Filing your own taxes means gathering your income documents, choosing a filing method (free or paid software, or paper forms), entering your information, and submitting your return to the IRS. Most people with straightforward tax situations can do this in a few hours without paying a professional. Here’s how to work through the process from start to finish.
Decide Whether You Need to File
Not everyone is required to file a federal tax return. Whether you need to depends on your gross income, filing status, and age. The IRS publishes income thresholds each year in the instructions for Form 1040. Even if your income falls below those thresholds, you should still file if you had federal taxes withheld from paychecks or qualify for refundable credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing is the only way to get that money back.
Gather Your Documents
Before you open any software or fill out any forms, pull together everything you’ll need. Missing a document is the most common reason people have to amend a return later. Here’s what to collect:
- Personal information: Social Security numbers (or ITINs) for you, your spouse, and any dependents. Your current address. Bank account and routing numbers if you want your refund deposited directly.
- Last year’s return: You’ll need your prior-year adjusted gross income (AGI) and exact refund amount to verify your identity when e-filing. If the IRS issued you an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN), have that ready too.
- Income forms: W-2s from every employer, 1099-NEC forms for freelance or contract work, 1099-INT for bank interest, 1099-DIV for dividends, 1099-G for unemployment benefits, 1099-R for retirement distributions, SSA-1099 for Social Security benefits, and 1099-K for payments received through online marketplaces or payment apps.
- Deduction and credit records: Mortgage interest and property tax statements, charitable donation receipts, childcare expense records, tuition and education receipts, health savings account contributions, and retirement contribution records.
- Self-employment records: If you have side income or run a business, gather bank statements, receipts, mileage logs, records of estimated tax payments, and documentation of deductible business expenses like office supplies or software.
- Digital asset records: If you bought, sold, or exchanged cryptocurrency or other digital assets, compile your transaction records even if you didn’t receive a 1099 for them.
Most employers and financial institutions are required to send income forms by the end of January. Wait until you have all of them before filing. If a form arrives after you’ve already submitted your return, you may need to file an amendment.
Choose a Filing Method
You have several options, ranging from completely free to a few hundred dollars for paid software.
IRS Free File
If your adjusted gross income is $89,000 or less, you can use IRS Free File, which partners with eight commercial tax software companies to let you prepare and e-file your federal return at no cost. Each partner sets its own eligibility rules beyond the income cap, so check a few to find the best fit. Some also include free state return preparation.
If your income is above $89,000, you can still use IRS Free File Fillable Forms. These are electronic versions of the paper forms with basic math calculations built in, but they don’t walk you through the process with interview-style questions. They’re best for people who already understand which forms and schedules they need.
Commercial Tax Software
Paid software from companies like TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxAct guides you through your return with a question-and-answer format. You enter your life details (married, kids, homeowner, freelancer) and the software figures out which forms to generate. Federal filing is sometimes included free for simple returns, but adding a state return, self-employment income, or itemized deductions often triggers upgrade fees ranging from $30 to $130 or more. Watch for upsells during the process.
Paper Forms
You can still file on paper by mailing Form 1040 (or Form 1040-SR if you’re 65 or older) to the IRS. If you have business or side income, you’ll attach Schedule C. Paper filing is slower: refunds typically take six to eight weeks compared to about 21 days for e-filed returns with direct deposit. You’ll also need to do your own math, which increases the risk of errors.
Free Help for Specific Groups
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free in-person preparation for people who generally earn $67,000 or less, have disabilities, or speak limited English. Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) serves taxpayers 60 and older. Active-duty military members and their families can use MilTax, a Department of Defense program that covers one federal return and up to three state returns for free.
Work Through Your Return
Whether you’re using software or paper, the return follows the same basic flow.
Enter your personal information. Your name must match what the Social Security Administration has on file. If you’ve recently changed your name, update it with the SSA first, or your e-filed return may be rejected. Choose one filing status: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, or qualifying surviving spouse. Picking the wrong status is a common error that changes your tax bracket and standard deduction.
Report all income. Enter wages from every W-2 and every type of 1099 you received. If you had multiple jobs, combine the totals onto one return. Don’t skip a 1099 because the amount seems small. The IRS gets copies of the same forms you do, and unreported income triggers notices and potential penalties. Enter each amount on the correct line, and attach Schedule 1 if you have additional income sources like freelance work, rental income, or alimony received.
Claim deductions. You’ll choose between the standard deduction and itemizing. Most taxpayers take the standard deduction because it’s simpler and often larger. If your mortgage interest, state and local taxes, charitable donations, and medical expenses add up to more than the standard deduction for your filing status, itemizing saves you more. Tax software can calculate both and recommend the better option. If you or your spouse are 65 or older or blind, your standard deduction is higher, so make sure to check the appropriate box on the form.
Claim credits. Credits reduce your tax bill dollar for dollar, making them more valuable than deductions. Common ones include the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, education credits, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Software will prompt you for these based on your answers. If you’re filing manually, review the instructions for each credit carefully, since eligibility rules can be specific.
Calculate your tax. If you’re on paper, use the tax tables in the Form 1040 instructions and make sure you’re reading the correct column for your filing status. Software handles this automatically. Compare your total tax to the amount already withheld from your paychecks (shown on your W-2s) plus any estimated tax payments you made during the year. If withholding exceeds your tax, you get a refund. If not, you owe the difference.
Submit Your Return
E-filing is faster, more accurate, and gives you confirmation that the IRS received your return. After you submit electronically, you’ll get an acceptance or rejection notice, usually within 24 to 48 hours. If it’s rejected, the notice will explain why (a mismatched Social Security number or incorrect prior-year AGI are common causes), and you can fix the issue and resubmit.
If you’re mailing a paper return, double-check that you’ve signed and dated it. Joint filers both need to sign. Attach Copy B of each W-2 and any 1099-R that shows federal tax withholding. Use the correct mailing address from the Form 1040 instructions, since the IRS uses different addresses depending on your state and whether you’re including a payment.
If you owe taxes, pay by the April deadline to avoid interest and penalties. You can pay online through IRS Direct Pay, by debit or credit card, or by mailing a check with a payment voucher (Form 1040-V). If you can’t pay in full, the IRS offers installment plans.
After You File
Save two numbers from your completed return: your adjusted gross income and your exact refund amount. You’ll need the AGI to verify your identity when e-filing next year, and the refund amount lets you track your payment using the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool on irs.gov.
Keep a copy of your return and all supporting documents for at least three years. The IRS generally has three years from the filing date to audit a return, though that extends to six years if you underreported income by more than 25%.
If you realize you made a mistake after filing, you can correct it by submitting Form 1040-X, the amended return. You can e-file an amendment through most tax software. Amended returns take up to 16 weeks to process, so the sooner you catch an error, the better.
Tips for a Smooth Filing
Enter Social Security numbers exactly as they appear on each person’s card. Transposing even one digit will trigger a rejection or delay. Choose direct deposit over a paper check for the fastest refund. If you’re using tax software for the first time, the free versions offered through IRS Free File are a low-risk way to learn the process without paying for features you may not need.
Keep your documents organized year-round rather than scrambling in April. A simple folder, physical or digital, where you drop W-2s, 1099s, and receipts as they arrive makes filing day dramatically easier. Once you’ve filed successfully on your own once, the process gets faster every year because you already know what to expect and where to find your records.