How to Prepare, e-File a Tax Return

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Filing your taxes online can be simple if you come ready with all your tax forms. This page details how you can be prepared to e-file your taxes instead of mailing them in. Explore the benefits of electronic IRS and state tax return filing this year and learn how to get it done by Tax Day.

Key Points:

• Preparation for e-filing: Gathering all necessary tax forms and documents is crucial for a smooth online filing experience. This ensures accuracy and avoids delays in IRS processing.
• Benefits of e-filing: Electronic filing offers advantages such as faster processing times, simpler direct deposit for refunds, and reduced error rates compared to paper filing.
• Steps for e-filing: Steps include verifying personal information, accurately reporting taxable income, selecting the correct filing status, and ensuring all required forms are included before submission.
• Considerations for non-e-filers: Get immediate confirmation of receipt when e-filing; no more worrying if the IRS received your return or wondering where your refund is.

Taxes are dynamic since tax laws change and income tax rates or brackets are adjusted each year. As a taxpayer, you are either going to keep your hard-earned income or you are going to hand it over to tax agencies only to get it back as a tax refund. Because of this, tax planning and tax return preparation are important. Filing electronically is available to almost all taxpayers, but there are reasons why you might not be able to e-file your taxes.

What Are the Steps to File Taxes?

Important: To avoid IRS processing delays, be sure your information entered is accurate and honest.

• Reduce mistakes and increase processing speed by e-filing your taxes and selecting direct deposit for your refund or pay your taxes online.
• Use the correct filing status - see our filing status tool to determine this.
• Answer the virtual currency question accurately - this question is required to be answered on all returns.
• Report all your income that is taxable - any underreported income may result in tax penalties or interest. Taxable income includes unemployment compensation.
• Double check personal information - verify your Social Security number, name, address, date of birth, direct deposit, and other information is accurate for you, your spouse, and your dependents.
• Double-check your EIN if you are reporting income via Form W-2.
• Download and keep a copy - hang onto your return once it is e-filed and accepted to have for your records in case the IRS requests further information from you.
• Request an extension if needed - if you do not have the forms you need to file or cannot file on time, see how to e-file an extension on eFile.com.

When you complete and e-file your current tax return on eFile.com, the eFile Tax App will select the correct tax return forms for you based on your income and deduction statements or documents. Simply answer a few questions during the tax interview and enter your data to allow the eFile app to select the proper forms. You do not need to verify your face to e-file your taxes or submit a "live selfie" to create a free eFile Account! It's free to start; review our tax services for applicable fees and compare eFile to popular tax filing platforms.

How to File Taxes, Step-by-Step?

Take a look at this tax return preparation guide to start with. Use the steps below to prepare your taxes. Filing your own taxes is as simple as following the steps below: eFile.com will handle the complicated forms and calculations for you.

Step 1: Estimate and question before you e-file your returns.

• Get answers quickly and easily to your personal tax question(s) via these free tax tools.
• What is taxable income and nontaxable income? Find information on each page, including examples.
• How do you save money on taxes? Go over these tax deductions, tax credits, and current tax breaks so you don't miss any of them.
• How do you claim a dependent on your tax return? Find out who qualifies as your dependent as well as different benefits for claiming one, such as the Child Tax Credit, the Child and Dependent Care Credit, or different education credits.
• If you expect a tax refund and want your refund money fast, we suggest you start entering your tax data on eFile.com as your tax forms arrive by January 31. This includes W-2 form(s), 1099 income form(s), bank interest statement(s), mortgage interest statement form(s), or investment-related forms. However, only e-file your taxes once you are confident that you have entered all your required information. Otherwise, if an important form is missing and you overlooked entering the related tax data on your income tax return, you will be required to prepare and file a tax amendment.
• Contact an eFile.com Taxpert^® with your personal tax question(s).

Step 2: Gather the documents, receipts, and statements that apply to this year's return.

See a list of end-of-the-year tax tips and print a detailed tax preparation checklist or use the list of documents, receipts, and other documents below to gather all necessary figures for your tax return.

• Personal identifying information (Social Security numbers for you and your family, etc.)
• W-2 forms and/or paystubs for the year
• 1099 forms (self-employment, dividends, unemployment income, or other income paid to you)
• Receipts from anything you might claim as an itemized deduction, including medical bills, receipts from any charitable contributions, home mortgage payment receipts, etc.
• 1098 forms for home mortgages and student tax information
• Car mileage log for business-related miles driven plus receipts for travel expenses
• Receipts or documents for IRA contributions, HSA contributions, and other deductions
• Last year's tax return for quick reference, comparison, and for your previous year AGI.

Tip: Scan and keep your documents as PDFs! You can use a compatible printer/scanner, and there are very easy-to-use mobile phone PDF scan apps. Remember to back up your computer or mobile phone if you take this route!

Over 63 million self-prepared tax returns were e-filed in 2024^*) Why eFile? Find out!

Step 3: Have last year's adjusted gross income (AGI) and a copy of last year's IRS and state income tax return(s) handy.

When you self-prepare and e-file your IRS tax return, you will need to validate your electronically prepared return by entering your previous year's AGI on your current return.

• If you e-filed your return on eFile.com last year, then sign in and eFile will provide the relevant AGI when you file your current return. You can find a copy of your return and AGI under My Account in your eFile.com account: sign in here.
  • Find your AGI on line 11 of Form 1040 for the specified year
  • The line number on your state tax return will depend on the state you filed - only certain states require an AGI to e-file.
• If you have a paper or PDF file of your return, regardless of the method of filing, see the same lines listed above. If you don't have a copy of your return(s) and filed via another website, visit that site and download your return. If you can't access your previous year's account or don't have a paper/PDF tax return copy, get an IRS transcript online or via mail. You can also call 1-800-908-9946.
• If you have been issued an Identity Protection (IP) PIN by the IRS via a CP01A, you must have this handy and enter it when eFile.com prompts you. It will serve to verify your identity.
• If you are a first-time eFiler on eFile.com over the age of 16, enter zero as your AGI. If you are under the age of 16, you cannot e-file your tax return on eFile.com, but you can prepare and mail it in.

Step 4: What to do after you e-filed your return.

• Check the status of your e-filed IRS and/or state income tax return and then see when your refund will be deposited or mailed.
  • Verify your return status
  • Check your IRS tax refund status
  • Find out where your state tax refund is.
• Keep a copy of your accepted tax return(s). Your past returns may be used when preparing current-year returns. 

Step 5: The last but not least step.

At the beginning of each new tax year, start collecting tax records, receipts, and documents. Begin recording dates as they occur now so you will be ready for Steps 1 and 2 next year. For example, gather your income-related documents (pay stubs, 1099 forms, social security statements) and deduction-related records (home purchase or sale, home mortgage records, property tax statements, tuition finance payments). You should also record moving dates if they apply to you. You might move across states which would impact your state tax returns or you might move to a foreign country and generate foreign income there.

Should I File Online or Through the Mail?

Which to choose: Paper versus e-filing a tax return?

• When you e-file, get your tax refund faster (in as few as seven days with a direct bank deposit). See what your refund date could be with this free DATEucator. With eFile, get instant notification of receipt and check the status of your tax return or tax refund anytime.
• eFile will calculate a more accurate tax return (1% error rate based on user-entry compared to 20% with paper tax returns) on our secure submission process that keeps your personal information private.
• Get your tax return to the right place; don't worry about which processing center to send it to and avoid dealing with the frequent address changes that paper filers face. Get away from paper; no more trips to the post office and it's good for the environment.
• Avoid tax penalties; e-file your return or extension by Tax Day, generally on or around April 15, or earlier to avoid late fees and pay later even if you can't afford it now.
• How do you e-file federal and state tax returns? With eFile.com, you can e-file your federal and state returns together. You can also file multiple state returns on the eFile app.

See also: Why should you choose eFile.com as your tax preparation service.

Ask yourself: Do I need a tax return or a tax extension?

• If you are unable to prepare your return by Tax Day, consider filing an extension as it may lower your penalties. Filing an extension is not extra time to pay - use it to gather your information and file as soon as possible. If you do not owe taxes, you do not need to file a tax extension.
• What to do if you can't pay the taxes you owe? If you owe or think you may owe taxes, find ways to pay taxes or look into an IRS tax payment plan.

Start Your Return Now

If you must prepare and file for a previous year or back taxes, visit this page for tax year-specific forms and calculators.

Are there Reasons You Can't e-File Taxes?

You may be unable to e-file your return based on certain situations determined by the IRS and/or states. Below, find a list of different reasons that may prevent you from e-filing your tax return:

• You are under 16 and have never filed a federal tax return.
• You have $0 taxable income, but need to file for other reasons (in most cases, having no taxable income means you do not have to file).
• You are married filing separately and live in a community property state (Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin).
• Your current address is in American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
• You have more than 8 Schedule Cs from self-employment.
• You need to attach a written statement or additional documentation to your return - though some can be e-filed by attaching them as a PDF.

Even if you cannot file electronically, you can generally still use eFile.com to prepare your return, but you will need to print and mail your return if any of the reasons above are true.

More Resources on eFile.com

• See the history of electronic filing and tax return statistics.
• View past revisions of the base IRS income tax form or Form 1040. Then, view the current versions of Tax Forms 1040, 1040-SR or 1040-NR.
• Utilize this page of free tax calculators to learn information about your upcoming return before you begin to file or e-file.
• Tax planning: Use this free tax refund calculator to estimate the 2023 tax year taxes before you prepare and e-file. Pick any of these calculators by tax year to plan out future tax years.
• Find tax savings and learn how to save money on your taxes each year.

^*) IRS e-File Tax Report

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