How do I check if I have a tax liability from 2023 on my tax returns?
So I've got my 1040 tax return from last year (2023) sitting in front of me, but I'm completely lost trying to figure out if I actually owe the IRS money or not. I know there's a specific line that shows this information, but I can't figure out which one it is. I'm trying to plan my finances for the rest of the year and need to know if I should be setting aside money for any unpaid taxes from last year. Can someone point me to exactly which line on the 1040 form would show if I have a tax liability? Thanks in advance!
20 comments
Join the conversation
Eli Wang
On your Form 1040 for 2023, you'll want to look at Line 37. That's where it shows your total tax liability for the year. Then compare that to Line 33, which shows your total payments (withholding, estimated payments, etc.). If Line 37 (total tax) is larger than Line 33 (total payments), then you have a remaining tax liability shown on Line 38 as "Amount you owe." If Line 33 is larger than Line 37, then you don't have a liability - you actually had a refund shown on Line 34. This is a common source of confusion but once you know where to look, it's pretty straightforward!
0 coins
Cassandra Moon
•Thanks for this explanation! But I'm looking at my 1040 right now and the line numbers don't match what you said. Did they change the form again this year? I swear they reorganize it just to confuse us.
0 coins
Eli Wang
•You're absolutely right to question this! The IRS does occasionally update form layouts which can be confusing. The line numbers I provided are for the 2023 Form 1040 (filed in 2024), but they have changed over the years. If you're looking at a different year's return or perhaps a 1040-SR or another variant, the line numbers might be different. If you share which specific 1040 form/year you're looking at, I can provide the exact line numbers for that version.
0 coins
Zane Hernandez
After spending 3 hours on hold with the IRS trying to figure out my own tax situation (which was nearly identical to yours), I finally discovered this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me so much headache. You just upload your tax documents and it highlights exactly where your tax liability is shown, plus explains what each line means in plain English. It basically translated the whole 1040 form into something I could actually understand!
0 coins
Genevieve Cavalier
•Does it work for older returns too? I need to check my 2022 taxes because I think I might have missed something.
0 coins
Ethan Scott
•I'm a bit hesitant to upload my tax docs to some random site. How secure is it? Do they store your tax info permanently?
0 coins
Zane Hernandez
•It absolutely works for older returns! I actually used it to review both my 2022 and 2023 returns because I was worried I might have missed some deductions. It handles forms from previous years with no problem. As for security, I had the same concern initially. They use bank-level encryption for all uploads and don't permanently store your documents. You can also delete everything after you're done. Their privacy policy is super clear about not selling your information, which was important to me.
0 coins
Ethan Scott
After seeing the comment about taxr.ai, I decided to give it a try despite my initial concerns. I'm honestly shocked at how helpful it was! I uploaded my 1040 and it immediately highlighted Line 37 (total tax) and Line 33 (payments) and calculated the difference for me. Turns out I had a small liability I wasn't aware of from some freelance work. The explanation was super clear and even suggested what forms I needed to address it. Definitely saved me from a potential headache with the IRS later!
0 coins
Lola Perez
If you need to speak with someone at the IRS about your tax liability (which I HIGHLY recommend if you find out you owe money), don't waste hours on hold like I did. I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I spent previously. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I was skeptical at first, but when they called me back with an IRS rep on the line, I was blown away. The agent helped me set up a payment plan for my 2023 liability.
0 coins
Nathaniel Stewart
•How does this even work? The IRS phone system is notoriously awful. Are they somehow jumping the queue or something?
0 coins
Riya Sharma
•This sounds too good to be true. I've literally spent entire days trying to get through to the IRS. You're telling me they can get through in minutes? I'm calling BS on this.
0 coins
Lola Perez
•They use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they reach an agent, they call you and connect you directly. It's basically like having someone wait in line for you. It's completely legitimate - they're just using technology to solve a really frustrating problem. No, they're not doing anything shady like jumping the queue. They're waiting in line just like everyone else, but their system is doing the waiting instead of you having to sit there listening to the hold music for hours. It's honestly genius and I wish I'd known about it sooner.
0 coins
Riya Sharma
I have to eat my words on this one. After being completely skeptical about Claimyr, I tried it yesterday out of desperation (was on hold with IRS for 3 hours and got disconnected). Within 17 minutes I got a call back and was speaking with an actual IRS representative who helped me understand my tax liability situation. The agent confirmed I had a liability on Line 37 that exceeded my payments on Line 33, but he helped me set up a payment plan right there on the phone. I'm still shocked at how well this worked.
0 coins
Santiago Diaz
Another thing to check - if you did owe money for 2023 and didn't pay it all when you filed, the IRS adds interest and penalties that increase over time. So your current liability might be higher than what's shown on your original return. You can create an account on the IRS website (irs.gov) to see your current balance with all the extras they've added.
0 coins
Millie Long
•Is there any way to get those penalties removed? I had a medical emergency last year that caused me to file late and now they've added like $400 in penalties to my original $1200 tax bill!
0 coins
Santiago Diaz
•Yes, you can request penalty abatement, especially for first-time penalties or if you have reasonable cause like a medical emergency. The IRS has a First Time Abatement policy that can waive penalties if you haven't had any significant penalties in the past three tax years. You'll need to call the IRS or write a letter explaining your situation and specifically request "penalty abatement." Be prepared to provide documentation of your medical emergency. For a $400 penalty, it's definitely worth trying - I've seen many people get their penalties reduced or eliminated through this process.
0 coins
KaiEsmeralda
Just a heads up that Line 37 on the 1040 form has been different in past years! I was looking at my old returns and the liability line has moved around. Make sure you're looking at the right form version for the year you're checking.
0 coins
Debra Bai
•Yes! This is so important. I was looking at my 2021 return and the lines were totally different. The IRS redesigns these forms regularly and it's super confusing.
0 coins
Alice Fleming
Just wanted to add a practical tip for everyone - if you discover you do have a tax liability from 2023, don't panic! The IRS is actually pretty reasonable about setting up payment plans. You can apply online for an installment agreement if you owe less than $50,000. The setup fee is usually around $31-$225 depending on how you apply and your payment method, but it's way better than dealing with escalating penalties and interest. Also, if you're having trouble reading your 1040 form, the IRS has a "Understanding Your Form 1040" guide on their website that breaks down what each line means. It's actually written in plain English, unlike the form itself! Sometimes the simplest solutions are right there on the official IRS site.
0 coins
Miguel Castro
•This is really helpful advice! I had no idea you could set up payment plans online for amounts under $50k. I've been stressing about a $3,200 liability from 2023 thinking I'd have to deal with phone calls and paperwork. The setup fee seems totally reasonable compared to letting penalties pile up. Quick question - do you know if there's a minimum monthly payment amount for these installment agreements? I want to make sure I can afford whatever they require before I apply.
0 coins