What you need to do to file a tax return

Filing a tax return means sending the IRS a record of your income for the year and calculating how much tax you owe or how much they owe you. You do this by filling out forms — usually Form 1040 and one or more supporting schedules — and submitting them by April 15 (or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend). The IRS uses your return to match it against what your employer, bank, and other payers reported about you, and to process any refund you are due.

You are required to file if your income exceeds a threshold that changes each year based on your age and filing status. Even if you are not required to file, you may want to — for instance, if taxes were withheld from your paychecks, filing is the only way to get that money back.

Key Takeaways

  • You must file by April 15 unless you request an extension, which gives you until October 15 but does not delay taxes owed.
  • Form 1040 is the main form; you attach schedules like Schedule C (self-employment), Schedule A (itemized deductions), or Schedule D (capital gains) depending on your income sources.
  • You can file on paper by mail, through IRS Free File if your income is below a certain threshold, or by paying a tax software company or tax preparer.
  • The IRS matches your return against W-2s, 1099s, and other documents employers and banks send them, so mismatches trigger audits or notices.
  • If you owe money, you can pay when you file or set up a payment plan; if you are owed a refund, the IRS typically sends it within 21 days of accepting your return.

Gathering documents before you start

Before you open a form or software, collect every document that reports income or deductions. Your employer sends a W-2 (wages) by January 31. Banks and investment firms send 1099s — a 1099-INT for interest, 1099-DIV for dividends, 1099-B for stock sales, 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC for self-employment or contractor income. If you are self-employed, you will also need records of business income and expenses for the year.

Gather receipts or records for deductions you plan to claim. If you itemize deductions (rather than taking the standard deduction), you need documentation for mortgage interest, property taxes, charitable donations, and medical expenses. If you own a home, you may have a 1098 from your mortgage lender showing interest paid. Keep these documents organized by category — the IRS does not ask you to send them with your return, but you must have them if you are audited.

Check your prior-year return if you have one. Carry-forward items like unused capital losses or education credits may affect this year's return. If your situation changed — marriage, divorce, a child born, a job loss — note that too, because it affects which form you use and which credits you can claim.

Choosing your filing status and form

Your filing status — Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, Head of Household, or may have access to Widow(er) — determines your tax rate and the income threshold at which you must file. It also affects which credits you can claim. If you were married on December 31 of the tax year, you can file jointly or separately; if you were single all year, you file as Single unless you may have access to for Head of Household (usually because you paid more than half the household expenses and have a dependent living with you).

Nearly all individual filers use Form 1040, the main U.S. individual income tax return. Depending on your income sources, you attach schedules to it. Schedule 1 reports additional income (capital gains, self-employment, rental income). Schedule A replaces the standard deduction if you itemize. Schedule C is for self-employment income and expenses. Schedule D is for capital gains and losses. The form itself walks you through which schedules you need, but tax software usually prompts you based on the income you enter.

Filing on paper, through Free File, or with paid software

You have three main routes: mail a paper return, use IRS Free File, or use commercial tax software or a tax preparer.

Paper filing means printing Form 1040 and all schedules, filling them by hand or typing them, and mailing them to the IRS address for your state (listed on the form itself). This is slow — processing takes weeks — and errors are common because you have no software to catch them. Most people do not choose this route unless they have very straightforward returns.

IRS Free File is a partnership between the IRS and tax software companies. If your income is below a threshold (which varies by year and company, but is typically $60,000 to $80,000), you can use participating software for free. You enter your information, the software calculates your tax, and you file electronically. The IRS accepts e-filed returns faster than paper ones — usually within 21 days if you are owed a refund. You can find the list of Free File providers on IRS.gov.

Paid tax software (TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, and others) costs $60 to $300 depending on how complex your return is. You answer questions, the software builds your forms, and you file electronically. A tax preparer — a CPA, enrolled agent, or tax professional — fills out your return for you, usually charging $150 to $500 or more depending on complexity. Preparers can represent you if the IRS contacts you later.

Understanding income, deductions, and credits

Income is what you earned: wages from a job, interest from a savings account, dividends from stocks, profit from self-employment, rental income, or capital gains from selling an asset. Some income is taxed at your ordinary rate (wages, interest, self-employment profit); some is taxed at a lower rate (long-term capital gains, may have access to dividends). Your return separates these because they are taxed differently.

Deductions reduce the income that is taxed. The standard deduction is a flat amount based on your filing status and age — for 2024, it ranges from $14,600 (Single) to $29,200 (Married Filing Jointly). You can take the standard deduction or itemize — add up your mortgage interest, property taxes, charitable donations, and medical expenses — and use whichever is larger. Most people take the standard deduction because it is simpler and larger.

Credits are different from deductions: they reduce your tax dollar-for-dollar, not just your taxable income. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a credit for lower-income workers. The Child Tax Credit is $2,000 per child under 17. The American Opportunity Credit covers education expenses. Credits are more valuable than deductions, so if you may have access to for one, make sure your return claims it.

Calculating your tax and what you owe or are owed

Your tax software or preparer does the math, but here is the order: add up all your income, subtract deductions to get taxable income, multiply by the tax rate for your bracket (which depends on your filing status and income level), then subtract any credits. The result is your tax liability — what you owe.

Next, subtract what you already paid. If you are an employee, your employer withheld tax from each paycheck and sent it to the IRS; that amount appears on your W-2. If you are self-employed, you may have made estimated tax payments quarterly. Any refundable credits (like the EITC or Child Tax Credit) also reduce what you owe. If the total of what you paid and credits exceeds your tax liability, the IRS owes you a refund. If your tax liability is higher, you owe the difference.

You can pay what you owe when you file, or if you cannot pay in full, you can set up a payment plan with the IRS. The IRS charges interest and penalties on unpaid tax, so paying as soon as you can is cheaper than waiting. If you are owed a refund and file electronically, direct deposit is fastest — the IRS typically deposits refunds within 21 days.

Meeting the important date and filing electronically

The important date to file is April 15 of the year following the tax year. If April 15 falls on a weekend or holiday, the important date moves to the next business day. You can request an extension by filing Form 4868, which gives you until October 15 to file — but the extension is for filing only, not for paying. If you owe tax, it is due April 15 regardless; filing late without paying triggers penalties and interest.

Electronic filing is faster and more accurate than paper. When you e-file, the IRS acknowledges receipt within 24 hours and processes your return within 21 days if you are owed a refund. Paper returns take 4 to 6 weeks to process. E-filing also reduces errors because software validates your entries before submission — for instance, it checks that your Social Security number format is correct and that your income matches what the IRS already received from your employer.

To e-file, you need an IRS username and password (created at IRS.gov) or a PIN from a prior year. Your tax software or preparer handles the transmission; you do not mail anything. Keep a copy of your filed return for your records.

What happens after you file

The IRS matches your return against W-2s, 1099s, and other documents it receives from employers, banks, and payers. If everything matches, your return is accepted and processed. If you are owed a refund, it is sent (or deposited) within 21 days. If you owe tax and paid it with your return, the account is closed.

If something does not match — for instance, your W-2 shows income you did not report, or you claimed a dependent the IRS does not have a record for — the IRS sends a notice. You may owe additional tax, or there may be a straightforward error that a phone call resolves. Keep your filed return and supporting documents for at least three years in case the IRS contacts you.

If you made a mistake after filing, you can file an amended return using Form 1040-X. You have three years from the original due date to amend and claim a refund, but the IRS can audit you for up to three years (or longer if you underreported income by 25% or more).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to file if I did not earn much income?

You must file if your income exceeds the threshold for your filing status and age — for 2024, that is $14,600 for a single person under 65. Even if you are not required to file, you should if taxes were withheld from your paychecks or if you may have access to for a refundable credit like the EITC, because filing is how you get that money back.

What if I cannot find a document like a W-2 or 1099?

Contact the employer or payer directly and ask them to resend it or provide a duplicate. If you cannot get it, you can still file using the income amount you know, but the IRS will likely send you a notice later when it receives the document from the payer. It is better to wait for the document or call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to ask what to do.

Can I file my return before I receive all my documents?

You can file early if you have the main documents (W-2s from all employers), but if you are waiting for a 1099 from a bank or investment account, it is safer to wait. Filing without reporting all income triggers a notice from the IRS. If you are in a hurry, file what you have and amend later using Form 1040-X once the missing document arrives.

What is the difference between a refund and a credit?

A credit reduces your tax; a refund is money the IRS sends you. A refundable credit (like the EITC) can result in a refund even if you owe no tax. A non-refundable credit (like the Lifetime Learning Credit) can only reduce your tax to zero, not below it. Both are valuable, but refundable credits are worth more.

If I file electronically, do I need to mail anything?

No. E-filing sends your return directly to the IRS; you do not mail forms or documents. Keep copies of your return and receipts for deductions for your records, but the IRS does not ask you to send them unless you are audited.