Why did my refund go down compared to last year's? (2024)

There are many events that may reduce your refund, including:

You can access your personalized refund information in TurboTax:

Note: If your TurboTax navigation looks different from what’s described here, learn more.

  1. Open or continue your return.
  2. Select Federal in the left menu.
  3. Choose Federal Review.
  4. Under the Explain Why section of the Federal Review screen, select Why am I getting a refund of $? to see more details on your refund and how it was calculated.

If your refund seems extremely off, double-check the amounts you entered. A typo of just one dollar can have a big impact on your refund.

Why did my refund go down compared to last year's? (2024)

FAQs

Why did my refund go down compared to last year's? ›

There are many events that may reduce your refund, including: Starting an additional job (especially self-employment) Getting a significant raise, but your W-4 staying the same. Selling stock, crypto, or other investments.

Why is my tax refund so low this year compared to last year? ›

Salary increase: If you got a salary increase last year but neglected to increase your tax withholding, this could lead to a smaller tax refund when you file. New side income: Say you started earning side income during the tax year but neglected to make estimated tax payments on that extra income.

Why is my refund less than what it was supposed to be? ›

All or part of your refund may be offset to pay off past-due federal tax, state income tax, state unemployment compensation debts, child support, spousal support, or other federal nontax debts, such as student loans.

Why am I getting so little back in taxes in 2024? ›

You may be in line for a smaller tax refund this year if your income rose in 2023. Earning a lot of interest in a bank account could also lead to a smaller refund. A smaller refund isn't necessarily terrible, since it means you got paid sooner rather than loaning the IRS money for no good reason.

Why did my refund go down when I added more income? ›

That is normal. When you added more income, your tax liability increased, so you saw your refund decrease. The program began by giving you your standard deduction—- which lowered your taxable income.

How do I find out why my tax refund was reduced? ›

Offset letter

BFS will send you a letter explaining why your federal refund was reduced and that it may take several weeks before the federal refund reaches FTB. They will also send any remaining federal refund amount to you. To get a copy of your letter, contact us.

What is the average tax return for a single person making $60,000? ›

If you make $60,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $13,653. That means that your net pay will be $46,347 per year, or $3,862 per month.

Why didn't I get full tax refund? ›

How can we help? If your refund was less than you expected, it may have been reduced by the IRS or a Financial Management Service (FMS) to pay past-due child support, federal agency nontax debts, state income tax obligations, or unemployment compensation debts owed to a state.

How to get a bigger tax refund? ›

Here are four simple ways to get a bigger tax refund according to the experts we spoke to.
  1. Contribute more to your retirement and health savings accounts.
  2. Choose the right deduction and filing strategy.
  3. Donate to charity.
  4. Be organized and thorough.
Mar 4, 2024

Why did my refund amount change on TurboTax? ›

Filing Fees Deducted from Refund

If you elected to have the filing fees deducted from your refund rather than paying by debit or credit card, your refund amount will be reduced by the filing fees.

Is it better to claim 1 or 0 on your taxes? ›

Claiming 1 on your tax return reduces withholdings with each paycheck, which means you make more money on a week-to-week basis. When you claim 0 allowances, the IRS withholds more money each paycheck but you get a larger tax return.

What is the average tax return for a single person making $40,000? ›

If you make $40,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $7,507. That means that your net pay will be $32,493 per year, or $2,708 per month.

How long can the IRS hold your refund for review? ›

If the IRS is reviewing your return, the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days, depending on the number and types of issues the IRS is reviewing.

Why am I getting a smaller refund than last year? ›

There are many events that may reduce your refund, including: Starting an additional job (especially self-employment) Getting a significant raise, but your W-4 staying the same. Selling stock, crypto, or other investments.

Why was my refund less than expected? ›

If you owe money to a federal or state agency, the federal government may use part or all of your federal tax refund to repay the debt. This is called a tax refund offset. If your tax refund is lower than you calculated, it may be due to a tax refund offset for an unpaid debt such as child support.

How to get $7000 tax refund? ›

Requirements to receive up to $7,000 for the Earned Income Tax Credit refund (EITC)
  1. Have worked and earned income under $63,398.
  2. Have investment income below $11,000 in the tax year 2023.
  3. Have a valid Social Security number by the due date of your 2023 return (including extensions)
Apr 12, 2024

What is the average tax refund for $75000? ›

Which income bracket got the biggest refund?
Income levelAverage refund% of income
$25,000 to $49,999$2,845.815.7% to 11.4%
$50,000 to $74,999$2,830.103.8% to 5.7%
$75,000 to $99,999$3,347.693.3% to 4.5%
$100,000 to $199,999$4,436.362.2% to 4.4%
3 more rows
Apr 14, 2024

Why is my tax return so low when I claim 0? ›

Claiming 0 allowances means that too much money will be withheld by the IRS. The allowances you can claim vary from situation to situation. If you are married with a kid, you can claim up to three allowances.

Why is my tax return $200? ›

Overview. The Middle Class Tax Refund (MCTR) is a one-time payment to provide relief to Californians. If you are eligible, you will automatically receive a payment. Payments are expected to be issued between October 2022 and January 2023.

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