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Information to help better understand taxes, from prefiling checklists to helpful filing information to what to do after filing and everything in between.

Tax Knowledge (Guides and FAQs)

Resources and common questions about what you need in order to file your taxes, including documents and information you'll need on hand.

Preparing to File

A quick checklist to make sure you have everything you need to prepare to file a tax return with april.

Pre-filing checklist: preparing to file

Guides and Resources

Why would I have to file a nonresident state return?

What is my state residency status?

What is a W-2 vs a 1099?

Steps to locating prior year's tax return.

How can I find my prior year's tax return?

What can I write off as a business expense?

If you believe you can't meet the federal tax return filing deadline, you can file an extension with the IRS.

How do I file an extension?

What is a Form W-2C?

W-2's offer different information than pay stubs, which can affect your tax return filing.

Can I use my last pay stub if I don’t have my W-2 yet?

Where can I find my prior year’s 1099?

Steps to find last year state and local refund

Where do I find last year's state/local refund?

Why did I receive a Form 1099-G when I didn’t receive unemployment benefits; could it be identity theft?

What is the difference between the IRS's IP PIN and the Self-Select PIN?

What’s an IP PIN? How do I find mine? How do I get one?

All about IP PINs (Identity Protection PINs)

What’s my prior year AGI if someone claimed me as a dependent?

What is AGI and Modified AGI?

How do I file if I moved to a different state last year?

What counts as health insurance on my tax return (and what are 1095-A/1095-B/1095-C forms)?

How do I get my Form 1099-B?

What is a Form 1099-B?

What is a Form 1099-C?

How do I get my Form 1099-C?

What is a Form 1099-DIV?

How do I get my Form 1099-DIV?

What is a Form 1099-G?

How do I get my Form 1099-G?

What is a Form 1099-INT?

How do I get my Form 1099-INT?

What is a Form 1099-K?

How do I get my Form 1099-K?

What is a Form 1099-MISC?

How do I get my Form 1099-MISC?

What is a Form 1099-NEC?

How do I get my Form 1099-NEC?

What is a Form 1099-R?

How do I get my Form 1099-R?

What is a Form 1098-E?

How do I get my Form 1098-E?

What is a Form W-2?

How do I get my Form W-2?

What is the difference between a Form W-2, W-2C, and W-2G?

What is a Form W-2G?

How do I get my Form W-2G?

What is a Form 1099-OID?

How do I get my Form 1099-OID?

What is a Form SSA-1099?

How do I get my Form SSA-1099?

How do I get my W-2s, 1098s, and/or 1099s via the IRS?

Changing the tax withholding on your paycheck can have a direct impact on your tax refund or balance.

Why would I change my paycheck withholding?

Paycheck tax withholding is determined by a W-4.

What is a W-4?

FAQs

Helpful guides and faqs about filing your taxes, covering topics like filing statuses, deductions, and credits.

Filing and General Tax Concepts

Guide To Capital Gains And Losses

A useful guide to understanding the basics of claiming dependents.

Guide to Claiming Dependents

Guide to Student Loans and Taxes

Guide To Taxes When Self Employed

Guide to taxes for ride-share drivers

Guide to Taxes for Content Creators

Guide to Taxes for Hair Stylists/Salon Owners

Can I file as Head of Household?

What filing status can I select?

Understanding how a married person might qualify for the Head of Household filing status.

Can a married person claim Head of Household filing status?

The pros and cons of married filing jointly vs married filing separately.

Is it better for a married couple to file jointly or separately?

How to determine your filing status depending on your official marital status.

I got divorced/separated during the tax year, what should my filing status be?

How should I file my return if my spouse recently died?

Questions and answers surrounding Qualifying Surviving Spouse status

Can I use the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status?

What is a "qualifying person" for Head of Household?

Married filing separately advantages and disadvantages

What are the pros and cons of filing Married Filing Separately?

Can I claim someone who isn't my child as a dependent?

Do I need to include child support on my federal taxes?

Helpful links for contacting and getting assistance from the IRS.

How do I contact the IRS?

Contact information for each state if you have questions about your state tax returns.

How do I contact my state?

The IRS has a variety of methods for paying your estimated taxes.

How do I pay estimated taxes?

Estimated tax payments have quarterly due dates set by the IRS.

When are estimated tax payments due?

Understanding who has to pay estimated taxes.

Do I have to pay estimated taxes?

What is the difference between federal and state estimated taxes?

What is estimated tax/estimated tax payment?

Whether or not alimony payments are taxable or deductible depends on a few factors.

Are alimony payments taxable/deductible?

If you miss the filing deadline, there are penalties to keep in mind.

What is the IRS penalty if I miss the federal filing deadline?

Can I deduct a computer or laptop that I bought for school?

Can I deduct my gambling losses?

Is my Social Security income taxable?

Can I e-file a tax return for someone who is deceased?

What is the Credit for Other Dependents ("Family Tax Credit")?

Is an IRA deductible?

Can I get the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit?

Can I claim my qualifying child if I am divorced or separated?

What is the Lifetime Learning Credit?

What are qualified education expenses?

What is earned income?

What is the American Opportunity Tax Credit?

Are IRA or pension distributions taxable?

What qualifies for the home office deduction?

What does "financially support another person" mean?

Find out if the qualified business income (QBI) deduction applies to you

Guide to the Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction

What is the child and dependent care credit?

Answers to common questions surrounding itemized deductions

What are itemized deductions versus the standard deduction?

Do I qualify for the Earned Income Credit?

What are qualifying medical and dental expenses?

Common questions and answers about the child tax credit

What is the Child Tax Credit?

How do I prepare a joint federal return and separate state returns?

Filing married filing separately, your spouse's SSN

Why do I need to enter my spouse's SSN to file separately?

Questions and answers surrounding standard deduction filing status

What does it mean if I take the standard deduction?

How do I report cryptocurrency when filling out a Form 1040?

A guide on how to find last year's tax return and your AGI

How do I find last year's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)?

After Filing

A quick explanation for the IRS e-file reject code IND-507.

How do I fix the e-file reject code IND-507?

I owe money to the IRS. How do I pay?

There are several reasons why your state e-file might still be in pending status.

Why is my state e-file still in pending status?

Payment plan options for federal taxes, per the IRS.

Can I set up a payment plan for my federal taxes?

Steps you can take to rightfully claim a dependent that has been fraudulently taken on another's tax return

What can I do if someone has claimed my dependent as their own dependent?

Steps you can take when you submitted your return, only to find that someone else has filed a tax return for you already.

Why did I get an error message about a duplicate return?

Reasons and solutions if you haven't received your refund as of yet.

When will my refund arrive?

How can I receive my refund if I don't have a bank account?

My federal return got accepted. What happens next?

What's the difference between direct deposit and direct debit?

E-file rejections are commonly related to incorrect or duplicated names, birth dates, AGI, or Social Security numbers.

Why did I receive an e-file rejection code?

Steps for how to amend your return if you've received your refund.

Guide to Amendments

When should I expect my refund if I claimed the EITC or ACTC?

What if I entered the wrong bank account for direct deposit?

Do I need to mail anything after I've e-filed?

Do I have to pay my tax balance all at once?

Can I deposit my tax refund into someone else's account?

What you need to know about filing state-only taxes after e-filing federal taxes with april