Tax Filing Basics (2025)

The essentials of filing a 2025 federal return: filing statuses, the standard deduction, key forms and deadlines. (tax year 2025) 25 questions. Pick one answer each, then see your score with the IRS source for every answer.

Pick the best answer for each question. After you submit, you will see the correct answer, a short explanation, and the IRS source for every item. Figures are for the 2025 tax year (returns filed in 2026).

Question 1 of 25

How many filing statuses does the IRS recognize?

Question 2 of 25

What is the 2025 standard deduction for a single filer?

Question 3 of 25

What is the 2025 standard deduction for Married Filing Jointly?

Question 4 of 25

What is the 2025 standard deduction for Head of Household?

Question 5 of 25

Which form do individuals use to file their annual federal income tax return?

Question 6 of 25

Filing Form 4868 gives you more time to do what?

Question 7 of 25

Which form reports wages an employer paid to an employee?

Question 8 of 25

Which form typically reports $600 or more paid to an independent contractor?

Question 9 of 25

What is the combined self-employment tax rate (Social Security plus Medicare)?

Question 10 of 25

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is designed for whom?

Question 11 of 25

Anyone paid to prepare federal tax returns must have a valid what?

Question 12 of 25

What is the maximum Child Tax Credit per qualifying child for 2025?

Question 13 of 25

To be a qualifying child for the Child Tax Credit, the child must be under what age at year end?

Question 14 of 25

Above what income do joint filers begin to lose the full Child Tax Credit?

Question 15 of 25

What is the maximum Credit for Other Dependents (ODC)?

Question 16 of 25

When is the individual federal income tax return generally due?

Question 17 of 25

What is the 2025 standard deduction for Married Filing Separately?

Question 18 of 25

How long must you hold an asset for the gain to be a long-term capital gain?

Question 19 of 25

What does Form W-4 do?

Question 20 of 25

What is Form W-9 used for?

Question 21 of 25

Which schedule reports profit or loss from a sole proprietorship?

Question 22 of 25

What is Form 1040-ES used for?

Question 23 of 25

What is the maximum refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit (the Additional CTC) for 2025?

Question 24 of 25

Under the 2025 rules, what must a qualifying child have for you to claim the Child Tax Credit?

Question 25 of 25

The 2025 law added a new enhanced deduction for taxpayers age 65 and older. What is its maximum per person?

Educational only, not tax advice.