Just check “no.” There is simply no good reason to embrace the $3 fee anymore, especially considering changes in the law (Citizens United) that allow private corporations to donate indefinitely to political candidates.

In an ideal world, this $3 would go to a fund that paid for campaigns for public office contestants who would not seek private donations. The impact of the fund has now decreased, as more and more candidates use private funds to campaign.

Yet another place to very carefully look over. If you choose to take the mailed check option rather than file for Direct Deposit, making sure that this address is accurate can prevent a lot of frustration.

But really. If the number on your W-2, Social Security card, 1040EZ, and/or 1099 do not match, you’re gonna have a bad time…

Anything from a massively delayed refund/payment to the IRS straight up refusing your forms/refund can and will happen, since any discrepancy is a paperwork nightmare. The IRS takes returns from millions of people; do not expect them to take more than a second to fix your mistake. Check twice and save yourself a headache.

If you are married, it is very worth it to think about the risks and benefits of filing jointly or filing separately. Filing jointly greatly increases tax benefits (so you pay less), but makes both spouses liable for the accuracy of the form. There are also other considerations for status.

If you have not considered filing separately, it is more than likely that you should file jointly. Fill this section out.

In special military situations, such as serving in a warzone, you can earn income that is free from tax. This income may or may not be counted as “taxable income” – the choice is yours. Why, you ask, would you want to claim more money to be taxed? Because of the Earned Income Credit.

The thresholds only work if you actually earn income. If, for example, your entire pay is non-taxable combat pay, you have no income and thus no EIC. You do not want this. So adding the non-taxable income as taxable income gets you more of a refund.

But the credit is on a bell curve – only when your income rests directly in between $0 and the maximum earnings to still qualify for the EIC do you get the most refund. To figure this out, determine what your EIC is with the combat pay and without the combat pay, and take the one that gives you the largest credit! The chart can be found on page 17 of the guidebook.

In the simple sense, the Earned Income Credit is actually a credit for earning less. If you made what the IRS considers a “low” income and meet certain qualifications, you can claim the EIC and reduce the amount you pay. You want this!

To get this, you must not be a dependent, may claim a child (in which case, this is the wrong form!), and must have earned an income lower than the yearly threshold – note that a married couple filing jointly has slightly higher thresholds.

For most, the W-2 is the important form here. If you look in box 2 of your W-2(s), you’ll find your answer. Add these all up (if you have more than one W-2).

If you have a 1099, you can find the same info in box 4:

Direct Deposit, which places the refund directly into your checking or savings account, is a better option and the route of the future. However, it does have one big pitfall: human error. If you do not verify that your bank information is absolutely correct and put the wrong routing or account numbers, you are in for a world of pain.

The IRS essentially will not fix this issue once it happens. If you fail to catch the error before a refund is issued, you will likely have to write off the refund.

However, that does not mean that a check is better. A check can get lost or stolen, and is received later than Direct Deposit. Verify your information, trust that the IRS will not get it wrong, and enjoy your deposit a bit earlier. If you are cautious, get a check and deposit it manually.