Which federal form is used to apply for various business-related tax credits?

The appropriate federal form used to apply for various business-related tax credits is Form 3800. This form is specifically designed for claiming general business credits. Businesses may qualify for several different tax credits, such as the work opportunity credit, disabled access credit, or the credit for employer-provided childcare facilities, among others.

Form 3800 serves as a consolidated application where businesses can report these and other credits efficiently, allowing for a streamlined process when filing tax returns. This form is particularly important because it provides details required by the IRS to determine eligibility for multiple credits that can significantly reduce a business's tax liability.

Other forms listed, such as Form 1040, are not applicable here as they pertain to individual income tax returns. Form 941 is used for reporting income taxes, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax withheld from employee paychecks, while Form W-2 reports wages paid to employees and the taxes withheld from them. None of these forms pertain to the application for business tax credits in the way that Form 3800 does.