How can I increase my tax refund?

Asked by: Ariane Littel  |  Last update: October 13, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (47 votes)

4 ways to increase your tax refund come tax time
  1. Consider your filing status. Believe it or not, your filing status can significantly impact your tax liability. ...
  2. Explore tax credits. Tax credits are a valuable source of tax savings. ...
  3. 3. Make use of tax deductions. ...
  4. Take year-end tax moves.

How can I get a bigger tax refund?

The amount of your tax refund depends on several factors including filing status, deductions and credits. Itemizing tax deductions and claiming lesser-known credits are among the ways to boost your refund. Tax deductible contributions can be made to traditional IRAs and health savings accounts up until tax day.

How can I get more money out of my tax return?

These strategies go beyond the obvious to give you tried-and-true ways to reduce your tax liability.
  1. Rethink your filing status. ...
  2. Embrace tax deductions. ...
  3. Maximize your IRA and HSA contributions. ...
  4. Remember, timing can boost your tax refund. ...
  5. Become tax credit savvy.

How do people get $10,000 tax refunds?

Individuals who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) may be able to receive a refund of more than $10,000. Qualifying for the EITC means a potential tax refund of $8,046, while CalEITC could return you up to $3,644.

Is it better to claim 1 or 0 on your taxes?

Thus, claiming ``0'' results in the smallest paycheck, but a larger tax refund at tax time. The larger the number (ie 1, 2, 3, etc...) will result in larger paychecks, but will reduce tax withholdings which may result in a smaller tax refund or owing at tax time.

How to Boost Your Tax Refund SAFELY - Tax Expert's 10 Tips

32 related questions found

Will I owe money if I claim 1?

Claiming 1 reduces the amount of taxes that are withheld, which means you will get more money each paycheck instead of waiting until your tax refund. You could still get a small refund while having a larger paycheck if you claim 1. It just depends on your situation.

Can I claim myself as a dependent?

No. You can't claim yourself as a dependent on taxes. Tax dependency is applicable to your qualifying dependent children and relatives only.

Which filing status gives the biggest refund?

You can choose to file as either Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately, though Married Filing Jointly almost always gives you a bigger tax refund than Married Filing Separately. If you were married after December 31, 2024, you would still file as Single or Head of Household on your 2024 tax return.

Why am I getting so little back in taxes?

If you owe money to a federal or state agency, the federal government may use part or all of your federal tax refund to repay the debt. This is called a tax refund offset. If your tax refund is lower than you calculated, it may be due to a tax refund offset for an unpaid debt such as child support.

What deductions can I claim?

You can deduct these expenses whether you take the standard deduction or itemize:
  • Alimony payments.
  • Business use of your car.
  • Business use of your home.
  • Money you put in an IRA.
  • Money you put in health savings accounts.
  • Penalties on early withdrawals from savings.
  • Student loan interest.
  • Teacher expenses.

What is the biggest tax return ever?

Plus Tax Tips For Small Business Owners. In what could be the most amazing tax move ever, a Georgia woman filed a $94 MILLION tax refund! You have to make over $1.6 billion dollars in income to pay $94 million taxes with Georgia's 6% state income tax rate.

How to claim stimulus check 2024?

(The deadline to file a 2020 tax return to claim missed first and second stimulus checks was May 17, 2024.) Visit GetYourRefund.org starting January 31, 2025, to claim your third stimulus check. You can still claim the third stimulus check as a tax credit and get the money as part of your tax refund .

Why is my 2024 refund so low?

If a taxpayer refund isn't what is expected, it may be due to changes made by the IRS. These changes could include corrections to the Child Tax Credit or EITC amounts or an offset from all or part of the refund amount to pay past-due tax or debts. More information about reduced refunds is available on IRS.gov.

How to increase itemized deductions?

To maximize your deductions, you'll have to have expenses in the following IRS-approved categories:
  1. medical and dental expenses.
  2. deductible taxes.
  3. home mortgage points.
  4. certain interest expenses.
  5. charitable contributions.
  6. certain casualty losses.

Should I file single or head of household?

Head of Household vs Single

Head of Household filers can have a lower taxable income than single filers. They also can have greater potential refunds. The Head of Household filing status can claim a significantly larger Standard Deduction than those filing as Single ($21,900 vs $14,600 for 2024).

Do dependents get a higher tax return?

Claiming a dependent on your tax return can significantly reduce your tax bill or increase your refund. By taking advantage of credits like the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and deductions for child care and medical expenses, you could save thousands of dollars come tax time.

What is the average tax return for a single person making $60,000?

If you make $60,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $13,653. That means that your net pay will be $46,347 per year, or $3,862 per month. Your average tax rate is 22.8% and your marginal tax rate is 39.6%.

Why am I getting $0 on my tax return?

A zero-tax refund actually means you're doing something right. Financial experts espouse that this is a good thing because you haven't given the IRS the use of more money through withholdings each month than you'll owe.

How to get a higher tax return?

4 ways to increase your tax refund come tax time
  1. Consider your filing status. Believe it or not, your filing status can significantly impact your tax liability. ...
  2. Explore tax credits. Tax credits are a valuable source of tax savings. ...
  3. 3. Make use of tax deductions. ...
  4. Take year-end tax moves.

What filing takes the most taxes out?

Which taxpayers pay income tax at the highest rates and the lowest rates? (The highest tax rates apply to taxpayers who use the married filing separately filing status. The lowest tax rates apply to taxpayers who use either the married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse filing status.)

Should I claim 1 or 0 if single?

For single filers with one job, it can be difficult to decide whether to claim 0 or 1 allowances. If you'd rather get more money with each paycheck instead of having to wait for your refund, claiming 1 on your taxes is typically a better option.

Can you claim your dog on your taxes?

Veterinary bills, pet insurance, food, supplies, training, grooming, boarding, and transportation costs are all examples of pet expenses you can write off on taxes. However, you can only claim pets on taxes if they meet certain criteria, such as contributing to income or serving a medical need.

Who qualifies for the $500 other dependent credit?

The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent who meets certain conditions. This credit can be claimed for: Dependents of any age, including those who are age 18 or older. Dependents who have Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification numbers.

Can you claim a girlfriend as a dependent?

You must have paid more than half of your partner's living expenses during the calendar year for which you want to claim that person as a dependent. When calculating the total amount of support, you must include money and support that you and other people provided as well as the individual's own funds.