This is not about you. This time, the coin is flipped: you get to list your own dependents! Growing up! Let’s take a look at this again:

For you to claim someone, they must live in your home for more than half of the year,be under 19 (unless they are a full time student, in which case they can be under 24), and rely on you for more than half of their support**. If they are physically or mentally disabled and you care for them, they are also a dependent.

Sometimes, it can even be a relative! If you support a close family member who makes less than $3,900, you can, and should, claim them!

A word on fraud: never lie to the IRS – they will find out. Dependents are an easy tax break, and many make up new children/add other people’s children to squeeze a few more bucks out of their return. This works about one time, before you suffer lifetime audits and wage garnishment to repay the lost taxes. That is, of course, assuming that you do not end up in federal prison.

Simply add up lines 6a and 6b. If nobody can claim you or your spouse as dependents (again, keep in mind that they do not have to claim you), the total will be two. If you are filing as a single person, the total, if you are not able to be claimed as a dependent, would be one.

If both you and your spouse can be claimed as dependents, the total is 0.

The dreaded question: what is a dependent, and am I one? Chances are, if you’re filling out this form alone, you aren’t. A dependent can either be a child or relative, meeting extremely strict and easy guidelines. People love to cheat on this part, but the IRS loves to catch them.

For someone to claim you, you must live at home for more than half of the year and be under 19 (unless you are a full time student, in which case you can be 24), and rely on your parent for more than half of your support**. If you are physically or mentally disabled, you are also a dependent.

Sometimes, it can even be a relative! If you are supported by said taxpayer and make less than $3,900, they can (and will) claim you!

Moral of the story:

#IF YOU ARE A DEPENDENT, KNOW ABOUT IT AND FILL OUT THE WORKSHEET! FILL THIS OUT EVEN IF NOBODY CLAIMS YOU – IT STILL COUNTS!

Add up everything that you got back here, on the W-2, and place it in box 1. Helpfully, this information is also in box 1 of every W-2!

Note that tips can also be found in box 5 and box 7 in some cases.

Simply a ledger for what you mail to the IRS. They like paperwork. If you plan on paying anything for your taxes, you’ll need to supply a 1040-V with the return. Otherwise, they will delay or not process your return.

#DO NOT MAIL CASH. EVER!

Common sense, but think of how many people still do this…

Your best bet is to enclose a check or money order, making sure to follow IRS instructions carefully. Please, please do not staple the check to the page – that does not work.

A W-2 is a brilliant breakdown of wages earned and taxes withdrawn from your pay – it does all of the work for you! You should receive one of these every year, from each job, before January 31st. It is worth making sure that your employer has your correct contact information on hand before this date.

You may claim off-the-books money as income, such as money earned selling on eBay or babysitting. However, these quantities have limits and must be filed on a standard 1099 form, rather than a W-2.

Literally staple this guy in!

Let’s say that, unfortunately, your spouse dies. This tragic and terrible event means little to the IRS, who will simply ask where your return is. Thankfully, they’ve created a special status for new widows/widowers.

If you are a widow(er), have not remarried, and have a dependent child (not relative), you may be eligible for this status. Assuming that you would have been able to file jointly the year your spouse died, for the two following years, you can file as the widow.

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.