• Where's my Federal refund?
• Where's my IL refund?
• What types of educational expenses are deductible?
• What are the limits for deducting interest paid on a student loan?
• If the parents of a year old child never married but live together with the child for the tax year, and both contribute to the cost of maintaining the household for the child and themselves, may they both file as head of household?
• How much does a student have to make before he or she has to file an income tax return?
• How can I correct the spelling of my name with IRS?
• Do I need to change my maiden name to my married name on my social security card for us to file jointly?
• What should I do if I made a mistake on my federal return that I have already filed?

Where's my Federal refund?

You can check the status of your Federal refund by filling out this secure form on the IRS website.

Where's my IL refund?

You can check the status of your Income Tax refund by filling out this secure form on the Illinois Department of Revenue website.

What types of educational expenses are deductible?

Deductible educational expenses include amounts spent for tuition, books, supplies, laboratory fees, and similar items. They also include the cost of correspondence courses, as well as formal training and research you do as part of an educational program. Transportation and travel expenses to attend qualified educational activities may also be deductible.

What are the limits for deducting interest paid on a student loan?

The maximum deductible interest on a qualified student loan is $2,500 per return.

If the parents of a year old child never married but live together with the child for the tax year, and both contribute to the cost of maintaining the household for the child and themselves, may they both file as head of household?

Only one taxpayer may claim the child as a qualifying child for purposes of filing as head of household. Also, a taxpayer filing as head of household must furnish over half the cost of maintaining the household. Therefore, both parents may not file as head of household.

How much does a student have to make before he or she has to file an income tax return?

If you are an unmarried dependent, you must file a tax return if your earned and/or unearned income exceeds certain limits. To find these limits refer to Filing Requirements for Dependents in Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction and Filing Information.

Even if you do not have to file, you should file a federal income tax return to get money back if any of the following apply:

1. You had income tax withheld from your pay.
2. If you are not a dependent, you might qualify for the earned income credit.
3. If you are not a dependent, you might qualify for the additional child tax credit.

Refer to Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction and Filing Information, for an explanation of the five exemption tests and filing requirement rules.

How can I correct the spelling of my name with IRS?

The name on the refund check is spelled the way it appears on your tax return. If the address label you receive is spelled wrong, do not use the label. Instead, print the information on the tax return. You can also call (800) 829-1040 and the IRS can change the spelling of your name over the phone.

Do I need to change my maiden name to my married name on my social security card for us to file jointly?

You can still file Married Filing Jointly without changing your name with the Social Security Administration. However, you do need to show your maiden name on the tax return instead of your married name.

What should I do if I made a mistake on my federal return that I have already filed?

It depends on the type of mistake that you made. Many mathematical errors are caught in the processing of the tax return itself. If you did not attach a required schedule the service will contact you and ask for the missing information.

If you did not report all your income or did not claim a credit, you are entitled to file an amended or corrected return using Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Include copies of any schedules that have been changed or any Form W-2 you did not include. The Form 1040X should be submitted after you receive your refund or by the due date of the return, whichever, is earlier. Generally, to claim a refund, the Form 1040X must be received within three years after the date you filed your original return or within two years after the date you paid the tax, whichever is later.