Instructions for Form 1118 – Foreign Tax Credit (Corporations)

Last reviewed: 2025-10-26

Use the Form 1118-instructions: Instructions for Form 1118 – Foreign Tax Credit (Corporations) Tax Form Calculator Form 1118-instructions: Instructions for Form 1118 – Foreign Tax Credit (Corporations) as a stand alone tax form calculator to quickly calculate specific amounts for your 2026 1118 Instructions state tax return. Alternatively, you can use one of our Combined Federal and State Tax Estimators to quickly calculate your salary, tax, and take-home pay.

Corporations that paid or accrued foreign income taxes may be eligible for the Foreign Tax Credit (FTC) to avoid double taxation on the same income. Form 1118 is used to calculate the allowable credit under IRS rules and is filed with the corporate income tax return (Form 1120).

This instructional guide from the IRS explains the key concepts and calculation methods required to complete Form 1118. It includes descriptions of:

• Recognized categories of foreign income (e.g., general category, passive income, section 901(j))
• Allocation and apportionment of deductions to foreign source income
• Rules for pooling foreign taxes and completing the relevant schedules
• FTC limitation formulas and the carryback/carryforward provisions

All parts of Form 1118—including Schedule A through Schedule K—are covered in the official instructions.

Important update: These IRS instructions no longer include embedded worksheets. All calculations and credit limitation computations are now completed directly within Form 1118. Please use the interactive calculator to ensure your figures are accurate and align with current IRS methodology.

Understanding and correctly applying the FTC rules is essential to minimize U.S. tax liability for multinational corporations. The Foreign Tax Credit prevents double taxation but is subject to detailed limits based on income type and sourcing rules. IRS scrutiny of FTC claims has increased in recent years, making accurate categorization and allocation more critical than ever.

To enhance compliance and reporting accuracy, businesses are encouraged to use our automated Form 1118 calculator, which integrates updated formulas for all required parts and handles multi-bucket income categories efficiently. This ensures consistency with IRS expectations and minimizes audit risk.

Important Notes

All calculations are estimates for guidance only. Always review your return and consider professional advice when submitting official filings.