Do I Need To File a Tax Return? Important Details To Know

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Filing your taxes can feel like one big question mark, especially if your income is on the lower side or your financial life changed last year. Maybe you started freelancing, picked up a part-time job or you’re still in school. Whatever your situation, you might be wondering: “Do I need to file a tax return?”

The answer depends on a few key things, like how much you made, your age, your filing status and whether you had other income sources like investments or side gigs.

In this guide, we’ll break it all down in plain English so you know whether the IRS is expecting a return from you or if you should file anyway to get your money back.

What Is the Deadline for Filing Taxes in 2026?

The deadline to file your 2025 taxes is April 15, 2026. You can file a six-month extension with the IRS to file your taxes on October 15, 2026.

Asking for an extension doesn’t excuse you from paying your taxes on April 15. If you owe federal taxes and don’t pay them with your extension request, you’ll still be held responsible for interest and failure-to-pay penalties.

Filing an extension, however, means you won’t be responsible for failure-to-file penalties.

Exceptions to April 15, 2026 Tax Filing Date

Not all states require you to file on April 15, 2026. Here are some notable exceptions and deadlines: 

• Maine: April 17, 2026
• Massachusetts: April 17, 2026
• Delaware:  April 30, 2026
• Hawaii: April 20, 2026
• Iowa: April 30, 2026
• Louisiana: May 15, 2026 
• Virginia: May 1, 2026

Do I Need To File a Tax Return? Here’s the Income Threshold

Whether or not you’re required to file depends mostly on how much money you made last year and how you file. The IRS has set income minimums for 2025 that vary by age and filing status.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Your gross income includes everything you made before taxes — so think wages, tips, freelance income, interest from your savings account and even unemployment benefits.

Tax Year 2026: Determining If You Need To File

These are the types of income that you need to include in your calculation: 

Wages and Salary

• Income: This is income received from employment that is typically reflected on a W-2.
• Tips: Includes gratuities from customers.
• Bonuses and commissions: This is extra compensation received from an employer because of performance or sales. 
• Extra benefits: You should include benefits like housing and vehicles that your employer has provided for you. 

Self-Employment or Freelance Income

• Freelance or independent contractor income: You must include any earnings over $400 that you received from self-employment. 
• Business income: If you earned profits from operating a business or trade, this income must be included in your calculation. 
• Gig economy income: Any side hustle that you receive from platforms like Uber, Lyft or Airbnb, is considered income. 
• Bartering: You must include the fair market value of the goods or services exchanged. 

Investment and Unearned Income

• Interest: You must report income that comes from interest-bearing accounts, savings accounts or bonds. 
• Dividends: Mutual fund and stock distributions are included in your return. 
• Rental income. Earnings you receive from rental properties are included in your return.
• Royalties. These are payments from the use of your intellectual property. 
• Capital gains. Profits from the sale of assets like stocks, real estate or collectibles.

Retirement and Benefit Income

• Social Security income: May be taxed based on other income you received. 
• Unemployment compensation: Any benefits you receive during periods of unemployment. 
• IRA distributions: These distributions are considered taxable income. 
• Annuities and pensions: Periodic payments from retirement plans.

Other Income That Could Be Included

• Contest winnings: Cash or non-cash items won in contests or competitions.
• Alimony: In divorces finalized before 2019, the alimony is taxable. 
• Gambling winnings: Lottery winnings or gambling proceeds should be included in your return. 
• Jury duty: Pay you receive from jury duty is considered taxable. 

Tip Box: If you have self-employment income over $400, you are required to file, even if your total income is below the threshold.

What If You’re on Social Security?

Good question. Social Security benefits by themselves usually aren’t taxable, but if you have other income (like a part-time job or investment earnings), you might still need to file.

Here’s when you might be required to file:

• You’re single and your combined income (half of your Social Security + other income) is more than $25,000
• You’re married filing jointly and your combined income is over $32,000

Example: If you receive $18,000 in Social Security and earn $10,000 from part-time work, your combined income is $19,000 (half of $18k + $10k), which is under the threshold, but just barely.

Income Thresholds for Social Security

Here’s a quick breakdown of Social Security income levels:

Formula for Calculation

The formula used to determine taxable income when you collect Social Security and have these income streams is as follows: 

Combined Income = Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) + Non-taxable Interest + ½ of Social Security Benefits

For example, if you’re a single person who receives $30,000 in Social Security benefits and has a part-time job that earns you $10,000, you will have to pay taxes on this income. You will add half of your Social Security benefits ($15,000) and your income ($10,000), which totals $25,000. This income is taxable. 

Filing Tax Returns: Accuracy Is Key

When filing taxes, you want to make certain that you’re correctly reporting all income on your return. Here are general guidelines to make sure your tax return is accurate: 

If You’re Self-Employed

• You must file a tax return if your net earnings are more than $400. 
• Since you’re self-employed, you must pay your quarterly taxes. 

If You’re a Dependent

Even if you are claimed as a dependent on someone else’s taxes, you may need to file taxes in the following situations:

• Dependents may have to file a return depending on their gross income, including earned income, such as wages and tips, and unearned income, like investment-type income. 
• A parent or guardian must file a return for dependents who need to file but aren’t able to file for themselves. 

Why File Even If You Don’t Have To

There are instances when you should file even if you aren’t required to do so. Here are those situations: 

• Credits: You may be eligible for an earned income tax credit, child tax credit, American Opportunity tax credit, or credit for federal tax on fuels, health coverage tax credit, credits for sick and family leave, and premium credit. 
• Tax Withheld: If you had income taxes withheld from your paycheck, you may want to file a tax return. 
• Made Estimated Tax Payments: If you made estimated tax payments or had last year’s refund applied to this year’s taxes, you should file a tax return.  

Tax Filing Options

Filing taxes has become more accessible with various options available. Here’s a list of options, their pros and cons, and who each option is best for: 

What Happens If You Don’t File?

There are consequences if you choose not to file those taxes. Even if you don’t owe money, filing ensures you can claim refunds or credits you may qualify for.

Here’s a list of consequences if you choose not to file: 

• Late filing penalties: If you don’t file by the deadline (usually April 15 of the calendar year), the IRS will pass on a penalty of 5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month the return is late, up to a maximum of 25%.
• Failure-to-pay penalties: If you don’t pay your taxes, the IRS will also impose a penalty. You will be penalized 0.5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month the tax remains unpaid, up to a maximum of 25%.
• Loss of refund opportunities: You may be due a refund, but will not receive the amount due to you if you don’t pay your taxes. 
• Interest charges. The IRS will also charge interest on both the unpaid taxes and penalties. 
• Delay in credits: You may be due an earned income tax credit or child tax credit and not filing your return will cause a delay in receiving that credit. 

Final Take To GO

Knowing whether you need to file a tax return depends on your income and filing status — but even if you aren’t required, filing could still benefit you.

Here are some key takeaways: 

• Check your income against 2025 filing thresholds. 
• You can claim credits or refunds. 
• You may be eligible to file for free. 
• Most will have to pay their taxes by April 15, 2026, to avoid penalties. You can file an extension, but you will still have to pay any taxes due on April 15, 2026.

Information is accurate as of April 24, 2025.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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