system
(ADS) of section 168(g) for the regular
tax.
• Qualified property that is or was
eligible for a special depreciation
allowance if the depreciable basis of the
property is the same for the AMT and
the regular tax. This applies to any
special depreciation allowance,
including those for disaster assistance
property, reuse and recycling property,
cellulosic biofuel plant property, second
generation biofuel plant property, New
York Liberty Zone property, Gulf
Opportunity Zone property, and Kansas
disaster area recovery assistance
property. The special allowance is
deductible for the AMT, and no
adjustment is required for any
depreciation figured on the remaining
basis of the qualified property because
the depreciable basis of the property is
the same for the AMT and the regular
tax. If you elected not to have any
special depreciation allowance apply,
the property may be subject to an AMT
adjustment for depreciation if it was
placed in service before 2016. It isn’t
subject to an AMT adjustment for
depreciation if it was placed in service
after 2015.
• Any part of the cost of any property
for which you elected to take a section
-5-

179 expense deduction. The reduction
to the depreciable basis of section 179
property by the amount of the section
179 expense deduction is the same for
the regular tax and the AMT.
• Motion picture films, videotapes, or
sound recordings.
• Property depreciated under the
unit-of-production method or any other
method not expressed in a term of
years.
• Indian reservation property that
meets the requirements of section
168(j).
• A natural gas gathering line placed in
service after April 11, 2005.

How Is Depreciation Refigured for
the AMT?
Property placed in service before
1999. Refigure depreciation for the
AMT using ADS, with the same
convention used for the regular tax. See
the following table for the method and
recovery period to use.
Property Placed in Service Before 1999
IF the property is...

THEN use the...

section 1250 property

straight line method
over 40 years.

tangible property
straight line method
(other than section
over the property's
1250 property)
AMT class life.
depreciated using
straight line method for
the regular tax
any other tangible
property

150% declining
balance method,
switching to straight
line method the first
tax year it gives a
larger deduction, over
the property's AMT
class life.

Property placed in service after
1998. Use the same convention and
recovery period used for the regular tax.
For property other than section 1250
property, use the 150% declining
balance method, switching to straight
line the first tax year it gives a larger
deduction. For section 1250 property,
use the straight line method.

How Is the AMT Class Life
Determined?
The class life used for the AMT isn’t
necessarily the same as the recovery
period used for the regular tax. The
class lives for the AMT are listed in Rev.
Proc. 87-56, 1987-2 C.B. 674, and in

Pub. 946, How To Depreciate Property.
Use 12 years for any tangible personal
property not assigned a class life.
See Pub. 946 for tables that can
TIP be used to figure AMT
depreciation. Rev. Proc. 89-15,
1989-1 C.B. 816, has special rules for
short years and for property disposed of
before the end of the recovery period.

How Is the Adjustment Figured?
Subtract the AMT deduction for
depreciation from the regular tax
deduction and enter the result. If the
AMT deduction is more than the regular
tax deduction, enter the difference as a
negative amount.
In addition to the AMT adjustment to
your deduction for depreciation, also
adjust the amount of depreciation that
was capitalized, if any, to account for
the difference between the rules for the
regular tax and the AMT. Include on this
line the current year adjustment to
taxable income, if any, resulting from
the difference.

Line 2m—Passive Activities

Refigure your passive activity gains and
losses for the AMT by taking into
account all adjustments and
preferences and any AMT prior year
unallowed losses that apply to that
activity. You may fill out an AMT Form
8582, Passive Activity Loss Limitations,
and AMT versions of the other forms or
schedules on which your passive
activities are reported, to determine
your passive activity loss allowed for the
AMT, but don’t file the AMT versions of
these forms and schedules with your tax
return. Instead, keep them with your
records.
Example. You are a partner in a
partnership and the Schedule K-1 (Form
1065) you received shows the following.
• A passive activity loss of $4,125.
• A depreciation adjustment of $500 on
post-1986 property.
• An adjustment of $225 on the
disposition of property.
Because the two adjustments above
are from the passive activity and aren’t
allowed for the AMT, you must first
reduce the passive activity loss by those
amounts. The result is a passive activity
loss for the AMT of $3,400. You then
enter this amount on the AMT Form
8582 and refigure the allowable passive
activity loss for the AMT.

The amount of any AMT

TIP passive activity loss that isn’t

deductible and is carried
forward is likely to differ from the regular
tax amount, if any. Therefore, keep
adequate records for both the AMT and
regular tax.
Enter the difference between the
amount that would be reported for the
activity on Schedule C, E, or F or Form
4835, Farm Rental Income and
Expenses, for the AMT and the regular
tax amount. If (a) the AMT loss is more
than the regular tax loss, (b) the AMT
gain is less than the regular tax gain, or
(c) you have an AMT loss and a regular
tax gain, enter the adjustment as a
negative amount.
Enter any adjustment for amounts
reported on Form 8949, Schedule D,
Form 4684, or Form 4797, for the
activity on line 2k instead of line 2m.
See the instructions for line 2k.

Publicly Traded Partnership (PTP)
If you had a loss from a PTP, refigure
the loss using any AMT adjustments
and preferences and any AMT prior
year unallowed loss.

Tax Shelter Passive Farm
Activities
Refigure any gain or loss from a tax
shelter passive farm activity taking into
account all AMT adjustments and
preferences and any AMT prior year
unallowed losses. If the amount is a
gain, include it on the AMT Form 8582.
If the amount is a loss, don’t include it
on the AMT Form 8582. Carry the loss
forward to 2021 to see if you have a
gain or loss from tax shelter passive
farm activities for 2021.

Insolvency
If at the end of the tax year your
liabilities exceed the fair market value of
your assets, increase your passive
activity loss allowed by that excess (but
not by more than your total loss). See
section 58(c)(1).

Line 2n—Loss Limitations
To avoid duplication, any AMT
adjustment or tax preference
CAUTION item taken into account on this
line shouldn’t be taken into account in
figuring the amount to enter on any
other adjustment or tax preference item
line of this form.

!

activities (that aren’t passive), see the
line 3 instructions.
Refigure your gains and losses from
activities for which you aren’t at risk and
basis limitations applicable to
partnerships and S corporations by
taking into account all AMT adjustments
and preferences that apply. See
sections 59(h), 465, 704(d), and
1366(d).
Enter the difference between the
amount that would be reported for the
activity on Schedule C, E, or F or Form
4835 for the AMT and the regular tax
amount. If (a) the AMT loss is more than
the regular tax loss, (b) the AMT gain is
less than the regular tax gain, or (c) you
have an AMT loss and a regular tax
gain, enter the adjustment as a negative
amount.
The AMT amount of any gain or

TIP loss from activities for which you

aren’t at risk is likely to differ
from the regular tax amount. Your AMT
basis in partnerships and S corporations
is also likely to differ from your regular
tax basis. Therefore, keep adequate
records for both the AMT and regular
tax.
Enter any adjustment for amounts
reported on Form 8949, Schedule D,
Form 4684, or Form 4797, for the
activity on line 2k instead of line 2n.

Line 2o—Circulation Costs
Don’t make this adjustment for
costs for which you elected the
CAUTION optional 3-year write-off for the
regular tax.

!

Circulation costs (expenditures to
establish, maintain, or increase the
circulation of a newspaper, magazine,
or other periodical) deducted in full for
the regular tax in the year they were
paid or incurred must be capitalized and
amortized over 3 years for the AMT.
Enter the difference between the regular
tax and AMT deduction. If the AMT
deduction is more than the regular tax
deduction, enter the difference as a
negative amount.
If you had a loss on property for
which circulation costs haven’t been
fully amortized for the AMT, your AMT
deduction is the smaller of (a) the loss
allowable for the costs had they
remained capitalized, or (b) the
remaining costs to be amortized for the
AMT.

For passive activities, see the line 2m
instructions instead. For tax shelter farm
-6-

Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

Line 2p—Long-Term Contracts
To avoid duplication, any AMT
adjustment or tax preference
CAUTION item taken into account on this
line shouldn’t be taken into account in
figuring the amount to enter on any
other adjustment or tax preference item
line of this form.

!

For the AMT, you must generally use
the percentage-of-completion method
described in section 460(b) to
determine your income from any
long-term contract (defined in section
460(f)). However, this rule doesn’t apply
to any home construction contract (as
defined in section 460(e)(5) (formerly
designated 460(e)(6)). For contracts
excepted from the
percentage-of-completion method for
the regular tax by section 460(e)(1), use
the simplified procedures for allocating
costs outlined in section 460(b)(3) to
determine the percentage of
completion.
Enter the difference between the
AMT and regular tax income. If the AMT
income is smaller, enter the difference
as a negative amount.
Note. If you are required to use the
percentage-of-completion method for
either the regular tax or the AMT, you
may owe or be entitled to a refund of
interest for the tax year the contract is
completed or adjusted. For details, see
Form 8697, Interest Computation Under
the Look-Back Method for Completed
Long-Term Contracts.

Line 2q—Mining Costs
Don’t make this adjustment for
costs for which you elected the
CAUTION optional 10-year write-off for the
regular tax.

!

Line 2r—Research and
Experimental Costs
Don’t make this adjustment for
costs paid or incurred in
CAUTION connection with an activity in
which you materially participated under
the passive activity rules or for costs for
which you elected the optional 10-year
write-off for the regular tax.

!

Research and experimental costs
deducted in full for the regular tax in the
tax year they were paid or incurred must
be capitalized and amortized over 10
years for the AMT. Enter the difference
between the regular tax and AMT
deduction. If the AMT deduction is more
than the regular tax deduction, enter the
difference as a negative amount.
If you had a loss on property for
which research and experimental costs
haven’t been fully amortized for the
AMT, your AMT deduction is the smaller
of (a) the loss allowable for the costs
had they remained capitalized, or (b) the
remaining costs to be amortized for the
AMT.

Line 2s—Installment Sales

The installment method doesn’t apply
for the AMT to any nondealer
disposition of property after August 16,
1986, but before January 1, 1987, if an
installment obligation to which the
proportionate disallowance rule applied
arose from the disposition. Enter the
amount of installment sale income
reported for the regular tax as a
negative amount on line 2s.

Line 2t—Intangible Drilling
Costs (IDCs)
Don’t make this adjustment for
costs for which you elected the
CAUTION optional 60-month write-off for
the regular tax.

!

Mining exploration and development
costs deducted in full for the regular tax
in the tax year they were paid or
incurred must be capitalized and
amortized over 10 years for the AMT.
Enter the difference between the regular
tax and AMT deduction. If the AMT
deduction is more than the regular tax
deduction, enter the difference as a
negative amount.

IDCs from oil, gas, and geothermal
wells are a preference to the extent that
the excess IDCs are more than 65% of
the net income from the wells. Figure
the preference for all oil and gas
properties separately from the
preference for all geothermal properties.

If you had a loss on property for
which mining costs haven’t been fully
amortized for the AMT, your AMT
deduction is the smaller of (a) the loss
allowable for the costs had they
remained capitalized, or (b) the
remaining costs to be amortized for the
AMT.

Step 1. Determine the amount of
your IDCs allowed for the regular tax
under section 263(c), but don’t include
any section 263(c) deduction for
nonproductive wells.

Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

Excess IDCs. Figure excess IDCs as
follows.

Step 2. Subtract from the amount
determined in Step 1 the amount that
would have been allowed had you
-7-

amortized these IDCs over a 120-month
period starting with the month the well
was placed in production. If you prefer
not to use the 120-month period, you
can elect to use any method that is
permissible in determining cost
depletion.
Net income. Determine net income by
reducing the gross income that you
received or accrued during the tax year
from all oil, gas, and geothermal wells
by the deductions allocable to those
wells (reduced by the excess IDCs).
When refiguring net income, use only
income and deductions allowed for the
AMT.
Exception. The preference for IDCs
from oil and gas wells doesn’t apply to
taxpayers who are independent
producers (that is, not integrated oil
companies as defined in section 291(b)
(4)). However, this benefit may be
limited. First, figure the IDC preference
as if this exception didn’t apply. Then,
for purposes of this exception, complete
Form 6251 through line 3, including the
IDC preference and treating line 2f as if
it were zero, and combine lines 1
through 3. If the amount of the IDC
preference exceeds 40% of the total of
lines 1 through 3 (figured as described
in the preceding sentence), enter the
excess on line 2t (your benefit from this
exception is limited). Otherwise, don’t
enter an amount on line 2t (your benefit
from this exception isn’t limited).

Line 3—Other Adjustments

Enter on line 3 the total of any other
adjustments that apply to you, including
the following.

Depreciation Figured Using
Pre-1987 Rules
This preference generally applies only
to property placed in service after 1987,
but depreciated using pre-1987 rules
due to transitional provisions of the Tax
Reform Act of 1986.
For the AMT, you must use the
straight line method to figure
depreciation on real property for which
accelerated depreciation was
determined using pre-1987 rules. Use a
recovery period of 19 years for 19-year
real property and 15 years for
low-income housing. For leased
personal property other than recovery
property, enter the amount by which
your regular tax depreciation using the
pre-1987 rules exceeds the
depreciation allowable using the straight
line method. For leased 10-year
recovery property and leased 15-year

public utility property, enter the amount
by which your regular tax depreciation
exceeds the depreciation allowable
using the straight line method with a
half-year convention, no salvage value,
and a recovery period of 15 years (22
years for 15-year public utility property).

gain, enter the adjustment as a negative
amount.

Figure the excess of the regular tax
depreciation over the AMT depreciation
separately for each property and include
on line 3 only positive amounts.

Charitable Contributions of Certain
Property

Pollution Control Facilities
The section 169 election to amortize the
basis of a certified pollution control
facility over a 60-month or 84-month
period isn’t available for the AMT. For
facilities placed in service before 1999,
figure the AMT deduction using ADS.
For facilities placed in service after
1998, figure the AMT deduction under
MACRS using the straight line method.
Enter the difference between the regular
tax and AMT deduction. If the AMT
deduction is more than the regular tax
deduction, enter the difference as a
negative amount.

Tax Shelter Farm Activities
Figure this adjustment only if you have a
gain or loss from a tax shelter farm
activity (as defined in section 58(a)(2))
that isn’t a passive activity. If the activity
is passive, you must include it with your
other passive activities on line 2m.
Refigure all gains and losses you
reported for the regular tax from tax
shelter farm activities by taking into
account any AMT adjustments and
preferences. Determine your tax shelter
farm activity gain or loss for the AMT
using the same rules you used for the
regular tax with the following
modifications.
• No refigured loss is allowed, except
to the extent you are insolvent (see
section 58(c)(1)).
• Don’t use a refigured loss in the
current tax year to offset gains from
other tax shelter farm activities. Instead,
suspend any refigured loss and carry it
forward indefinitely until (a) you have a
gain in a subsequent tax year from that
same activity, or (b) you dispose of the
activity.
Enter the difference between the
amount that would be reported for the
activity on Schedule E or F or Form
4835 for the AMT and the regular tax
amount. If (a) the AMT loss is more than
the regular tax loss, (b) the AMT gain is
less than the regular tax gain, or (c) you
have an AMT loss and a regular tax

Enter any adjustment for amounts
reported on Form 8949, Schedule D,
Form 4684, or Form 4797 for the activity
on line 2k instead of line 3.

If you made a charitable contribution of
property to which section 170(e) applies
and you had a different basis for AMT
purposes, you may have to make an
adjustment. See section 170(e) for
details.

Business Interest Limitation
Complete an AMT Form 8990 using
amounts adjusted for AMT. Enter the
difference between the AMT and regular
tax allowable interest expense. If line 30
of the AMT Form 8990 is more than the
amount on line 30 of the regular tax
Form 8990, enter the difference as a
negative amount.

Biofuel Producer Credit and
Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel
Fuels Credit
If your taxable income includes the
amount of the biofuel producer credit or
biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels
credit, include that amount as a
negative amount on line 3.

Mortgage Interest

If you filed Schedule A to itemize
your deductions, then don't make this
adjustment.

Related Adjustments
If you have an entry on line 2c because
you deducted investment interest
allocable to an interest in a trade or
business, or on line 2d, 2h, 2i, or 2k
through 2t, or you have any amount
included on line 3 from pre-1987
depreciation, pollution control facilities,
or tax shelter farm activities, you may
have to refigure any item of income or
deduction based on a limit of income
other than AGI or modified AGI.
Affected items include the following.

• Section 179 expense deduction

(Form 4562, line 12).
• Expenses for business or rental use
of your home.
• Conservation expenses (Schedule F
(Form 1040), line 12).
• Taxable IRA distributions (Form
1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR, line 4b), if
prior year IRA deductions were different
for the AMT and the regular tax.
• Self-employed health insurance
deduction (Schedule 1 (Form 1040),
line 16).
• Self-employed SEP, SIMPLE, and
qualified plans deduction (Schedule 1
(Form 1040), line 15).
• IRA deduction (Schedule 1 (Form
1040), line 19), affected by the earned
income limitation of section 219(b)(1)
(B).

If you deducted home mortgage interest
on Schedule A for a dwelling that isn’t a
principal residence (within the meaning
of section 121) or qualified dwelling for
AMT, include that deducted interest on
line 3. A qualified dwelling for AMT is a
house, apartment, condominium, or
mobile home not used on a transient
basis. A qualified dwelling for AMT
doesn’t include house boats and
recreational vehicles.

Figure the difference between the
AMT and regular tax amount for each
item. Combine the amounts for all your
related adjustments and include the
total on line 3. Keep a copy of all
computations for your records, including
any AMT carryover and basis amounts.

Net Qualified Disaster Loss

Example. On your Schedule C
(Form 1040), you have a net profit of
$9,000 before figuring your section 179
deduction. You don’t report any other
business income on your return. During
the year, you purchased an asset for
$10,000 for which you elect to take the
section 179 deduction. You also have
an AMT depreciation adjustment of
$700 for other assets depreciated on
your Schedule C.
Your section 179 deduction for the
regular tax is limited to your net profit
(before any section 179 deduction) of

If you filed Schedule A to claim an
increased standard deduction on Form
1040 or Form 1040-SR due to a loss
you suffered related to property in a
federally declared disaster area, then
include on line 3 the standard deduction
amount you listed on the dotted line
next to Schedule A, line 16, as your
"Standard Deduction Claimed With
Qualified Disaster Loss."

-8-

Don’t include on line 3 any
adjustment for an item you
CAUTION refigured on another line of this
form (for example, line 2d).

!

Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

$9,000. The $1,000 excess is a section
179 deduction carryforward for the
regular tax.
For the AMT, your net profit is
$9,700, and you are allowed a section
179 deduction of $9,700 for the AMT.
You have a section 179 deduction
carryforward of $300 for the AMT.
You include a $700 negative
adjustment on line 3 because your
section 179 deduction for the AMT is
$700 greater than your allowable
regular tax deduction. In the following
year, when you use the $1,000 regular
tax carryforward, you will have a $700
positive related adjustment for the AMT
because your AMT carryforward is only
$300.

Line 4—Alternative Minimum
Taxable Income

If your filing status is married filing
separately and line 4 is more than
$745,200, you must include an
additional amount on line 4. If line 4 is
$972,000 or more, include an additional
$56,700. Otherwise, include 25% of the
excess of the amount on line 4 over
$745,200. For example, if the amount
on line 4 is $765,200, enter $770,200
instead—the additional $5,000 is 25%
of $20,000 ($765,200 minus $745,200).

amount on Schedule E, line 38, column
(c). If the amount in column (c) is larger
than the amount you would otherwise
enter on line 4, enter the amount from
column (c) instead and enter “Sch. Q”
on the dotted line next to line 4.
If your filing status is married filing
separately, be sure to include the
additional amount that must be added to
line 4 (as explained above) before you
compare line 4 with the amount on
Schedule E, line 38, column (c).

Part II—Alternative
Minimum Tax
Line 5—Exemption Amount

If line 4 is more than the amount shown
for your filing status in the middle
column of the chart on line 5, see the
Exemption Worksheet to figure the
amount to enter on line 5.
Form 1040-NR. If you are filing Form
1040-NR, use the following chart to
figure the amount to enter on line 5.
However, if line 4 is more than the
amount shown for your filing status in
the middle column of the chart, use the
Exemption Worksheet to figure the
amount to enter on line 5.

Special Rule for Holders of a
Residual Interest in a REMIC
If you held a residual interest in a real
estate mortgage investment conduit
(REMIC) in 2020, the amount you enter
on line 4 may not be less than the

Exemption Worksheet—
Line 5

AND line 4 is
not over...

Single $

THEN enter
on line 5...

518,400 $

72,900

Married

518,400

56,700

Qualifying
Widow(er)

1,036,800

113,400

Line 7

If you claimed the foreign earned
income exclusion, housing exclusion, or
housing deduction on Form 2555, you
must use the Foreign Earned Income
Tax Worksheet in these instructions to
figure the amount to enter on line 7.

Form 1040-NR. If you are filing Form
1040-NR and you reported capital gain
distributions directly on Form 1040-NR,
line 7; you reported qualified dividends
on Form 1040-NR, line 3a; or you had a
gain on both lines 15 and 16 of
Schedule D (Form 1040) (as refigured
for the AMT, if necessary), complete
Part III of Form 6251 and enter the
amount from line 40 on line 7. All other
Form 1040-NR filers, don’t complete
Part III. Instead, if Form 6251, line 6, is
$197,900 or less ($98,950 or less if
married), figure the amount to enter on
line 7 by multiplying line 6 by 26%
(0.26). Otherwise, figure the amount to
enter on line 7 by multiplying line 6 by
28% (0.28) and subtracting $3,958
($1,979 if married) from the result.

Line 8—Alternative Minimum
Tax Foreign Tax Credit
(AMTFTC)
Keep for Your Records

Note. If Form 6251, line 4, is equal to or more than: $810,000 if single or head of household,
$1,490,400 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er), or $745,200 if married filing separately,
your exemption is zero. Don’t complete this worksheet; instead, enter the amount from Form 6251,
line 4, on line 6 and go to line 7.

1. Enter: $72,900 if single or head of household; $113,400 if married
filing jointly or qualifying widow(er); $56,700 if married filing
separately . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.
2. Enter your alternative minimum taxable
income (AMTI) from Form 6251, line 4 . . . . . . 2.
3. Enter: $518,400 if single or head of
household; $1,036,800 if married filing jointly
or qualifying widow(er); $518,400 if married
filing separately . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.
4. Subtract line 3 from line 2. If zero or less,
enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.
5. Multiply line 4 by 25% (0.25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.
6. Subtract line 5 from line 1. If zero or less, enter -0-. Also, enter
this amount on Form 6251, line 5, and go to Form 6251,
line 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.

▶

Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

IF your filing
status is...

-9-

The AMTFTC is a credit that you can
claim against the AMT. You will figure
the AMTFTC using the same limitation
rules that apply to the foreign tax credit
for regular tax purposes, but with AMT
amounts. However, you may be able to
simplify your AMTFTC calculation by
electing to use some of the same
amounts you used to figure your foreign
tax credit. See Simplified Limitation
Election, later, for more information.

Do I need to fill out line 8? Before
figuring your AMTFTC, figure your
foreign tax credit for the regular tax and
complete Schedule 3 (Form 1040),
line 1. Next, fill in Form 6251, line 10, as
instructed. If the amount on line 10 is
greater than or equal to the amount on
line 7, do the following.
• Leave line 8 blank and enter -0- on
line 11.
• See Who Must File, earlier, to find out
if you must attach Form 6251 to your
return.

• Determine if you can carry back or
carry forward your unused 2020
AMTFTC. See AMTFTC Carryback and
Carryforward, later. If you can carry
back or carry forward your unused 2020
AMTFTC, you will need to complete
line 8 for your records.
If the amount on line 10 is less than
the amount on line 7, figure your
AMTFTC and enter it on line 8.
Figuring the AMTFTC. If you made an
election to claim the foreign tax credit on
your 2020 tax return without filing Form
1116, your AMTFTC is the same as the
foreign tax credit on Schedule 3 (Form
1040), line 1. Enter that amount on Form
6251, line 8. For more information about
electing to claim your foreign tax credit
without filing Form 1116, see the
Instructions for Form 1116.
Otherwise, figure your AMTFTC as
follows.
Step 1. Separate your foreign source
income into categories. See the
Instructions for Form 1116 for
information about categories of income.
Complete a separate AMT Form 1116
for each separate category of income.
Write “AMT” and specify the category of
income in the top margin of each Form
1116.
Figuring high-taxed income.
When applying the separate categories
of income, use the applicable AMT rate

instead of the regular tax rate to
determine if any income is “high-taxed.”
Step 2. Complete Part I of each AMT
Form 1116 using only income and
deductions that are allowed for the AMT
and attributable to sources outside the
United States.
Simplified limitation election. If
you previously made or are making the
simplified limitation election, skip Part I
and go to Step 3. For more information
about the simplified limitation election,
see Simplified Limitation Election, later.
Foreign source qualified dividends
and capital gains. If you have any
foreign source qualified dividends or
foreign source capital gains (including
any foreign source capital gain
distributions) or losses, use the
following instructions to determine
whether you must make adjustments to
those amounts before you include the
amounts on line 1a or line 5 of the AMT
Form 1116.
Foreign qualified dividends. You
must adjust your foreign source
qualified dividends before you include
those amounts on line 1a of the AMT
Form 1116 if:
• Line 38 of Form 6251 is smaller than
line 39, and
• Line 17 of Form 6251 is greater than
zero.

Keep for Your Records

Foreign Earned Income Tax Worksheet—Line 7
Before you begin:

But you don’t need to make any
adjustments if:
• You qualify for the adjustment
exception under Qualified Dividends
and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet
(Individuals) or Adjustments to foreign
qualified dividends under Schedule D
Filers in the Instructions for Form 1116,
and
• Line 17 of Form 6251 isn’t more than
$197,900 ($98,950 if married filing
separately (on Form 1040 or 1040-SR)
or married (on Form 1040-NR)).
Use your capital gains and losses as
refigured for the AMT to determine
whether your total amounts are less
than the $20,000 threshold under the
adjustment exception. If you qualify for
the adjustment exception, your election
also applies when you determine
whether you must adjust your capital
gain distributions or other capital gains
or losses. It also applies to Step 4.
To adjust your foreign source
qualified dividends, multiply your foreign
source qualified dividends in each
separate category by 0.5357 if the
foreign source qualified dividends are
taxed at a rate of 15%, and by 0.7143 if
they are taxed at a rate of 20%. Include
the results on line 1a of the applicable
AMT Form 1116.
You adjust your foreign source
qualified dividends taxed at the 0% rate
by not including them on line 1a.
Amounts taxed at the 0% rate are on

If Form 6251, line 6, is zero, don’t complete this worksheet.

1.

Enter the amount from Form 6251, line 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.

Tax on the amount on line 3.
• If you reported capital gain distributions directly on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 7; or you reported
qualified dividends on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 3a; or you had a gain on both lines 15 and 16 of
Schedule D (Form 1040) (as refigured for the AMT, if necessary), enter the amount from line 3 of this
worksheet on Form 6251, line 12. Complete the rest of Part III of Form 6251. However, before
completing Part III, see Form 2555, later, to see if you must complete Part III with certain modifications.
Then enter the amount from Form 6251, line 40, here.
• All others: If line 3 is $197,900 or less ($98,950 or less if married filing separately), multiply line 3 by
26% (0.26). Otherwise, multiply line 3 by 28% (0.28) and subtract $3,958 ($1,979 if married filing
separately) from the result.
Tax on the amount on line 2c. If line 2c is $197,900 or less ($98,950 or less if married filing separately),
multiply line 2c by 26% (0.26). Otherwise, multiply line 2c by 28% (0.28) and subtract $3,958 ($1,979 if
married filing separately) from the result . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Subtract line 5 from line 4. Enter the result here and on Form 6251, line 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.
2a. Enter the amount from your (and your spouse's if filing jointly) Form 2555,
lines 45 and 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2a.
 b. Enter the total amount of any itemized deductions or exclusions you
couldn't claim because they are related to excluded income . . . . . . . . . .
2b.
 c. Subtract line 2b from line 2a. If zero or less, enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2c.
3. Add lines 1 and 2c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.

5.

6.

-10-

4.
.

5.
6.

Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

line 9 of the Qualified Dividends and
Capital Gain Tax Worksheet or line 22
of the Schedule D Tax Worksheet.
Don’t adjust the amount of any
foreign source qualified
CAUTION dividends you elected to include
on line 4g of AMT Form 4952.

!

Individuals with capital gain
distributions only. If you have no
capital gains or losses other than capital
gain distributions from box 2a of
Form(s) 1099-DIV or substitute
statement(s), you must adjust your
foreign source capital gain distributions
if you are required to adjust your foreign
source qualified dividends under the
rules just described or you would be
required to adjust your foreign source
qualified dividends if you had any.
To adjust your foreign source capital
gain distributions, multiply your foreign
source capital gain distributions in each
separate category by 0.5357 if the
foreign source capital gain distributions
are taxed at a rate of 15%, and by
0.7143 if they are taxed at a rate of
20%. Include the results on line 1a of
the applicable AMT Form 1116.
You adjust your foreign source
capital gain distributions taxed at the 0%
rate by not including them on line 1a.
Amounts taxed at the 0% rate are on
line 9 of the Qualified Dividends and
Capital Gain Tax Worksheet or line 22
of the Schedule D Tax Worksheet.
Don’t adjust the amount of any
foreign source capital gain
CAUTION distributions you elected to
include on line 4g of AMT Form 4952.

!

Individuals with other capital
gains or losses. If any capital gain or
loss is different for the AMT, use
amounts as refigured for the AMT to
complete this step. Use Worksheet A in
the Instructions for Form 1116 to
determine the adjustments you must
make to your foreign source capital
gains or losses (as refigured for the
AMT) if you have foreign source capital
gains or losses (as refigured for the
AMT) in no more than two separate
categories and any of the following
apply.
• You aren’t required to make
adjustments to your foreign source
qualified dividends under the rules
described earlier (or you wouldn’t be
required to make those adjustments if
you had foreign source qualified
dividends).
• Line 15 or 16 of the AMT Schedule D
(Form 1040) is zero or a loss.
Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

• On the AMT Qualified Dividends and
Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, (a) line 3
of that worksheet is zero or less, (b)
line 5 of that worksheet is zero, or (c)
line 23 of that worksheet is equal to or
greater than line 24.
• On the AMT Schedule D Tax
Worksheet, (a) line 18 is zero, (b) line 9
is zero or less, or (c) line 45 is equal to
or greater than line 46.
Use Worksheet B in the Instructions
for Form 1116 if you:
• Can’t use Worksheet A,
• Have foreign source capital gains and
losses in no more than two separate
categories,
• Didn’t have any item of unrecaptured
section 1250 gain or 28% rate gain or
loss for the AMT, and
• Don’t have any capital gains taxed at
a rate of 0% or 20%.
Instructions for Worksheets A and
B. When you complete Worksheet A or
Worksheet B, use foreign source capital
gains and losses, as refigured for the
AMT if necessary, and don’t use any
foreign source capital gains you elected
to include on line 4g of AMT Form 4952.
If you are required to complete a
Schedule D for the AMT, use line 16 of
that AMT Schedule D to complete line 3
of Worksheet A or line 4 of the Line 2
Worksheet for Worksheet B. Use
0.5357 instead of the number used for
regular tax to complete lines 11, 13, and
15 of Worksheet B and to complete
lines 8, 11, and 17 of the Line 15
Worksheet for Worksheet B.
If you don’t qualify to use Worksheet
A or Worksheet B, use the instructions
for Capital Gains and Losses in Pub.
514 to determine the adjustments you
make. When using the instructions in
Pub. 514 to determine if you must adjust
foreign source capital gains and losses,
make the following substitutions.
• When the amount of any AMT gain is
in the 15% rate group, multiply it by
0.5357 instead of the number used for
regular tax.
• When the amount of any AMT gain is
in the 20% rate group, multiply it by
0.7143 instead of the number used for
regular tax.
• When the amount of any AMT gain is
in the 25% rate group, multiply it by
0.8929 instead of the number used for
regular tax.
• When the amount of any AMT gain is
in the 28% rate group, multiply it by 1.0
instead of the number used for regular
tax.
Step 3. Complete Part II and lines 9
through 17 of the AMT Form 1116. Use
your AMTFTC carryover, if any, on
-11-

line 10.
Simplified limitation election. If
you previously made or are making the
simplified limitation election, complete
Part II and lines 9 through 14. Use your
AMTFTC carryover, if any, on line 10.
Skip lines 15 and 16. Enter on your AMT
Form 1116, line 17, the same amount
you entered on that line for the regular
tax.
Step 4. Enter the amount from line 4 of
Form 6251 on line 18 of the AMT Form
1116 unless you must complete an AMT
Worksheet for Line 18. In most cases,
you must complete an AMT Worksheet
for Line 18 if you completed Part III of
Form 6251 and:
• Line 38 of Form 6251 is smaller than
line 39, and
• Line 17 of Form 6251 is greater than
zero.
But even if you meet the
requirements above, you don’t need to
complete an AMT Worksheet for
Line 18 if:
• You qualify for the adjustment
exception under Qualified Dividends
and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet
(Individuals) or Adjustments to foreign
qualified dividends under Schedule D
Filers in the Instructions for Form 1116,
and
• Line 17 of Form 6251 isn’t more than
$197,900 ($98,950 if married filing
separately (on Form 1040 or 1040-SR)
or married (on Form 1040-NR)).
Note. Use your capital gains and
losses as refigured for the AMT to
determine whether your total amounts
are less than the $20,000 threshold
under the adjustment exception. If you
have any foreign source qualified
dividends or capital gains (or losses),
then you must make the same
adjustment exception election you
made in Step 2.
Instructions for AMT Worksheet
for Line 18. If you must complete an
AMT Worksheet for Line 18 for your
AMT Form 1116, you will use the
Worksheet for Line 18 in the Instructions
for Form 1116 and do the following.
1. Enter the amount from Form
6251, line 4, on line 1 of the worksheet.
2. Skip lines 2 and 3 of the
worksheet.
3. Enter the amount from Form
6251, line 36, on line 4 of the worksheet.
4. Multiply line 4 of the worksheet by
0.1071 (instead of the number used for
regular tax). Enter the result on line 5 of
the worksheet.

5. Enter the amount from Form
6251, line 33, on line 6 of the worksheet.
6. Multiply line 6 of the worksheet by
0.2857 (instead of the number used for
regular tax). Enter the result on line 7 of
the worksheet.
7. Enter the amount from Form
6251, line 30, on line 8 of the worksheet.
8. Multiply line 8 of the worksheet by
0.4643 (instead of the number used for
regular tax). Enter the result on line 9 of
the worksheet.
9. Enter the amount from Form
6251, line 23, on line 10 of the
worksheet.
10. Complete lines 11 and 12 of the
worksheet, as instructed on the
worksheet.
11. Enter the amount from your AMT
Worksheet for Line 18 on your AMT
Form 1116, line 18.

used for regular tax. (The amount on
line 17 of your AMT Form 1116 will be
the same as the amount on line 17 of
your regular tax Form 1116.) You must
make the election for the first tax year
after 1997 for which you claim an
AMTFTC. If you don’t make the election
for that year, you may not make it for a
later year. Once made, the election
applies to all later tax years and may be
revoked only with IRS consent.

Step 5. Enter the amount from Form
6251, line 7, on the AMT Form 1116,
line 20. Complete lines 19 through 24 of
the AMT Form 1116.

Form 1040-NR. If you are filing Form
1040-NR, add Form 1040-NR, line 16
(minus any tax from Form 4972, Tax on
Lump-Sum Distributions) and Schedule
2 (Form 1040), line 2. Subtract from the
result any foreign tax credit from
Schedule 3 (Form 1040), line 1. If you
used Schedule J to figure your tax on
Form 1040-NR, line 16, refigure that tax
without using Schedule J before
completing Form 6251, line 10 (see
preceding paragraph).

Step 6. Complete Part IV of the first
AMT Form 1116 only.
Enter on Form 6251, line 8, the
amount from line 35 of the first AMT
Form 1116.
Attach to your tax return, after Form
6251, all AMT Forms 1116 you used to
figure your AMTFTC. But don’t attach
AMT Forms 1116 if your AMTFTC is the
same as your regular tax foreign tax
credit.

AMTFTC Carryback and
Carryforward
If your AMTFTC is limited, the unused
amount may generally be carried back
or forward according to section 904(c).
No AMTFTC carryback or carryforward allowed in 2020. If you made the
election to claim the foreign tax credit on
your 2020 tax return without filing Form
1116, any unused AMTFTC for 2020
can’t be carried back or forward. In
addition, you can’t claim any unused
AMTFTC from another year in 2020.
For more information about electing
to claim your foreign tax credit without
filing Form 1116, see the Instructions for
Form 1116.

Simplified Limitation Election
You may elect to use a simplified
section 904 limitation to figure your
AMTFTC. If you do, when figuring your
AMTFTC, you will use the same net
foreign source income for AMT that you

Line 10

If you used Schedule J, Income
Averaging for Farmers and Fishermen,
to figure your tax on Form 1040,
1040-SR, or 1040-NR, line 16, you must
refigure that tax (including any tax from
Form 8814) without using Schedule J
before completing this line. This is only
for Form 6251; don’t change the amount
on Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR,
line 16.

Line 11

If you are filing Form 1040-NR, enter the
amount from line 11 on Schedule 2
(Form 1040), line 1.

Part III—Tax Computation
Using Maximum Capital
Gains Rates
Lines 13, 14, and 15

Determine if any of the following
statements apply.
1. The gain or loss from any
transaction reported on Form 8949 or
Schedule D is different for the AMT (for
example, because of a different basis
for the AMT due to depreciation
adjustments, an ISO adjustment, or a
different AMT capital loss carryover
from 2019).
2. You didn’t complete either the
Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain
Tax Worksheet or the Schedule D Tax
Worksheet because Form 1040,
1040-SR, or Form 1040-NR, line 15, is
zero.
3. You received a Schedule K-1
(Form 1041) that shows an amount in
box 12 with code B, C, D, E, or F.
-12-

Then, use the following instructions
that apply to you.
• If none of the statements apply, go to
None of the statements apply, later.
• If only statement (2) applies, go to
Only statement (2) applies, later.
• If statement (3) applies (by itself or in
combination with statement (1) or (2)),
go to Beneficiaries of estates or trusts
first, then go to Statement (1) or (3)
applies, later.
• For all other situations, go to
Statement (1) or (3) applies, later.
None of the statements apply. If (1),
(2), or (3) don’t apply, then for Part III of
these instructions, the AMT versions of
your Qualified Dividends and Capital
Gain Tax Worksheet, Schedule D Tax
Worksheet, Unrecaptured Section 1250
Gain Worksheet, 28% Rate Gain
Worksheet, and Schedule D will be the
same as those you used for regular tax
purposes. Use the regular tax amounts
to complete lines 13, 14, and 15.
If you filed Form 2555, see Form
2555, later, for additional modifications
you may have to make before entering
amounts on lines 13, 14, and 15.
Statement (1) or (3) applies. If (1)
applies, complete all of the following
steps. If (3) applies, but (1) doesn’t,
complete steps 2 through 4 only.
Step 1. Complete an AMT Form
8949 or, if applicable, lines 1a and 8a of
an AMT Schedule D, by refiguring, for
example, your basis for the AMT.
Step 2. Complete lines 1b through
20 of an AMT Schedule D.
Step 3. Complete lines 2 through 4
of an AMT Qualified Dividends and
Capital Gain Tax Worksheet or lines 2
through 13 of an AMT Schedule D Tax
Worksheet, whichever applies. (See
line 20 of your AMT Schedule D, if you
completed one, to determine which
worksheet applies.)
Complete lines 3 and 4 of the AMT
Schedule D Tax Worksheet, using your
AMT Form 4952.
Step 4. Use amounts from the AMT
Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain
Tax Worksheet or AMT Schedule D Tax
Worksheet, whichever applies, and the
AMT Schedule D to complete lines 13,
14, and 15.
If you filed Form 2555, see Form
2555, later, for additional modifications
you may have to make before entering
amounts on lines 13, 14, and 15.
Only statement (2) applies. If (2)
applies, but (1) and (3) don’t, complete
the following steps.
Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

Step 1. Complete lines 2 through 4
of an AMT Qualified Dividends and
Capital Gain Tax Worksheet or lines 2
through 13 of an AMT Schedule D Tax
Worksheet, whichever applies. (See
line 20 of your Schedule D to determine
which worksheet applies.)
Complete lines 3 and 4 of the AMT
Schedule D Tax Worksheet, using your
AMT Form 4952.
Step 2. Use amounts from the AMT
Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain
Tax Worksheet or AMT Schedule D Tax
Worksheet, whichever applies, and the
Schedule D you used for regular tax to
complete lines 13, 14, and 15.
If you filed Form 2555, see Form
2555, later, for additional modifications
you may have to make before entering
amounts on lines 13, 14, and 15.
Keep the AMT Form 8949, AMT

TIP Schedule D, and the applicable

AMT worksheet for your
records, but don’t attach any of them to
your tax return.

Note. Don’t decrease your section
1202 exclusion by the amount, if any, on
line 2h.
Form 2555. If you are filing Form 2555
and you have an AMT capital gain
excess, you must complete Part III of
Form 6251 with certain modifications.
To see if you have an AMT capital gain
excess, subtract Form 6251, line 6, from
line 4 of your AMT Qualified Dividends
and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet or
line 10 of your AMT Schedule D Tax
Worksheet, whichever applies. If the
result is greater than zero, that amount
is your AMT capital gain excess.
If you have AMT capital gain excess,
figure the amounts to enter on lines 13,
14, and 15 of Form 6251 using the
following modifications (only for
purposes of Part III of Form 6251).
1. Reduce the amount you would
otherwise enter on line 3 of your AMT
Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain
Tax Worksheet or line 9 of your AMT
Schedule D Tax Worksheet (but not
below zero) by your AMT capital gain
excess.
2. Reduce the amount you would
otherwise enter on line 2 of your AMT
Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain
Tax Worksheet or line 6 of your AMT
Schedule D Tax Worksheet (but not
below zero) by any of your AMT capital
gain excess not used in (1).
3. Reduce the amount on your AMT
Schedule D (Form 1040), line 18, (but
Instructions for Form 6251 (2020)

not below zero) by your AMT capital
gain excess.
4. Include your AMT capital gain
excess as a loss on line 16 of your AMT
Unrecaptured Section 1250 Gain
Worksheet in the Instructions for
Schedule D (Form 1040).
Also see the instructions for line 20.
Beneficiaries of estates or trusts. If
you received a Schedule K-1 (Form
1041) that shows an adjustment in
box 12, follow the instructions in the
following table.
IF the code in
box 12 is...
B

THEN include that
adjustment in figuring the
amount on...
line 2 of an AMT Qualified
Dividends and Capital Gain
Tax Worksheet or an AMT
Schedule D Tax Worksheet,
whichever applies.

C

line 5 of an AMT Schedule D.

D

line 12 of an AMT Schedule D.

E

line 11 of an AMT
Unrecaptured Section 1250
Gain Worksheet.

F

line 4 of an AMT 28% Rate
Gain Worksheet.

Form 1040-NR. If you are filing Form
1040-NR, enter on Form 6251, line 13,
the amount from line 4 of the Qualified
Dividends and Capital Gain Tax
Worksheet, or the amount from line 13
of the Schedule D Tax Worksheet,
whichever applies (as refigured for the
AMT, if necessary).

Line 18

If you are filing Form 1040-NR and Form
6251, line 17, is $197,900 or less
($98,950 or less if married), multiply
line 17 by 26% (0.26). Otherwise,
multiply line 17 by 28% (0.28) and
subtract $3,958 ($1,979 if married) from
the result.

Line 19

If you are filing Form 1040-NR, enter
$40,000 ($80,000 if your filing status is
qualifying widow(er)).

Line 20

If you are filing Form 1040-NR, enter on
Form 6251, line 20, the amount from
line 5 of the Qualified Dividends and
Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, or the
amount from line 14 of the Schedule D
Tax Worksheet, whichever applies (as
figured for the regular tax). If you didn’t
complete either worksheet for the
regular tax, enter the amount from Form

-13-

1040-NR, line 15; if zero or less,
enter -0-.
Form 2555. If you are filing Form 2555,
the amount you enter on line 20 will take
into account your regular tax capital
gain excess, if any. Don’t refigure it
using the amount of your AMT capital
gain excess.
If you are filing Form 2555 and you
didn’t complete either the Qualified
Dividends and Capital Gain Tax
Worksheet or the Schedule D Tax
Worksheet for the regular tax, enter the
amount from line 3 of the Foreign
Earned Income Tax Worksheet in the
Form 1040 and 1040-SR instructions
(as figured for the regular tax).

Line 25

If you are filing Form 1040-NR, enter on
Form 6251, line 25, the amount from the
list below that corresponds to your filing
status.
• $441,450 if single.
• $248,300 if married.
• $496,600 if qualifying widow(er).

Line 27

If you are filing Form 1040-NR, enter on
Form 6251, line 27, the amount from
line 5 of the Qualified Dividends and
Capital Gain Tax Worksheet, or the
amount from line 21 of the Schedule D
Tax Worksheet, whichever applies (as
figured for the regular tax). If you didn’t
complete either worksheet for the
regular tax, enter the amount from Form
1040-NR, line 15; if zero or less,
enter -0-.

Form 2555. If you are filing Form 2555,
the amount you enter on line 27 will take
into account your regular tax capital
gain excess, if any. Don’t refigure it
using the amount of your AMT capital
gain excess.
If you are filing Form 2555 and you
didn’t complete either the Qualified
Dividends and Capital Gain Tax
Worksheet or the Schedule D Tax
Worksheet for the regular tax, enter the
amount from Form 6251, line 20.

Line 39

If you are filing Form 1040-NR and Form
6251, line 12, is $197,900 or less
($98,950 or less if married), multiply
line 12 by 26% (0.26). Otherwise,
multiply line 12 by 28% (0.28) and
subtract $3,958 ($1,979 if married) from
the result.