How do I estimate my tax refund?

Estimating your 2025 tax refund is easy. Simply answer the questions in each section of the TaxAct Tax Calculator based on your expectations for the entire year to get a tax return estimate. Don’t worry about being exact – just do the best you can. You always have the option to go back and get a new tax refund estimate, especially if your tax situation significantly changes. In the upper right corner of the screen, you can quickly watch how the information you enter influences your tax outcome as you answer the questions. You can also view your total income, adjustments, deductions and other information in the tax summary. Let’s say you’ve run the tax refund estimator and ended with a lower tax refund or higher tax bill than what you had hoped. You can try different scenario to see how you may be able to improve your situation. For example, see what happens if you increase charitable contributions or plug in energy-saving improvements to your home. If your income is liable to change, consider estimating your taxes with higher and lower numbers to determine how the varying figures affect the amount of tax you might owe. Remember, the Tax Calculator is a quick tool to help plan your tax year and ensure you’re accounting for the right amount of income tax. It’s important to use the calculator whenever your tax situation changes or as you become more confident in your estimated amounts. If your tax situation is more complex, you may need to make adjustments for other factors as well. The more often you use this tool as a tax return estimator, the better you can plan ahead and stay in control of your taxes. As tax laws shift throughout the year, TaxAct’s Tax Calculator is updated to reflect those changes.These updates allow you peace of mind when using the results to estimate your tax return and help determine what potential adjustments need to be made to receive your best possible tax outcome.

What is the standard deduction for 2025?

The standard deduction amounts for 2025 are: Single and Married Filing Separately: $12,400 Married Filing Jointly: $24,800 Head of Household: $18,650

What is the child tax credit for 2025?

The Child Tax Credit offers a maximum $2,000 per qualifying child. The maximum income (AGI) to receive the full credit varies depending on filing status as follows: Single: $200,000 Married filing jointly: $400,000 Head of household: $200,000 Married filing separately: $200,000 If your AGI is more than the figures listed above, you still may be eligible to receive a partial credit. The limits at which the Child Tax Credit disappears are as follows: Single: More than $240,000 Married filing jointly: More than $440,000 Head of household: More than 240,000 Married filing separately: More than $240,000

How long does it take to get your tax refund direct deposit?

The IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 calendar days from the day the tax return is processed. Are you among the many Americans who file your taxes early so you can get your refund sooner? If you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) and expect to receive a refund, you’ll have to wait until after mid-February to get it. If you don’t claim the EITC or the ACTC, the IRS says your refund will likely be processed in the typical time frame of 21 days.

What are the federal income tax brackets for 2025?

Your tax bracket shows you the tax rate that you will pay for each portion of your income. For example,if you are a single person,the lowest possible tax rate of 10 percent is applied to the first $9,525 of your income in 2025.The next portion of your income is taxed at the next tax bracket of 12 percent.That continues for each tax bracket up to the top of your taxable income. Find your tax bracket for 2025 .

Tax Refund Estimator for Individual Filers

Name: TaxAct - Tax Preparation Software
Brand: TaxAct
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Deductions

The purpose of tax deductions is to decrease your taxable income, which then decreases the amount of taxes you need to pay to the federal government. To help you reduce your taxable income, we aggregated a huge list of deductions many people often overlook or aren’t sure how to use them to their advantage.

Adjustable Gross Income (AGI)

Tax Brackets

Your tax bracket shows you the tax rate that you will pay for each portion of your income. For example, if you are a single person, the lowest possible tax rate of 10 percent is applied to the first $11,925 of your income in 2025. The next portion of your income is taxed at the next tax bracket of 12 percent. That continues for each tax bracket up to the top of your taxable income. Find yours with our helpful tax bracket calculator.

Taxable Income

Filing Status

Your tax filing status makes a big difference in your tax return when you file.

Many people simply choose the status they believe best fits their personal situation, but in some cases, you may have more than one option. At that point, it’s up to you to pick the status that offers you the most tax advantages. Filing status options are:

Head of Household
Married Filing Jointly
Married Filing Separately
Single
Qualified Widow or Widower

Learn everything you need to know about how filing status impacts your tax return and refund.

Tax Credits

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TaxAct costs less: “File for less” and percentage savings claims based on comparison with TurboTax federal pricing for paid consumer online 1040 filing products on 04/01/2026.

Maximum Refund Guarantee: We guarantee you’ll receive your maximum refund when you use TaxAct’s individual 1040 products (the “Service”). If, using the same information, a registered user of the Service receives a larger refund or owes a smaller tax due amount using another online tax preparation product, we will refund the applicable federal and/or state software purchase price paid. All other fees are excluded. Subject to additional terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements. Find out more about our Maximum Refund Guarantee.

$100k Accuracy Guarantee: We guarantee our software is 100% accurate and will calculate your maximum refund under applicable law. If a software error results in a smaller refund or higher tax liability than using the same data with another tax preparation product, we will refund the software fees you paid; pay the difference as determined by the IRS or applicable state taxing authority; and cover any resulting penalties, interest, and reasonably documented legal and audit costs, up to $100,000 per customer. Applies only to individual, self-prepared 1040 products and is subject to additional terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements. Find out more about our $100k Accuracy Guarantee.

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Deduction Maximizer: TaxAct's Deduction Maximizer guides you step by step through the process of completing your return in a way that helps you uncover additional tax advantages and helps you maximize your deductions by checking dozens of additional deductions we know from experience folks don't think to look for. Each deduction you claim may reduce the amount of tax you owe, resulting in a lower IRS bill overall.

Audit Defense: See Audit Defense provided by Tax Protection Plus (PDF) for further details of services and requirements. May not apply to certain forms and credits. Certain customers may not qualify for services based on past tax audit history, residency, or other factors. Audit Defense is not insurance. Audit Defense is subject to terms and conditions (PDF) located on Tax Protection Plus' website.

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Refund Transfer: Refund Transfers are fee-based products offered by Republic Bank & Trust Company, Member FDIC. A Refund Transfer Fee and all other authorized amounts will be deducted from the taxpayer’s tax refund. In order to use Refund Transfer, you must first qualify and choose to pay for your service using Refund Transfer.

Refer a Friend: Offer valid through October 31, 2026. For each friend you refer to TaxAct who did not prepare and file using us last year, you get a $20 Amazon Gift Card after they file their taxes using TaxAct’s 2025 Deluxe, Premier or Self-Employed product. Even better, they get 20% off our federal tax filing products by using the share link you receive from us. The total maximum reward payout per calendar year you may receive is $599.

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E-File Concierge: E-File Concierge™ service provides phone calls and related support regarding federal e-file status changes using the phone number provided in My Account. Service is subject to availability and limited to federal e-filed tax returns.

Most popular: TaxAct Deluxe is our most popular product among our online customers with more complex tax situations.

Over 113 million returns filed: Based on e-filed federal returns through TaxAct Consumer and TaxAct Professional software since 2000.

Refund amounts shown: Actual refund amounts vary based on your tax situation. Number shown in illustrations are based on IRS published data stating the average refund was $3,804 as of February 20, 2026.

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Income Tax Calculator

Wondering how to estimate your 2025 tax refund?

Just answer a few simple questions about your life, income, and expenses, and our free tax calculator will give you an idea if you should expect a refund and how much, or if you’ll owe the IRS when you file taxes in 2026.

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Your 2025 Tax Calculation results

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