Gather your total income for the tax year
Determine your filing status
Calculate your taxable income by subtracting deductions from total income
Apply the correct tax rates to your taxable income to find your total tax liability
Add any additional taxes owed, such as self-employment tax or penalties
Subtract tax credits from your total tax liability
Add up all taxes already paid through withholding and estimated payments
Compare taxes paid to total tax liability after credits
If taxes paid are greater, the difference is your refund
If taxes paid are less, the difference is the amount you owe
Use your tax return or tax software to verify the final refund amount