There were 161 million individual income tax returns filed to the IRS in 2024, possibly including yours. While not every American is required to file a tax return, most will – and there may be good reasons to file even if you don’t have to.
In fact, filing taxes can be a good thing, particularly if you can claim tax credits or overpayments or otherwise have money returned to you.
Whether you need to file usually depends mostly on your income, filing status and age.
In special situations, you may have to file regardless of your income. If you have net earnings of at least $400 from self-employment, for example, you’re required to file taxes. If you earn at least that much, you pay self-employment tax.
To determine if you’re one of the millions who must file a return, start with three things: your gross income – total income before taxes and adjustments – and your age and filing status.
