Who Should File a 2012 Tax Return?

							 IRS Tax Tips                                                                     January 28, 2013

Useful Links:                Issue Number: IRS TAX TIP 2013-01
IRS.gov Home                 Inside This Issue
1040 Central

Help For Hurricane Victims
                                   Who Should File a 2012 Tax Return?
                             If you received income during 2012, you may need to file a tax return
News Essentials              in 2013. The amount of your income, your filing status, your age and
                             the type of income you received will determine whether you’re
What's Hot                   required to file. Even if you are not required to file a tax return, you
                             may still want to file. You may get a refund if you’ve had too much
News Releases
                             federal income tax withheld from your pay or qualify for certain tax
                             credits.
IRS - The Basics

IRS Guidance                 You can find income tax filing requirements on IRS.gov. The
                             instructions for Forms 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ also list filing
Media Contacts               requirements. The Interactive Tax Assistant tool, also available on the
                             IRS website, is another helpful resource. The ITA tool answers many
Facts & Figures              of your tax law questions including whether you need to file a return.

Problem Alerts               Even if you’ve determined that you don’t need to file a tax return this
                             year, you may still want to file. Here are five reasons why:
Around The Nation
                             1. Federal Income Tax Withheld. If your employer withheld federal
e-News Subscriptions
                             income tax from your pay, if you made estimated tax payments, or if
                             you had a prior year overpayment applied to this year’s tax, you could
                             be due a refund. File a return to claim any excess tax you paid during
The Newsroom Topics          the year.

Tax Tips 2012                2. Earned Income Tax Credit. If you worked but earned less than
                             $50,270 last year, you may qualify for EITC. EITC is a refundable tax
Radio PSAs                   credit; which means if you qualify you could receive EITC as a tax
                             refund. Families with qualifying children may qualify to get up to
Fact Sheets                  $5,891 dollars. You can’t get the credit unless you file a return and
                             claim it. Use the EITC Assistant to find out if you qualify.
Armed Forces
                             3. Additional Child Tax Credit. If you have at least one qualifying
Disaster Relief              child and you don’t get the full amount of the Child Tax Credit, you
                             may qualify for this additional refundable credit. You must file and use
Scams / Consumer Alerts      new Schedule 8812, Child Tax Credit, to claim the credit.
Tax Shelters                 4. American Opportunity Credit. If you or someone you support is a
                             student, you might be eligible for this credit. Students in their first four
                             years of postsecondary education may qualify for as much as $2,500
                             through this partially refundable credit. Even those who owe no tax can
IRS Resources                get up to $1,000 of the credit as cash back for each eligible student.
                             You must file Form 8863, Education Credits, and submit it with your
Compliance & Enforcement
                             tax return to claim the credit.
Contact My Local Office
                             5. Health Coverage Tax Credit. If you’re receiving Trade
Filing Options               Adjustment Assistance, Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance,
                             Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance or pension benefit payments
Forms & Pubs                 from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, you may be eligible
                             for a 2012 Health Coverage Tax Credit. Spouses and dependents may
Frequently Asked Questions   also be eligible. If you’re eligible, you can receive a 72.5 percent tax
                             credit on payments you made for qualified health insurance premiums.
News
                             Want more information about filing requirements and tax credits? Visit
Taxpayer Advocate
                             IRS.gov.
Where to File

                             Additional IRS Resources:

                                   Interactive Tax Assistant
                                   EITC Assistant
                                   Publication 596, Earned Income Credit
                                   Schedule 8812, Child Tax Credit
                                   Publication 972, Child Tax Credit
                                   Form 8863, Education Credits
                                   Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education
                                   Health Coverage Tax Credit

                             IRS YouTube Videos:

                                   Do I Have To File a Tax Return? - English | Spanish | ASL
                                   Education Tax Credits and Deductions - English | Spanish |
                                    ASL

                             IRS Podcasts:

                                   Education Tax Credits and Deductions - English | Spanish