When Do I Have to File Federal Income Taxes?

A federal income tax return is the form used to report income, calculate taxes owed, and reconcile payments with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The federal government uses revenue from income taxes to fund public services, including national defense, infrastructure, and social programs. Understanding whether you are legally required to file a return is a fundamental aspect of personal finance. This guide provides an overview of the requirements and deadlines for filing a federal income tax return.

Key Filing Deadlines

For income earned in a given year, the return is due by April 15 of the following year. This means that for income earned during 2024, the filing deadline is April 15, 2025. If April 15 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday, the deadline automatically shifts to the next business day.

If you need more time to complete your return, the IRS allows for an automatic six-month extension. To receive this extension, you must submit Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, by the original April deadline, which pushes the filing due date to October 15.

An extension provides more time to file your return, but it does not grant more time to pay any taxes you owe. You are still required to estimate your tax liability for the year and pay that amount by the original April 15 deadline. Failing to pay by the initial due date can result in interest and penalties, even with a valid extension to file.

Gross Income Filing Thresholds

The primary factor that determines whether you must file a federal tax return is your gross income. Gross income encompasses all income you receive from sources like wages, salaries, tips, dividends, interest, and business income before any taxes or deductions are taken out. The specific dollar amount of gross income that triggers a filing requirement depends on your filing status, age, and whether you are blind.

The IRS sets these thresholds annually, and they are tied to the standard deduction amount for each filing status. For the 2024 tax year, a single individual under age 65 must file if their gross income is at least $14,600. That threshold increases to $16,550 if they are 65 or older.

For those who are married and filing a joint return, the threshold is $29,200 if both spouses are under 65. This figure rises to $30,750 if one spouse is 65 or older, and to $32,300 if both spouses are 65 or older. A person who is married but filing separately must file a return if they earned at least $5 of gross income.

Other filing statuses have their own thresholds. A Head of Household must file if their gross income is at least $21,900, which increases to $23,850 if they are 65 or older. A Qualifying Widow(er) has a filing threshold of $29,200 if under 65, which increases to $30,750 if age 65 or older.

Special Circumstances Requiring a Return

Beyond the gross income thresholds, several situations can obligate you to file a tax return, regardless of how much income you earned. These rules ensure that certain types of tax liabilities are reported and paid. You must file a return if any of the following circumstances apply:

• You have net earnings from self-employment of at least $400, which requires you to pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.
• You owe any special taxes, such as the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) or household employment taxes for paying someone to do work in your home.
• You received distributions from a Health Savings Account (HSA), Archer Medical Savings Account (MSA), or a Medicare Advantage MSA.
• You earned $108.28 or more in wages from a church or qualified church-controlled organization that is exempt from employer Social Security and Medicare taxes.
• You owe Social Security or Medicare tax on tips you did not report to your employer or on wages from an employer who did not withhold these taxes.
• You need to repay advance payments of the premium tax credit for health insurance purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Situations Where You Should File Even if Not Required

There are instances where you may not be legally required to file a tax return but could find it financially advantageous to do so. The primary reason to file voluntarily is to receive a refund of taxes that were overpaid during the year. This often occurs when an employer withholds federal income tax from your paychecks, but your total annual income is below the filing threshold.

Filing a return is also necessary to claim refundable tax credits for which you may be eligible. Refundable credits can result in a tax refund even if you do not owe any tax. Examples include the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for working people with low to moderate income, and the Child Tax Credit for families with qualifying children.

Another refundable credit is the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps pay for the first four years of postsecondary education. If you qualify for these or other refundable credits, the only way to receive the payment is by filing a federal income tax return.