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Who must file an IRS tax return?
Whether you have to file a tax return depends, in part, on your filing status, age, and gross income. You must file a tax return if your income is above a certain level. The amount varies depending on filing status, age and the type of income you receive.
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How Do I determine my tax filing status?
Your federal tax filing status is based on your marital and family situation. It is an important factor in determining whether you must file a return, your standard deduction and your correct amount of tax.
Your marital status on the last day of the year determines your status for the entire year. If more than one filing status applies to you, you may choose the one that gives you the lowest tax obligation.
There are five filing status options:
1. Single. Generally, if you are unmarried, divorced or legally separated according to your state law, your filing status is Single.
2. Married Filing Jointly. If you are married, you and your spouse may file a joint return. If your spouse died during the year and you did not remarry, you may still file a joint return with that spouse for the year of death.
3. Married Filing Separately. Married taxpayers may elect to file separate returns.
4. Head of Household. You must be unmarried and paid more than half the cost of maintaining a home for you and a qualifying person.
5. Qualifying Widow(er) with Dependent Child. If your spouse died during 2004 or 2005, you have a qualifying child and meet certain other conditions; you may be able to choose this filing status.
For more information about filing status see publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information available on the IRS website or by calling 1-800-TAXFORM (1-800-829-3676).
When is my tax return due?
Generally, your IRS tax return is due on April 15th of each year. An IRS tax return delivered to the IRS by U.S. mail after the due date for the IRS tax return is considered timely filed if the IRS tax return was postmarked on or before the due date of the IRS tax return.
A recent change in the IRS tax regulations means a receipt from a private delivery service, such as Federal Express or UPS, will be accepted by the IRS as proof that your IRS tax return was filed on time. If you're filing your IRS tax return at the last minute you can use specified services from Airborne, DHL, Federal Express, and UPS in addition to the U.S. Postal Service to file your IRS tax return. Make sure that you get a receipt. If your IRS tax return is "postmarked" on or before the due date your IRS tax return is considered timely filed.
To come within this IRS tax rule, however, the IRS tax return must be postmarked within the prescribed filing period. For example, an IRS tax return postmarked April 16 and received by the IRS on April 20 is considered filed on April 20.
Can I get free tax help from the IRS?
Yes, you can get free tax help from the IRS. Many IRS offices offer walk-in tax help for technical or tax questions about tax forms and IRS tax returns. Check the federal government listings in the telephone book for the IRS office nearest you. The IRS sponsors volunteer tax help programs and offers help to taxpayers in many of its IRS offices and other community locations.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, (VITA), involves IRS trained volunteers who provide free tax help at community locations to individuals who need tax help with basic IRS tax return preparation. VITA is aimed at those for whom paid tax help may be out of reach, those who are non-English speaking, persons with disabilities, those with a low income, the elderly, and other individuals with special needs.
The Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program, TCE, provides free tax help and IRS tax return preparation to people age 60 and above, particularly those who are confined to their residences or retirement communities. It's administered by the IRS in cooperation with non-profit groups. The IRS trained volunteers provide free tax help and basic IRS tax return preparation to senior citizens. Volunteers travel to taxpayers' homes if they are unable to come to a local TCE site. Visit the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) tax aid site to locate the nearest TCE facility.
You can get free telephone tax help by calling 1-800-829-1040. Getting through can be difficult during the peak tax season, the 1½ months leading up to the April 15th IRS tax deadline. The best times to call are early in the morning and later in the week. When calling this tax help number, you may ask tax questions to help you prepare your IRS tax return, or ask about a notice you may have received from the IRS. Also, in certain areas, the IRS has local offices you may visit to receive tax help.
The Community Outreach Tax Education Program offers free tax seminars to groups of people sharing common tax interests. IRS employees or trained volunteers conduct tax information seminars at convenient times and places in the community. The seminars can cover a variety of IRS tax topics tailored to the needs of your organization's members and may include films or videotapes and discussion of tax questions. This program also offers line-by-line self-help IRS tax return preparation for taxpayers who want to prepare their own IRS tax returns.
If you plan to take advantage of any of the volunteer tax help programs or the self-help IRS tax return preparation, be sure to bring your current year blank IRS tax forms, IRS tax form W-2's, IRS tax form 1099's, a list of taxable income and expenses, and a copy of last year's IRS tax return.
My spouse has died. How does this effect my IRS tax return?
As a widow or widower, you may file a joint IRS tax return with your deceased spouse for the tax year in which he or she died, provided that you do not remarry within that tax year. If there is a remarriage within that time, it may be possible to file your IRS tax return jointly with your new spouse if all other requirements are met.
Generally, a surviving spouse with dependent children is entitled to file an IRS tax return using the married filing jointly IRS tax tables for the two tax years following the tax year in which the spouse died.
If you are a surviving spouse filing a joint IRS tax return and no personal representative has been appointed, you should sign the IRS tax return and write in the signature area, "filing as surviving spouse." The final IRS tax return should have the word "Deceased," the decedents name, and the date of death written across the top of the IRS tax return.
I need a copy of my return, how do I get one?
If you filed you may go to www.irs.gov and use the search engines on the upper left of their main page to find instructions on receiving a copy of your return.
How do I know if I can file a Form 1040EZ or Form 1040A or a Form 1040?
You cannot file Form 1040EZ if your income includes more than $1,500 of taxable interest or any income other than wages and tips, taxable scholarship or fellowship grants, unemployment compensation, qualified state tuition program earnings, or Alaska Permanent Fund dividends.
You cannot file a 1040EZ or 1040A if your taxable income is greater than $100,000.
You cannot file a 1040EZ if you claim any dependents.
You cannot file a 1040EZ if you receive any advanced earned income credit (EIC).
You cannot file Form 1040EZ or Form 1040A if you had income from self-employment, you are reporting any allocated tips, or you itemize deductions.
You cannot file a 1040A if you itemize your deductions.
Please see Publication 17, (pgs 11-13) for additional qualifications.
I E-filed, when can I expect my refund?
Please click the Refund Chart here.
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How do I find new tax information for my state?
The form I need is not on this site, how can I find it?
If you have searched the "Find a Form" database and cannot find your form please check www.irs.gov for the form you are searching for.
Where can I find additional information for my business taxes?
To find additional state information you may go to your state Dept. of Revenue page.
For additional information for Federal Business taxes you may go to the www.irs.gov.
How do I check on the status of my return?
You may go to www.irs.gov and use the search engines on the upper left of their main page to find instructions regarding checking the status of your return.
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