{"id":24502,"date":"2026-04-26T15:05:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T15:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/incredipros.com\/?p=24502"},"modified":"2026-04-26T15:05:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T15:05:35","slug":"how-to-file-taxes-for-the-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/incredipros.com\/?p=24502","title":{"rendered":"How to File Taxes for the First Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Let\u2019s face it: Filing taxes is confusing. It\u2019s intimidating. It\u2019s slightly less painful than stepping on a Lego brick. And it\u2019s one of the lame parts of being an adult. But it has to be done, especially if you want to build wealth (and, you know, be a U.S. citizen . . . \u2019Merica!).\n    <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re worried about\u00a0when\u00a0and\u00a0how to file taxes\u00a0for the first time, don\u2019t stress\u2014I got you! It\u2019s actually not as complicated as it sounds. Here\u2019s how to do it the right way.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>1. Figure out whether you need to file.<\/h2>\n<p>Honestly, depending on how old you are and a few other factors, you might not even need to worry about filing taxes yet (ah, the blissful joy of youth). But before you breathe a sigh of tax-exempt relief, there are a few basic details you need to know to figure out whether or not you need to file.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Here are some common questions you might have about this step:\n    <\/p>\n<h3>Do dependents need to file taxes?<\/h3>\n<p>Even if you\u2019re technically still dependent on your parents\u2014meaning you live with them, they pay your bills, etc.\u2014and even if your parents still claim you as a dependent on their own tax return, you <em>might<\/em> still need to file based on how much money you earned in 2025. Read on, my friend.\n    <\/p>\n<h3>How much money do I need to make to file taxes?<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cHow much do you have to make to file taxes?\u201d is a question I hear a lot from teenagers who just got their first job and are wondering if they make enough money to have to pay up. Here\u2019s how to be sure:\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"BlogInsert-copy\">\n<p>Get expert money advice to reach your money goals faster!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Let\u2019s say your parents claim you as a dependent on their tax return, you\u2019re not married, and you\u2019re also not blind or over the age of 65 as of the end of 2025 (leave it to the government to be weirdly specific). You should file taxes if one of these situations applies to you:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Your unearned\u00a0income was more than $1,350.<\/li>\n<li>Your gross income (the money you earn before taxes are taken out) was more than $15,750.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019re living that single life, your parents don\u2019t claim you as a dependent, and you\u2019re under 65, then you\u2019ll need to file if your gross income in tax year 2025 was at least\u00a0<strong>$15,750<\/strong>. If you\u2019re married and filing jointly (meaning you and your spouse are putting all of your details on the same tax return) and both of you are under 65, you should file if your gross income was at least\u00a0<strong>$31,500<\/strong>. And let me tell you, as a married man myself, the only thing more romantic than filing taxes together is . . . literally anything else. Even if you earned less than the threshold, it&#8217;s a good idea to file a return if you had taxes withheld from your paycheck because you could be due a refund!\n    <\/p>\n<h3>Hold up. What\u2019s earned and unearned income?<\/h3>\n<p>Earned income is any money made from working a job, like your salary and wages, bonuses, commissions and tips. Unearned income is money earned <em>without<\/em> working\u2014interest earned from a savings account, for example.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Some other forms of unearned income include alimony, dividends, capital gains, etc. But if this is your first time filing taxes, I\u2019d be willing to bet that interest is the only type of unearned income that applies to you. And I\u2019m not even a betting man. <em>That\u2019s<\/em> how confident I am.\n    <\/p>\n<h3>If I\u2019m a freelancer, do I need to pay taxes?<\/h3>\n<p>Maybe you thought you\u2019d be able to travel around blogging and Instagramming like the free spirit you are and escape the clutches of the IRS in the process\u2014but if you earned at least $400 from freelance work during the year, then you <em>need<\/em> to pay taxes on it. Bummer. My money mentor Dave Ramsey suggests setting aside about 25\u201330% of every check you get from freelance work so you aren\u2019t left high and dry (and broke) when tax season rolls around.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>2. Get your documents together.<\/h2>\n<p>There are a few different documents you\u2019ll need in order to file your taxes. (This is the fun part.) Here are the main ones to keep in mind:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>W2 form: If you earn a salary or wage, your employer will send you this.<\/li>\n<li>1099 form: If you\u2019re a freelancer or self-employed, you should get one of these from every client who paid you at least $600 during the tax year.<\/li>\n<li>Charitable donations: If you donate to a nonprofit religious, educational or charitable group, make sure you get a donation receipt (and hang on to it!) because you\u2019ll need that at tax time.<\/li>\n<li>Mortgage interest statements<\/li>\n<li>Investment income statements<\/li>\n<li>Form 8822: You\u2019ll need this if you moved in the past year.<\/li>\n<li>SS-5: You\u2019ll need this if you changed your name in the past year.<\/li>\n<li>W-4: If you started making a new income in the past year, this form will adjust tax withholdings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Again, if you\u2019re just now learning how to file taxes for the first time, then the W2, 1099 and charitable donation forms are probably the only ones that apply to you (unless you already have a bunch of investments or own a house at 20 years old or something, in which case\u2014my mind is mind blown. Way to go!). But it never hurts to double-check with a tax professional.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>3. Choose your filing status.<\/h2>\n<p>As a first-time tax filer, this step should be pretty easy. Your filing status will help you know what your standard deduction is, how much you\u2019ll owe, if you qualify for certain credits, and other official-sounding stuff like that.\n    <\/p>\n<p>There are five different filing statuses:\n    <\/p>\n<p>1.\u00a0<strong>Single<\/strong>: Your filing status is single if you\u2019re not married (duh), divorced, legally separated or widowed before the tax year.\n    <\/p>\n<p>2.\u00a0<strong>Married filing jointly<\/strong>: We\u2019ve been over this one. This is for us lucky married people who choose to file a joint tax return. You can usually save more this way!\n    <\/p>\n<p>3.\u00a0<strong>Married filing separately<\/strong>: This one is for you married people who choose to file separate tax returns for whatever reason. That\u2019s up to you guys, but make sure you look at both joint and separate options and pick the one that\u2019s most affordable for you.\n    <\/p>\n<p>4.\u00a0<strong>Head of household<\/strong>: If you\u2019re not married, have paid for more than half the household expenses for the year, and can claim a dependent on your tax return, this is the filing status for you. This mostly applies to single parents.\n    <\/p>\n<p>5.\u00a0<strong>Qualifying widow(er)<\/strong>: You can still file jointly with your spouse if they passed away and you don\u2019t get married again in the same tax year. This filing status is available for up to two years after the year of your spouse\u2019s death.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Note: There are a bunch of other tax rules for special situations, like if your spouse is in a combat zone and can\u2019t sign, you\u2019re married but your parents still claim you as a dependent on their return, etc. I don\u2019t have the time or energy to cover all of that in this article. (Would you guys want to read a 20-page article about taxes? Only if you\u2019re an aspiring CPA.) But you can find all of these details\u2014and a lot of other answers to your questions\u2014on IRS.gov, the official website for all things tax-related.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>4. Decide if you want to take the standard deduction or itemize.<\/h2>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>standard deduction<\/strong>\u00a0is a specific dollar amount that lowers the income you\u2019re taxed on. Like we\u2019ve touched on already, for single filers, that dollar amount is\u00a0<strong>$15,750<\/strong>. For qualifying widow(er)s or people who are married filing jointly, that dollar amount is\u00a0<strong>$31,500<\/strong>.\n    <\/p>\n<p>So, for example, if your filing status is single, you made $30,000 in 2025, and you decided to take the standard deduction, you would only pay taxes on $14,250.\n    <\/p>\n<p>If you take the standard deduction, you don\u2019t have to add up receipts or fill out any extra forms to see which individual deductions you qualify for. Just use Form 1040 to add up your income, subtract the standard deduction, and boom! The bottom line will show if you\u2019re getting a refund or if you owe more.\n    <\/p>\n<p>The standard deduction is pretty cool because it lowers your taxable income (which means you might owe less money) even if you don\u2019t qualify for any itemized deductions.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Your other option is to\u00a0<strong>itemize<\/strong>\u00a0all your deductions. People who choose this option keep receipts of qualifying expenses throughout the tax year and record them in Schedule A (Form 1040).\n    <\/p>\n<p>Some examples of these types of expenses would be:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Out-of-pocket medical or dental expenses<\/li>\n<li>Charitable donations<\/li>\n<li>Large work-related expenses that weren\u2019t reimbursed (for example, some people can claim money spent on gas if they had to drive a lot for work)<\/li>\n<li>Paid mortgage interest or real estate taxes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Depending on which tax bracket you\u2019re in, your itemized deductions will reduce your taxable income by a certain amount\u2014so it only makes sense to itemize if those deductions add up to more than the standard deduction.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Most people go for the standard deduction because it\u2019s easier and faster, but for some people, itemizing can help them save a lot more money. Talking with a tax pro can help you figure out which option makes the most sense for you.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Got a headache yet? Don\u2019t worry, this wild ride is almost over.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>5. Actually file your taxes for the first time.<\/h2>\n<p>All right, party people. You\u2019ve got your documents. You know your filing status. You decided if you\u2019re taking the standard deduction or itemizing all the way. Now it\u2019s time to actually file your taxes. Game on.\n    <\/p>\n<p>There are a few different ways to do this:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You could get the help of a tax pro, which can seriously help with the stress and confusion.<\/li>\n<li>You could use tax software (which can be a good option if your tax situation is pretty simple).<\/li>\n<li>You could fill out all the paperwork yourself and mail it to the IRS. (This is my least favorite option. My handwriting is terrible, and I have a hard time finding pens.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once that\u2019s done, it\u2019s time to run a couple victory laps, because guess what? You just learned how to file taxes for the first time. I\u2019m so proud. I\u2019m not even a runner, but I\u2019m pretty sure I could run through a wall (if it\u2019s <em>extremely<\/em> soft drywall) after getting my tax return filed.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>6.\u00a0 Watch for a refund (and adjust withholdings if needed).<\/h2>\n<p>When you e-file your taxes, you\u2019ll hear from the IRS within a few days if your return was accepted. If you\u2019re getting a refund, you can check the status at the IRS\u2019s website. Guys, this is <em>not<\/em> your sign to go out and buy that Peloton you\u2019ve been wanting. It may sound great, but this actually means too much money was withheld from your paycheck throughout the tax year. All that money was yours in the first place, and you should get to keep more of it during the year.\n    <\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also a chance you\u2019ll owe money to the IRS instead of getting a refund. Sure, it\u2019s a bummer, but go ahead and file and pay by (or before) Tax Day. If you don\u2019t, you\u2019ll get hit with all sorts of penalties and interest. For real\u2014you don\u2019t want to tick off the tax man.\n    <\/p>\n<p>If you get a massive refund or owe a lot to the IRS, you\u2019ll want to adjust your withholdings (the amount of money that\u2019s taken out of your paycheck for taxes) so your tax bill lands as close to zero as possible. The HR folks at your workplace should be able to help you with this if you get stuck.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Once you adjust your withholdings as needed, all that\u2019s left to do is get organized for next year by buying a folder for all your tax documents and receipts. Make it fun and buy a colorful Lisa Frank folder for nostalgia. Whatever lights your little heart up. Oh, and you\u2019ll want to hang on to them for at least three years just in case.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Congrats\u2014not only for making it through an article about tax returns, but also because this means you\u2019re officially an adult! Happy tax filing!\n    <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ramsey SmartTax promo showing two options. Federal Classic is 19.95, marked down from 49.95, and covers all the main income types and forms, plus phone and email support. Federal Premium is 39.95, down from 69.95, and adds live chat, priority support, and a month of ID theft protection. Note says it\u2019s a limited-time deal and state returns cost extra. Button at the bottom says \u2018Get Started With Ramsey SmartTax.\" src=\"https:\/\/incredipros.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/smarttax-pricing-visual-cta.png\"\/>\n    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Read the full article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramseysolutions.com\/taxes\/how-to-file-taxes-for-the-first-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" rel=\"nofollow\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s face it: Filing taxes is confusing. It\u2019s intimidating. It\u2019s slightly less painful than stepping on a Lego brick. And it\u2019s one of the lame parts of being an adult. But it has to be done, especially if you want to build wealth (and, you know, be a U.S. citizen . . . \u2019Merica!). If<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-24502","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to File Taxes for the First Time | IncrediPros<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Let\u2019s face it: Filing taxes is confusing. It\u2019s intimidating. It\u2019s slightly less painful than stepping on a Lego brick. 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