I took a hefty pay cut last year (getting a new job very soon) and wound up being below the minimum income my state requires people to file taxes for, and so my father told me not to bother. Am I still going to get a refund, and should I avoid doing this again if I'm in the same position in the future?
I didn't have to file my taxes — will I still get a refund?
byu/BoysCanBePrettyToo intax
Posted by BoysCanBePrettyToo
10 Comments
Gotta file to get a refund
You just had one W-2 for 2025?
No. But you can file late and still get it, I believe.
Refunds don’t happen automatically, you usually have to file to get anything back. Even if you’re under the threshold, if taxes were taken out during the year, filing is how you recover that. Otherwise it just stays with the government.
Filing requirement is based on income level. Refund depends on taxes already paid through withholding. So you can be under the threshold and still get money back.
Did you have any federal or state income tax withheld from your paychecks? Check boxes 2 and 17 of your W-2.
How old are you? How much income did you have total (job + other income like from investing)?
If you are entitled to tax credits like the earned income credit, you have to file to get the refund. I say file.
If you file your taxes, you’ll get a refund.
If you choose not to file, the federal government and state are happy to keep your refund.
How would they know about your financial year to issue a refund if you don’t tell them?
The IRS will always send you a tax bill and will never send you a tax refund. You have to prove you don’t owe what they say and also have to request the refund. Both are done via a tax return. They just won’t willy nilly send you a refund.