How to File US Taxes, Step by Step
To file US taxes: check whether you have to file, have your SSN or ITIN, gather your W-2s and 1099s, pick your filing status, apply deductions and credits, and file Form 1040 with the IRS by April 15.
Filing your US income taxes means sending the IRS a Form 1040 each year that shows everything you earned, the tax already withheld, and the credits you're entitled to. The result is either a refund, if too much was withheld, or a balance to pay. This guide walks through the whole process in nine steps and, at each one, tells you which guide to read next for the details.
Free to start. Nothing is charged until you check out.
Step 1: Do I have to file?
According to the IRS, most US citizens and permanent residents who work in the United States have to file a return. It depends on your filing status, your age, and your gross income. For 2025, a filer under 65 must file if gross income reached $15,750 as a single filer, $23,625 as head of household, or $31,500 if married filing jointly (both spouses under 65).
Some situations require a return even at lower income. The most common: if you worked for yourself and your net earnings were $400 or more, you must file, even if you were paid in cash.
- Even if you don't have to file, you should if tax was withheld from your pay: filing is the only way to get it back.
- Also file if you may qualify for a refundable credit such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): the IRS pays that credit even when you owe no tax.
- If you're paid in cash or on a 1099, see "Paid in cash: how to report your income without a 1099" and "Self-employment taxes and Form 1099-NEC".
Step 2: Have your number: Social Security number or ITIN
Every person on the return (you, your spouse, and each dependent) needs an identification number. If you can have a Social Security number (SSN), use it. If you can't get one, the IRS issues an ITIN, a number for tax purposes only that is issued regardless of immigration status and does not authorize work or change your status.
You apply for an ITIN with Form W-7, which generally goes with a paper tax return. Vordana Tax does not prepare Form W-7. Once you have your ITIN, you can file online. Read next: "Can I file taxes without a Social Security number?", "How to file taxes with an ITIN", "Form W-7: how to apply for an ITIN" and, if one spouse has an ITIN, "Married with one ITIN and one SSN: how to file".
Step 3: Gather your documents
Before you start, have on hand what arrived by mail or online in January and February:
- A Form W-2 from each job: your wages and the tax withheld. "Form W-2 Explained, Box by Box" tells you what every box means.
- Forms 1099: 1099-NEC or 1099-K for self-employment or app work, 1099-INT and 1099-DIV for interest and dividends, 1099-G for unemployment, 1099-R for retirement withdrawals, 1099-B for stock sales.
- Form 1095-A if you had Marketplace health insurance, and Form 1098-T if you or a dependent were a student.
- Social Security numbers or ITINs and birth dates for everyone, last year's return if you have it, and your bank account for Direct Deposit.
- If you had a W-2 and a 1099 in the same year, everything goes on one return: see "W-2 and 1099 in the same year: how to file both on one return". The full checklist is in "What documents do I need to file taxes?".
Step 4: Choose your filing status
Your filing status sets your standard deduction, your tax brackets, and which credits you can claim. There are five: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, and qualifying surviving spouse. It's based on your situation on December 31.
If you're unmarried and pay more than half the cost of a home where you live with a qualifying child or relative, you may be head of household, which gives a bigger deduction than single. Read next: "Head of household filing status requirements" and "Married filing jointly vs. separately".
Step 5: Deductions: standard or itemized
A deduction lowers the part of your income that is taxed. Most people take the standard deduction, a fixed amount: for 2025 it's $15,750 for single filers, $31,500 for married couples filing jointly, and $23,625 for heads of household. If your deductible expenses (mortgage interest, local taxes, charitable gifts, large medical bills) add up to more, you can itemize them on Schedule A.
The 2025 law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act added new deductions you can take whether or not you itemize, such as the deductions for tips and for overtime, each with its own rules (for example, a valid Social Security number). Read next: "2025 standard deduction: how much it is and how it applies".
Step 6: The credits you're entitled to
A credit comes straight off your tax, dollar for dollar, and some are paid to you even if you owe nothing. The most common:
- Child Tax Credit: up to $2,200 per qualifying child for 2025. You (or, on a joint return, one spouse) and the child need a Social Security number valid for work. See "Child Tax Credit 2025: how much it is and who qualifies".
- Credit for Other Dependents: up to $500 for each dependent who doesn't qualify for the credit above; you can get it with an ITIN.
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): for people with low or moderate income from work; it requires a Social Security number. See the EITC guide.
- Education credits (Form 1098-T) and the Marketplace health insurance credit (Form 1095-A), each with its own guide.
Step 7: File on time
The deadline is April 15; if it falls on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day. If you need more time, Form 4868 gives you an automatic six-month extension to file, but not to pay: what you owe is still due by April 15.
E-filing is the fastest and safest way: the IRS confirms it received and accepted your return. If you've already missed the deadline, file as soon as you can: the failure-to-file penalty is 5% of the unpaid tax for each month you're late, up to 25%. See "How to file a late 2025 tax return" and, to fix a return you already filed, "How to amend a tax return (Form 1040-X)".
Step 8: Your refund
According to the IRS, a refund on an e-filed return arrives in about 3 weeks, and one on a paper return takes 6 weeks or more. With Direct Deposit the money goes straight into your account, with no waiting for a check.
If you claim the EITC or the Additional Child Tax Credit, the law requires the IRS to hold those refunds until mid-February. You can check your refund with the IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool about 24 hours after your e-filed return is accepted. More in "How long does an IRS refund take?".
Step 9: If you owe money
File on time even if you can't pay it all: the failure-to-file penalty (5% a month) is far bigger than the failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% a month), and interest is added to what you owe. Pay what you can by April 15.
If you can't pay in full, you can request a monthly payment plan with Form 9465 inside your e-filed return, if you owe $50,000 or less and can pay it off in 72 months or less. The IRS decides whether to approve it, and IRS fees and interest may apply. Read next: "IRS payment plan: how to request one with Form 9465" and "Can't pay your taxes? What to do when you owe the IRS".
The forms are the IRS's; the explanation is in your language
IRS forms are in English; the IRS also publishes some in Spanish and none in Arabic. On Vordana Tax, the whole interview is in English, Spanish or Arabic: we ask the questions in your language and fill in the official forms for you. A return prepared in Spanish prints on the IRS's Spanish forms where the IRS publishes them, and a return prepared in Arabic prints on the English forms.
You can type in your W-2s and 1099s or upload a photo or PDF so the software fills in the boxes for you to review. Your return gets a free review before you file, and it's e-filed with the IRS. If your situation is complicated, you can talk to a tax expert.
Questions
Do I have to file if I earned very little?
It depends on your filing status, age, and income. For 2025, a single filer under 65 must file if gross income reached $15,750, and anyone who worked for themselves must file if net earnings were $400 or more. Even if you don't have to, filing can get back the tax that was withheld.
Can I file without a Social Security number?
Yes, with an ITIN, which the IRS issues regardless of immigration status. With an ITIN you can get your refund and the Credit for Other Dependents, but not the EITC. Vordana Tax does not prepare Form W-7, the ITIN application.
Do I file a separate return for each job?
No. All of your income for the year, from every W-2 and 1099, goes on one return (Form 1040). If you're married filing jointly, both spouses' income goes on that same return.
When is the deadline to file?
April 15, or the next business day if it falls on a weekend or holiday. Form 4868 gives you six more months to file, but not more time to pay.
How long does the refund take?
According to the IRS, about 3 weeks if you e-file and 6 weeks or more on paper. Refunds that include the EITC or the Additional Child Tax Credit are held until mid-February.
What if I owe and can't pay?
File on time anyway and pay what you can. You can request a payment plan with Form 9465 inside your return. The IRS decides whether to approve it, and IRS fees and interest may apply.
Can I file my taxes in Spanish or Arabic?
You can prepare it in either. On Vordana Tax the whole interview is in English, Spanish or Arabic. The IRS forms themselves print in English, or in Spanish where the IRS publishes a Spanish form, and your return is e-filed with the IRS.
Sources
This guide is general information. Your situation may differ; the IRS's instructions are the final word.
Free to start. Nothing is charged until you check out.
Start my return →