While many people are required to file a tax return, it\u2019s a good idea for everyone to determine if they should file. Some people with low income are not required to file, but will need to do so if they can get a tax refund. Here are five tips for taxpayers who are deciding whether to file a tax return:<\/p>\n
Find out the general reasons to file<\/strong> Look at tax withheld or paid<\/strong> If the answer is \u201cyes\u201d to any of these questions, they could be due a refund. They must file a tax return to get their money.<\/p>\n Look into whether they can claim the earned income tax credit<\/strong> Child tax credit or credit for other dependents<\/strong> The Child-Related Tax Benefits tool<\/a> can help people determine if they qualify for these two credits.<\/p>\n Education credits<\/strong>
\nIn most cases, income, filing status and age determine if a taxpayer must file a tax return. Other rules may apply if the taxpayer is self-employed or can be claimed as a dependent of someone else. There are other reasons when a taxpayer must file. The Interactive Tax Assistant<\/a> can help someone determine if they the need to file a return.<\/p>\n
\nHere are a few questions for taxpayers to ask themselves:<\/p>\n\n
\nA working taxpayer who earned less than $55,592 last year could receive the EITC as a tax refund. They must qualify and may do so with or without a qualifying child. They can check eligibility by using the 2019 EITC Assistant<\/a> on IRS.gov. Taxpayers need to file a tax return to claim the EITC.<\/p>\n
\nTaxpayers can claim the child tax credit if they have a qualifying child under the age of 17 and meet other qualifications. Other taxpayers may be eligible for the credit for other dependents. This includes people who have:<\/p>\n\n
\nThere are two higher education credits that reduce the amount of tax someone owes on their tax return. One is the American opportunity tax credit<\/a> and the other is the lifetime learning credit<\/a>. The taxpayer, their spouse or their dependent must have been a student enrolled at least half time for one academic period to qualify. The taxpayer may qualify for one of these credits<\/a> even if they don\u2019t owe any taxes. Form 8863, Education Credits<\/a> is used to claim the credit when filing the tax return<\/p>\n