It depends on your filing status, age, and gross income for the year. According to the IRS, you must file if your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more.[1] If tax was withheld from your paycheck, file even when you are not required to: that is how you get your refund.
Green card holders and people who meet the Substantial Presence Test are US tax residents. According to the IRS, you meet the test if you were in the US at least 31 days this year and 183 days over three years, counting all days this year, 1/3 of last year's days, and 1/6 of the days from the year before.[1] Residents report worldwide income on Form 1040. Nonresidents file Form 1040-NR and report only US-source income.
Source: IRS - Substantial presence test
If you were a nonresident for part of the year and a resident for the rest, you are a dual-status taxpayer. Per the IRS, if you are a resident on December 31, you file Form 1040, write "Dual-Status Return" across the top, and attach a statement showing your income for the nonresident part of the year.[1] If you are a nonresident on December 31, you file Form 1040-NR with a statement for the resident period.
Yes, if you are a US citizen or resident alien. According to the IRS, you are taxed on worldwide income from all sources.[1] Report foreign wages, interest, dividends, and rental income in US dollars. The foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign tax credit can lower your US tax, but you can claim them only by filing a return.
You need an SSN or ITIN for yourself and everyone on your return, plus bank account and routing numbers for your refund. For income, gather Form W-2 from your employer and any 1099 forms: 1099-NEC for freelance work, 1099-INT for interest, 1099-DIV for dividends, and 1099-K for payment apps and online marketplaces. For deductions, keep mortgage and property tax records, childcare costs, and charity receipts. If you are self-employed, keep bank statements, receipts, and mileage logs.[1]
Source: IRS - Gather your documents
The regular deadline falls in mid-April. According to the IRS, Form 4868 gives you until October 15 to file without a late-filing penalty.[1] The extension covers filing only: pay any tax you owe by the April deadline, or the IRS will charge penalties and interest.
According to the IRS, you complete Form W-7 and send it with your federal tax return (Form 1040 or 1040-NR) and proof of identity and foreign status. A valid passport works as a standalone document.[1] You can mail the package to the IRS Austin Service Center or apply in person at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center or through an Acceptance Agent. The IRS usually responds within 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (January 15 to April 30) and for applications from abroad.
Source: IRS - How do I apply for an ITIN
Per the IRS, an ITIN expires on December 31 after three consecutive tax years in which you did not use it on a federal tax return.[1] To renew, complete Form W-7 and check "Renew an existing ITIN." If you file with an expired ITIN, the IRS may delay your return and deny some credits until you renew, which can shrink your refund.
Source: IRS - ITIN expiration FAQs
In most cases, you file a resident return in your home state and a nonresident or part-year resident return in each other state where you earned income. Your home state then gives you a credit for tax paid to the other state, so the same income is not taxed twice. In California, for example, you claim this Other State Tax Credit on Schedule S.[1] Some neighboring states have reciprocity agreements, so check the rules in both states.
Source: FTB - Other State Tax Credit
You report it on Schedule C with your Form 1040 and subtract business expenses to get your net profit. According to the IRS, if your net earnings are $400 or more, you also owe self-employment tax of 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare, calculated on Schedule SE.[1] You can deduct half of that tax when you figure your adjusted gross income.
Source: IRS - Self-employment tax
According to the IRS, you generally need to pay estimated tax if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file. This is common for freelancers, partners, and S corporation shareholders.[1] Use Form 1040-ES. Payments are due four times a year: in April, June, September, and January of the next year.
Source: IRS - Estimated taxes
Per the IRS, a single-member LLC is a disregarded entity by default: you report its income on your personal return, usually on Schedule C. An LLC with two or more members is a partnership by default and files Form 1065.[1] To be taxed as an S corporation, file Form 2553 no more than 2 months and 15 days after the start of the tax year the election should take effect, or at any time during the year before.[2]
Sources: [1] IRS - Limited liability company (LLC); [2] IRS - Instructions for Form 2553
To fix a return you already filed, use Form 1040-X. According to the IRS, to get a refund you must file it within 3 years of the original return or 2 years of paying the tax, whichever is later.[1] For years you never filed, file each past-due return, and do it within 3 years of the due date if you are owed a refund.[2] If you owe tax, the late-filing penalty is 5% of the unpaid tax for each month, up to 25%.[3]
Sources: [1] IRS - File an amended return; [2] IRS - Filing past due tax returns; [3] IRS - Failure to file penalty
According to the IRS, the credit is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child under age 17 at the end of the year, and up to $1,700 of it is refundable as the Additional Child Tax Credit. You get the full amount if your income is $200,000 or less ($400,000 if married filing jointly). You and each child need a Social Security number valid for employment.[1]
Source: IRS - Child Tax Credit
The FAFSA uses tax information from two years earlier: the 2026–27 FAFSA form uses your 2024 federal tax return.[1] In most cases, you and your contributors give consent, and the IRS transfers the data directly into the form, so an accurate tax return matters.
Source: Federal Student Aid - Where To Find My 2024 Tax Information (2026–27)