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Individual
What to know
Who Must File
Most U.S. citizens or permanent residents who work in the U.S. have to file a tax return. Generally, you need to file if:
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Your income is over the filing requirement
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You have over $400 in net earnings from self-employment (side jobs or other independent work)
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You had other situations that require you to file
It might pay you to file even if you don’t have to.
Extension
Get an extension to October 15 to file your taxes. Pay by the April deadline to avoid penalties and interest. You may have more time to file if you were affected by a disaster situation.
Your account
Get your tax records, get an IP PIN and make a payment. Set up your account.
Tax records and transcripts
Get your tax records and transcripts.
Identity protection PIN (IP PIN)
Protect yourself from tax-related identity theft. Get an IP PIN.
Taxpayer identification number (TIN)
To file federal taxes, you need a taxpayer identification number (TIN).
Income amount that requires you to file
If you were under 65 at the end of 2025
You may want to file a return even if you made less to get a refund of taxes your employer withheld from your pay.
If you were 65 or older at the end of 2025
Dependents
Use this table if your parent or someone else can claim you as a dependent in 2025:
Earned income: Salaries, wages, tips, professional fees, and taxable scholarship and fellowship grants.
Unearned income: Taxable interest, ordinary dividends, and capital gain distributions, unemployment compensation, taxable Social Security benefits, pensions, annuities and distributions of unearned income from a trust.
Gross income: Earned plus unearned income.
“At their core, taxpayer rights are human rights.” - National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson
The Right to a Fair and Just Tax System
Taxpayers have the right to expect the tax system to consider facts and circumstances that might affect their underlying liabilities, ability to pay, or ability to provide information timely. Taxpayers have the right to receive assistance from the Taxpayer Advocate Service if they are experiencing financial difficulty or if the IRS has not resolved their tax issues properly and timely through its normal channels.
The Right to Retain Representation
Taxpayers have the right to retain an authorized representative of their choice to represent them in their dealings with the IRS. Taxpayers have the right to seek assistance from a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic if they cannot afford representation.
The Right to Confidentiality
Taxpayers have the right to expect that any information they provide to the IRS will not be disclosed unless authorized by the taxpayer or by law. Taxpayers have the right to expect appropriate action will be taken against employees, return preparers, and others who wrongfully use or disclose taxpayer return information.
The Right to Privacy
Taxpayers have the right to expect that any IRS inquiry, examination, or enforcement action will comply with the law and be no more intrusive than necessary, and will respect all due process rights, including search and seizure protections and will provide, where applicable, a collection due process hearing.
The Right to Finality
Taxpayers have the right to know the maximum amount of time they have to challenge the IRS’s position as well as the maximum amount of time the IRS has to audit a particular tax year or collect a tax debt. Taxpayers have the right to know when the IRS has finished an audit.
The Right to Appeal an IRS Decision in an Independent Forum
Taxpayers are entitled to a fair and impartial administrative appeal of most IRS decisions, including many penalties, and have the right to receive a written response regarding the Office of Appeals’ decision. Taxpayers generally have the right to take their cases to court.
The Right to Challenge the IRS’s Position and Be Heard
Taxpayers have the right to raise objections and provide additional documentation in response to formal IRS actions or proposed actions, to expect that the IRS will consider their timely objections and documentation promptly and fairly, and to receive a response if the IRS does not agree with their position.
The Right to Pay No More than the Correct Amount of Tax
Taxpayers have the right to pay only the amount of tax legally due, including interest and penalties, and to have the IRS apply all tax payments properly.
The Right to Quality Ser vice
Taxpayers have the right to receive prompt, courteous, and professional assistance in their dealings with the IRS, to be spoken to in a way they can easily understand, to receive clear and easily understandable communications from the IRS, and to speak to a supervisor about inadequate service.
The Right to be Informed
Taxpayers have the right to know what they need to do to comply with the tax laws. They are entitled to clear explanations of the laws and IRS procedures in all tax forms, instructions, publications, notices, and correspondence. They have the right to be informed of IRS decisions about their tax accounts and to receive clear explanations of the outcomes.
A business plan is a formal document that outlines your business goals and the strategies for achieving them, serving as a roadmap for success and a tool for attracting funding. You can choose between a detailed, traditional plan or a concise, lean startup plan depending on your needs.
Key Components & Goals:
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Asset Transfer: Deciding who gets your property (house, savings, investments, etc.) and when, often to minimize taxes and court costs (probate).
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Incapacity Planning: Naming someone to make financial (Power of Attorney) and medical (Health Care Directive) decisions for you if you can't, as well as outlining your end-of-life care preferences.
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Guardianship: Appointing guardians for minor children or dependents with disabilities.
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Legal Documents: Creating wills, trusts (like living trusts), powers of attorney, living wills, and beneficiary designations for accounts.
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Professional Help: Often involves lawyers, financial planners, accountants, and insurance advisors.
Why It's Important:
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Control: Ensures your assets go to your intended heirs, not by default state law.
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Peace of Mind: Provides clarity for loved ones during difficult times and reduces family disputes.
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Efficiency: Avoids lengthy, costly, and public court processes (probate).
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Comprehensive Care: Addresses both financial and personal/medical wishes.
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Being a first time home buyer is a major step. Preparing to purchase a house involves securing your finances, determining your budget, and assembling a professional team. Key initial steps include checking your credit score, saving for a down payment and closing costs, getting pre-approved for a mortgage, and finding a trusted real estate agent.
Essential Preparation Steps:
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Assess Finances & Credit: Check your credit score and financial health to understand your borrowing power.
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Establish a Budget: Calculate how much you can truly afford, including monthly payments, taxes, insurance, and maintenance.
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Save for Costs: Accumulate funds for a down payment and closing costs (often 2–5% of the purchase price).
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Get Pre-Approved: Obtain a mortgage pre-approval letter to show sellers you are a serious buyer.
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Find an Agent: Hire a reputable real estate agent to guide your search and negotiations.
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Gather Documentation: Organize financial documents like pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements.
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Define Needs/Wants: Determine your must-have features (location, size, amenities)
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With the rising cost of education. Start by setting up a college fund starts by choosing the right account—typically a 529 plan for tax-advantaged growth or a high-yield savings account for safety—then setting up automatic monthly contributions and selecting investments. Key steps include identifying a beneficiary, starting small (even $25/month), and encouraging family gifts.
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Select a Savings Vehicle: Choose between a 529 plan (tax-free growth for qualified expenses) or a Coverdell Education Savings Account. A bank savings account is a lower-risk alternative.
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Open the Account: You will need the beneficiary's (child's) name, date of birth, and Social Security number.
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Set Up Automatic Contributions: Schedule recurring transfers to ensure consistency and take advantage of dollar-cost averaging.
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Choose Investments: Within a 529 plan, select investments based on your risk tolerance and the time remaining until the child enters college.
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Encourage Contributions: Family members can contribute to 529 plans for holidays or birthdays.
Alternative Strategies:
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Start at a Community College: Encourage using a community college for the first two years to reduce overall costs.
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Maximize Other Savings: Look into employer tuition reimbursement or high-yield, FDIC-insured savings accounts.
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Investigate Financial Aid: Utilize the FAFSA to understand eligibility for grants and loans.
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To claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), you must have what qualifies as earned income and meet certain adjusted gross income (AGI) limits. The amount of the credit is based on your income, filing status, and the number of qualifying children you claim, if any.
Earned income:
Earned income includes all the taxable income and wages received for working for someone else, yourself or from a business or farm you own.
Types of earned income:
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Wages, salaries, or tips where federal income taxes are withheld on Form W-2, box 1
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Tip income not reported to your employer
Note: Include the full amount of tip and overtime income in the calculation of earned income when determining eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit, even if all or part is deductible.
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Household employee wages
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Medicaid waiver payments excluded from income on Schedule 1 (Form 1040)
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Income from a job where your employer didn’t withhold tax (such as gig economy work) including:
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Driving a car for booked rides or deliveries
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Running errands or doing tasks
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Selling goods online
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Renting equipment
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Renting out property or part of it
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Providing creative or professional services
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Providing other temporary, on-demand or freelance work
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Money made from self-employment, including if you:
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Own or operate a business or farm
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Are a statutory employee and have income
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Taxable benefits from a union strike
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Certain disability benefits you got before you were the minimum retirement age
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Nontaxable Combat Pay (Form W-2, box 12 with code Q)
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If you claim nontaxable combat pay as earned income, it may increase or decrease the amount of your EITC. For more information, see Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide.
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Earned income does not include:
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Pay you got for work when you were an inmate in a penal institution
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Interest and dividends
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Pensions or annuities
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Social Security benefits
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Unemployment benefits
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Alimony
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Child support
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A deduction reduces the amount of a taxpayer's income that's subject to tax, generally reducing the amount of tax the individual may have to pay. Most taxpayers now qualify for the standard deduction, but there are some important details involving itemized deductions that people should keep in mind.
Standard Deduction
The standard deduction is a specific dollar amount that reduces the amount of taxable income. The standard deduction consists of the sum of the basic standard deduction and any additional standard deduction amounts for age and/or blindness.
In general, the IRS adjusts the standard deduction each year for inflation. It varies by filing status, whether the taxpayer is 65 or older and/or blind and whether another taxpayer can claim them as a dependent.
Taxpayers cannot take the standard deduction if they itemize their deductions. Taxpayers can refer to Topic no. 501, Should I itemize? for more information.
Itemized deductions
Some taxpayers choose to itemize their deductions if their allowable itemized deductions total is greater than their standard deduction. Other taxpayers must itemize deductions because they aren't entitled to use the standard deduction.
Taxpayers who must itemize deductions include:
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A married individual filing as married filing separately whose spouse itemizes deductions.
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An individual who was a nonresident alien or dual status alien during the year (some exceptions apply).
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An individual who files a return for a period of less than 12 months due to a change in his or her annual accounting period.
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An estate or trust, common trust fund or partnership.
Schedule A (Form 1040) for itemized deductions
Taxpayers use Schedule A (Form 1040, Itemized Deductions or 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors) to figure their itemized deductions. In most cases, their federal income tax owed will be less if they take the larger of their itemized deductions or standard deduction.
Taxpayers can review the instructions for Schedule A (Form 1040), Itemized Deductions, to calculate their itemized deductions, such as certain medical and dental expenses, and amounts paid for certain taxes, interest, contributions and other expenses. Taxpayers may also deduct certain casualty and theft losses on Schedule A.
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The Child Tax Credit helps families with qualifying children get a tax break. You may be able to claim the credit even if you don't normally file a tax return.
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The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a non-refundable credit that allows people with a qualifying child to reduce their tax liability.
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The Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) is a refundable part of the CTC. ACTC allows certain taxpayers who are eligible for the CTC to receive a refund if the CTC is more than their tax liability.
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Credit for Other Dependents (ODC) is a non-refundable credit for taxpayers with dependents who are not eligible for the CTC/ACTC.
Who qualifies for the Child Tax Credit/Additional Child Tax Credit:
To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, you (or your spouse, if married filing jointly,) and each qualifying child must have a Social Security number that is valid for employment in the United States and issued before the due date of the tax return (including extensions).
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Additionally, to be a qualifying child for the 2025 tax year, your child generally must:
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Be under 17 at the end of the tax year.
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Be your son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of one of these (for example, a grandchild, niece or nephew).
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Not provide more than half of his or her own support for the tax year.
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Have lived with you for more than half the tax year.
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Be claimed as a dependent on your return.
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Not file a joint return for the year (or filed the joint return only to claim a refund of taxes withheld or estimated taxes).
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Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. National or a U.S. resident alien.
The Child Tax Credit is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child. If you have little or no federal income tax liability, you may qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit, up to $1,700 per qualifying child depending on your income. You must have earned income of at least $2,500 to be eligible for the ACTC.
You qualify for the full amount of the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child if you meet all eligibility factors and your annual income is not more than $200,000 ($400,000 if filing a joint return). Parents and guardians with higher incomes may be eligible to claim a partial credit.
If you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), the IRS cannot issue these refunds before mid-February. This applies to the entire refund, even the portion not associated with these credits. Check Where’s My Refund in mid-to late February for your personalized refund date. Where's My Refund is updated once a day and remains the best way to check the status of your refund.
Who qualifies for the Credit for Other Dependents
If you do not meet the criteria to claim the Child Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, you may qualify for the Credit for Other Dependents (ODC) for your child or dependent. They must:
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Be claimed as a dependent on your tax return.
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Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien.
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Have a Social Security number, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number (ATIN).
The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent and begins to decrease in value if your adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 ($400,000 for married filing jointly).
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A child is a qualifying child for EITC if they meet all 4 of these tests:
Age
To be a qualifying child for the EITC, your child must be:
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Any age and permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year. For more information, see Disability and Earned Income Tax Credit.
or
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Under age 19 at the end of the year and younger than you (or your spouse, if you file a joint return)
or
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Under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student for at least 5 months of the year and younger than you (or your spouse, if you file a joint return)
Full-time student definition
To be considered full-time, the student must have enrolled for the number of hours or courses their school considers to be full-time attendance. Students who work on "co-op" jobs in private industry as a part of a school's official program are also considered full-time students.
School definition
For the EITC, a school is:
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Elementary school
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Junior or senior high school
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College or university
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Technical, trade or mechanical school
A school is not:
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On-the-job training course
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Correspondence school
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School offering courses only through the Internet
Relationship
To be a qualifying child for the EITC, your child must be your:
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Son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child or foster child
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Brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepsister or stepbrother
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Grandchild, niece or nephew
Adopted child definition
An adopted child is a child who is lawfully placed with you for legal adoption.
Foster child definition
For the EITC, you can only claim a foster child that is placed with you by:
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A State or local government agency
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An Indian tribal government
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A tax-exempt organization licensed by a state or an Indian tribal government
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A court order
Residency
To be a qualifying child for the EITC, your child must live in the same home as you in the United States for more than half of the tax year. The United States includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. military bases. It does not include United States possessions such as Guam, the Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico.
Your home can be any location where you regularly live. You don't need a traditional home. For example, if your child lived with you for more than half the year in one or more homeless shelters, your child meets the residency test.
Birth or death of a child
A child who was born or died during the tax year is treated as having lived with you for more than half the year if your home was the child’s home for more than half the time the child was alive.
Temporary absences
If your child was temporarily away from home, we count that as time lived with you. Examples include:
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Illness or hospitalization
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School attendance, vacation, business or military service
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Detention in a juvenile facility
For more residency information, see:
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Military personnel
Joint return
If your child can file a joint return with another person (for example, their husband or wife), you may not be able to claim them.
To be a qualifying child for the EITC, your child must not have filed a joint return with another person (for example, their husband or wife) to claim any credits such as the EITC. Your child can file a joint tax return only to get a tax refund on tax withheld from their paycheck or estimated tax paid.
Only one person may claim a qualifying child
A child may meet all the requirements and qualify more than one person for the following child-related benefits:
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Dependency exemption
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EITC
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Child tax credit/credit for other dependents/additional child tax credit
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Head of household filing status or,
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Dependent care credit/exclusion for dependent care benefits
However, even if two or more persons have the same qualifying child, only one person can claim the child as a qualifying child for all these benefits. Special rules apply for parents who are divorced, separated, or who are living apart.
When two or more persons can claim the same qualifying child, the following tiebreaker rules apply. Subject to these rules, you may be able to decide who will claim the child-related benefits.
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If only one of the persons is the child’s parent, the child is treated as the qualifying child of the parent.
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If the parents file a joint return together and can claim the child as a qualifying child, the child is treated as the qualifying child of the parents.
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If the parents don’t file a joint return together but both parents claim the child as a qualifying child, the IRS will treat the child as the qualifying child of the parent with whom the child lived for the longer period in 2025. If the child lived with each parent for the same amount of time, the IRS will treat the child as the qualifying child of the parent who had the higher adjusted gross income (AGI) for 2025.
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If no parent can claim the child as a qualifying child, the child is treated as the qualifying child of the person who had the highest AGI for 2025.
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If a parent can claim the child as a qualifying child but no parent does so claim the child, the child is treated as the qualifying child of the person who had the highest AGI for 2025, but only if that person’s AGI is higher than the highest AGI of any parent of the child who can claim the child.
See Publication 596, Earned Income Credit (EIC), for specific examples on how to apply the tiebreaker rules.
If you can’t claim the qualifying child because of the tiebreaker rules, you may be eligible to claim the EITC with no qualifying child.
Proof of qualification
If you are audited after claiming the Earned Income Credit, you will need to provide documents proving that your child qualifies. Use the Form 886-H-EIC Toolkit to find the documents you need to send us to prove you can claim the EITC with a qualifying child.
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If you make qualified energy-efficient improvements to your home after Jan. 1, 2023, you may qualify for a tax credit up to $3,200. You can claim the credit for improvements made through December 31, 2025.
For improvements installed in 2022 or earlier: Use previous versions of Form 5695.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, the credit equals 30% of certain qualified expenses, including:
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Qualified energy efficiency improvements installed during the taxable year
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Residential energy property
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Home energy audits
There are limits on the allowable annual credit and on the amount of credit for certain types of qualified expenses. The credit is allowed for qualifying property placed in service on or after Jan. 1, 2023, and before December 31, 2025.
The maximum credit you can claim each year is:
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$1,200 for energy efficient property costs and certain energy efficient home improvements, with limits on exterior doors ($250 per door and $500 total), exterior windows and skylights ($600) and home energy audits ($150)
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$2,000 per year for qualified heat pumps, water heaters, biomass stoves or biomass boilers
The credit has no lifetime dollar limit. You can claim the maximum annual credit every year that you make eligible improvements or install energy efficient property until 2025. In 2025, for each item of qualifying property placed in service, no credit will be allowed unless the item was produced by a qualified manufacturer and the taxpayer reports the Qualified Manufacturer Identification Number (QMID) for the item on their tax return.
The credit is nonrefundable, so you can't get back more on the credit than you owe in taxes. You can't apply any excess credit to future tax years.
Who qualifies
You may claim the energy efficient home improvement credit for improvements to your main home. Your main home is generally where you live most of the time.
For the energy efficiency home improvement credit, the home must be:
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Located in the United States
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An existing home that you improve or add onto, not a new home
In most cases, the home must be your primary residence (where you live the majority of the year). You can't claim the credit if you're a landlord or other property owner who doesn't live in the home.
Business use of home
If you use a property solely for business purposes, you can't claim the credit.
If you use your home partly for business, the credit for eligible clean energy expenses is as follows:
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Business use up to 20%: full credit
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Business use more than 20%: credit based on share of expenses allocable to nonbusiness use
Qualified expenses and credit amounts
To qualify, home improvements must meet energy efficiency standards. They must be new systems and materials, not used. Some improvements have specific credit limits as follows.
Building envelope components
To qualify, building envelope components must have an expected lifespan of at least 5 years. Qualified components include new:
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Exterior doors that meet applicable Energy Star requirements. Credit is limited to $250 per door and $500 total.
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Exterior windows and skylights that meet Energy Star Most Efficient certification requirements. Credit is limited to $600 total.
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Insulation and air sealing materials or systems that meet International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standards in effect as of the beginning of the calendar year that is 2 years prior to the calendar year in which such component is placed in service. For example, materials or systems installed in 2025 must meet the IECC standard in effect on Jan. 1, 2023. These items don't have a specific credit limit, other than the maximum credit limit of $1,200. Insulation and air sealing materials or systems are they only types of qualifying property that do not have to meet the qualified manufacturer and PIN requirements.
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Education credits help with the cost of higher education. They can reduce the amount of tax owed on your tax return or they may increase your refund. There are two education credits available.
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American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) – partially refundable
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Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) – non-refundable
You can claim only one of the credits per qualifying student. You can claim both the AOTC and LLC on the same return only if they are not for the same student and the same expenses. No double benefit is allowed.
Who can claim an education credit?
Use the Interactive Tax Assistant to check your eligibility.
Academic period - can be semesters, trimesters, quarters, or any other period of study such as a summer school session. The school determines academic periods. For schools that use clock or credit hours and do not have academic terms, the payment period may be treated as an academic period.
2 Third-party payer – If someone else paid expenses for the student claimed on your return, the expenses are considered paid by you.
3 TIN issue date - If an ATIN or ITIN is applied for on or before the due date of a 2024 return (including extensions) and the IRS issues an ATIN or ITIN as a result of the application, the IRS will consider the ATIN or ITIN as issued on or before the due date of the return.
Who cannot claim an education credit?
You cannot claim an education credit if:
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You are claimed as a dependent on another tax return, such as your parent’s return.
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Your filing status is married filing separately.
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You (or your spouse) were a non-resident alien for any part of the year and did not choose to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes (find more information in Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens).
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Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), is over $90,000 ($180,000 for joint filers).
For the American Opportunity Credit only: If items 1 (a, b, or c), 2, and 3 below apply to you, your allowed credit is used to reduce your tax as a nonrefundable credit only. You don't qualify for a refundable portion of the AOTC if:
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You were:
a. Under age 18 at the end of the tax year, or
b. Age 18 at the end of the tax year and your earned income4 was less than one-half of your support, or
c. Over age 18 and under age 24 at the end of 2024 and a full-time student and your earned income was less than one-half of your support. -
At least one of your parents was alive at the end of the tax year.
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You are filing a return as single, head of household, qualifying surviving spouse, or married filing separately for the tax year.
4 Earned income includes wages, salaries, professional fees, and other payments received for personal services actually performed. Additionally, earned income includes the part of any scholarship or fellowship grant that represents payment for teaching, research, or other services performed by the student that are required as a condition for receiving the scholarship or fellowship grant.
How to claim an education credit
Complete the Form 8863, Education Credit and attach it to your Form 1040 or 1040-SR, U.S. Income Tax Return.
To be eligible for an education credit, the law requires the student to have received Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, from an eligible educational institution, domestic or foreign. Generally, students get the form from their school by Jan. 31.
If you received a Form 1098-T, this statement provides information that will help you figure your credit. The form will have an amount in Box 1 to show the amounts received during the year. However, the amount on Form 1098-T might be different from the amount you actually paid and are deemed to have paid. The form may not reflect the total or accurate amount of qualified education expenses you can claim. For information on what amount to claim, see qualified education expenses in Tax Benefits for Education, Pub. 970. Check the form to make sure it’s correct. If it isn’t correct or you don’t receive the form but should have, contact the institution.
If you didn’t receive Form 1098-T, you may still be eligible to claim a credit. Contact the school to request the missing form and keep documentation of the communication with the college requesting the Form 1098-T.
The institution isn't required to furnish Form 1098-T if the student:
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Is a qualified nonresident alien.
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Has qualified education expenses paid entirely with scholarships or under a formal billing arrangement.
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Is enrolled in courses for which no academic credit is awarded.
To claim a credit without Form 1098-T and you otherwise qualify, show that the student was enrolled at an eligible institution and substantiate the payment of the qualified tuition and related expenses.
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How refunds work
If you paid more through the year than you owe in tax, you may get money back. Even if you didn't pay tax, you may still get a refund if you qualify for a refundable credit. To get your refund, you must file a return. You have 3 years to claim a tax refund.
Refund: Claim it or lose it (video, 2:05).
Check your refund
If you e-file your return, you can usually see your refund status within 24 hours with Where's My Refund? You can get your refund information for the current year and past 2 years.
Check your refund on an amended return
Amended returns take up to 3 weeks to show up in our system and up to 16 weeks to process. To check on an amended return, visit Where's My Amended Return?
When to expect your refund
Processing your refund usually takes:
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Up to 21 days for an e-filed return
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6 weeks or more for returns sent by mail
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Longer if your return needs corrections or extra review
The timing of your refund may change if you:
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File a Form 1040-NR, Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return (can take up to 6 months)
Choose how to get your refund
You can get your refund by:
Direct deposit: This is the fastest way to get your refund. Deposit into your checking, savings, or retirement account. You can split your refund into up to 3 accounts.
Paper check: We'll mail your check to the address on your return. Notify us if you changed your address.
Prepaid debit card: Check with your bank or card provider to see if your card will work and which account numbers to use.
Mobile payment apps: Some apps accept direct deposits.
Traditional, Roth or SEP-IRA: Deposit into your existing IRA account.
Solve a refund problem
If your refund isn't what you expected, it may be because:
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We corrected mistakes on your return. You'll get a notice explaining the changes. Details are also in Where's My Refund?
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Your refund was used to pay your IRS tax balance or certain state or federal debts.
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Your refund from a joint return was applied to your spouse's debts.
If your refund is missing or destroyed, request a replacement check.
If you entered the wrong account or routing number, call us at 800-829-1040 to stop the deposit. If it's already deposited to another account, you must contact your bank to recover your funds.
If you got a paper check instead of direct deposit, it’s because:
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The account is not under your name, your spouse's name or a joint account
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Your financial institution rejected a direct deposit
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You requested more than 3 electronic refunds into 1 account
If you get a refund you're not entitled to, promptly return it to us.
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