10 Things You Need to Know Before Filing Your 2024 Tax Return

The standard deduction gets even better if you’re 65 or older. Each joint filer 65 and older can increase their standard deduction by $1,550, for a total of $3,100, if both joint filers are 65-plus. In total, a married couple would have a standard deduction of $32,300 if they are both 65 or older. Single filers 65 or older get an extra $1,950 standard deduction, for a total deduction of $16,550.

5. Not everyone has to file a tax return

Tax season will really be easy if you don’t have to file a federal income tax return. In most cases, you don’t have to submit a return if your gross income is less than your standard deduction (and, remember, your standard deduction is higher if you’re at least 65 years old).

“Gross income” generally includes all income you received during the tax year in the form of money, goods, property and services that isn't exempt from tax. As a result, only the taxable portion of your Social Security benefits (if any) is included in your gross income for this purpose — the exempt part doesn’t count.

There are still some situations where you’ll have to file a tax return even if your gross income is less than your standard deduction. For instance, you have to file a return if you owe certain “special taxes,” such as the alternative minimum tax or employment taxes for a household employee (e.g., a nanny or maid). Other times when you must file a return regardless of your income include:

• You (or your spouse if filing jointly) received money from a health savings account (HSA).
• You had net earnings from self-employment of at least $400.
• Advance payments of the premium tax credit were made for you, your spouse, or a dependent with health insurance coverage through the Marketplace.
• You purchased an electric vehicle and the amount you paid was reduced by transferring the EV tax credit to the dealer.

If you’re not required to file a return, you still might want to send one in if you can claim a refundable credit, such as the earned income credit, additional child tax credit, American opportunity credit or premium tax credit. You could end up with a tax refund for your efforts.

6. You can deduct some items without itemizing

When filing your tax return, you can claim either the standard deduction or the total of your itemized deductions, but you can’t do both. Pick the larger of the two.

If you claim the standard deduction, you’ll miss out on deductions for medical expenses, state and local taxes, gifts to charity, and all the other itemized deductions found on Schedule A.

However, you can still take some deductions without itemizing. These deductions (known to the cognoscenti as “adjustments to income”) include, among other things, write-offs for:

• Unreimbursed expenses for teachers
• Business expenses of reservists, performing artists and fee-based government officials
• Contributions to an HSA
• Moving expenses for members of the military
• 50 percent of self-employment tax
• Contributions to SEP, SIMPLE and qualified retirement plans for self-employed people
• Health insurance premiums for self-employed people
• Penalties on early withdrawal of retirement savings
• Alimony payments (for divorce agreements dated before Jan. 1, 2019)
• Contributions to a traditional IRA
• Student loan interest

7. File electronically to get your tax refund faster

The IRS says it usually takes less than three weeks to get your refund if you file electronically and sign up for direct deposit. But you’ll have to wait at least four weeks for the IRS to process your refund if you file a paper tax return. And if your return requires corrections, you might have to wait longer.

8. File early to guard against fraud

If someone has stolen your identity, they can steal your tax refund, too. All they have to do is file a return in your name before you do, and your refund check will soon be winging its way to them. Getting that corrected will take much longer than just filing a return.  

If you’re worried about identity theft or tax fraud, ask the IRS for an identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN). It can help keep a scammer from getting a new set of tires with your refund.

9. Track your refund

No more lonely treks to the mailbox every day to see whether your refund is there (or, in this modern world, forlornly refreshing the screen on your bank’s website every three minutes to check whether you’re suddenly richer). There's a better way: Use the IRS' “Where’s My Refund?” tool. Once you’ve signed up, you can virtually watch your tax refund go through the tax system.

10. Get free tax help

You can get free tax help in a number of places.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is targeted at older taxpayers with low to moderate income. Most of AARP Tax Aide's 3,500+ locations open on Feb. 1; you can find Tax-Aide locations on the AARP website.

The IRS' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) service offers free tax help for qualifying taxpayers at thousands of sites across the country. Typically, those who qualify make $67,000 or less. You can find a VITA location near you through the IRS website. You can also get free tax software from many different companies, provided your adjusted gross income is $84,000 or less. (Adjusted gross income is generally your income minus any deductions you are eligible to take.) The companies guarantee accurate computations, and some also offer free state tax return software. You can find the free software through the IRS.

The IRS offers its own free tax software (Direct File), but it’s only available to people in certain states who are filing relatively simple tax returns. Check the IRS Direct File website for more information.

Need help with your tax return? Try AARP's tax calculator.