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For information on the third coronavirus relief package, please visit our “American Rescue Plan: What Does it Mean for You and a Third Stimulus Check” blog post.
Review your W-4: Bigger refund or bigger paycheck?When you start a job, your employer asks you to complete form W-4. This tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from your paycheck. Depending on what amount of income and which credits you specify on the W-4, the more or less tax will be withheld. Having less taken out will give you bigger paychecks, but a smaller tax refund (or potentially no tax refund or a tax bill at the end of the year).
Factors to consider when completing your W-4 include:
Claiming credits such as the Child Tax Credit and the Other Dependent Credit will decrease the amount of your withholdingAdjusting for more withholding if you have additional income from a second job or investmentsAdjusting for less withholding if you are expecting to claim itemized deductions rather than the standard deductionsAny additional income tax you would like withheld from each paycheckSpecifying more income on your W-4 will mean smaller paychecks since more tax will be withheld. This increases your chances of over-withholding, which can lead to a bigger tax refund. That’s why it’s called a “refund:” you are just getting money back that you overpaid to the IRS during the year.
Stating that you will be getting certain credits or deductions will mean bigger paychecks and likely a smaller refund (or perhaps owe some additional tax).
You can use a W-4 Withholding Calculator to help you estimate what you should enter on your W-4.
Revisit your filing statusChoosing the filing status that best suits your needs can influence the possibility of a refund. Your filing status determines:
Your standard deductionYour filing requirementsThe credits you are eligible to receiveThe amount of tax you pay or the refund you receiveThere are five statuses to choose from, but the most common are:
married filing jointly or separatelysinglehead of householdTurboTax can help you determine which choice most benefits your situation.
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TurboTax Tip: Unlike in other years, you can still get a refund with the Child and Dependent Care Credit even if you don’t owe taxes.
Claim the Earned Income Tax CreditWorking families, individuals, people who are self-employed, and others who have a moderate to low income may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. The EITC decreases the amount of taxes owed and may qualify you for a tax refund. To qualify, you must:
Have a valid Social Security numberBe a U.S. citizen, a year-long resident alien or a nonresident alien married to an American citizen, or a resident alien filing jointlyHave income from self-employment, from an employer, or from working on a farmNot be a claimed dependent or child of another personHave a qualifying child and be between the ages of 25 and 65, living in the U.S. for at least half the yearTo receive the EITC you must file a tax return, even if you owe no taxes.
Include the Child and Dependent Care CreditThe Child and Dependent Care Credit is based on a percentage of the amount you paid for the care of a qualifying child or dependent.
For the tax year 2020, the total expenses you can claim are capped at $3,000 for one eligible individual and $6,000 for two or more. If your employer offers dependent care benefits, you are required to deduct this amount.
For 2021, the American Rescue Plan brings significant changes to the amount and way that the child and dependent care tax credit can be claimed. The plan increases the amount of expense eligible for the credit, relaxes the credit reduction due to income levels, and also makes it fully refundable. This means that, unlike in other years, you can still get the credit even if you don’t owe taxes.
For the tax year 2021 (the taxes you file in 2022):
The amount of qualifying expenses increases from $3,000 to $8,000 for one qualifying person and from $6,000 to $16,000 for two or more qualifying individualsThe percentage of qualifying expenses eligible for the credit increases from 35% to 50%The beginning of the reduction of the credit is increased from $15,000 to $125,000 of adjusted gross income (AGI).Also for the tax year 2021, the maximum amount that can be contributed to a dependent care flexible spending account and the amount of tax-free employer-provided dependent care benefits is increased from $5,000 to $10,500.
A qualifying individual is:
Your child who is under 13 years of ageA dependent who is physically or mentally incapable of self-care and who lives with you for more than half the year, orYour spouse who is incapable of self-care and lives with you for more than half the yearTo claim the credit, other criteria must be met.
If you’re married, you are required to file a joint return.You can’t use a caregiver who is a spouse or parent of the child, your child under 19 years of age, or another of your dependents.Each qualifying dependent and child must have a Social Security number added to your return.You must provide the name, address, and Social Security number of your caregiver.Use TurboTax to help ensure you don’t miss any of the deductions or credits you deserve, so you get your biggest refund, guaranteed.