Tax returns for income under $12,000 - Will I get full refund of $1,260 in taxes paid?

Yes, you're almost certainly eligible for a refund if your income is under $12,000! The standard deduction for 2025 for a single person is $14,600, which means if you earn less than that amount, you generally won't owe any federal income tax at all. The $1,260 you've paid in taxes was likely withheld from your paychecks throughout the year. Since your income is below the standard deduction threshold, you should get most or all of that money back when you file your return. The only exception would be if some of that $1,260 includes FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare), which are a flat percentage and not refundable regardless of your income level. Check your pay stubs to see the breakdown.

I was in a similar situation last year - making around $11,500 and had about $900 withheld throughout the year. I discovered this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me understand exactly what I'd get back without having to pay for expensive tax software. You basically upload your documents and it analyzes everything to give you an estimate of your refund. It was super helpful because it showed me that some of what was withheld was for Social Security and Medicare (which you don't get back), but I was still eligible for a full refund of the federal income tax portion.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai - I was super skeptical as mentioned in my comment, but I gave it a shot after seeing the response. I uploaded my W-2 and was honestly shocked at how helpful it was. It broke down exactly why I was getting most of my withholding back (low income) but also explained which parts were FICA taxes (about $612 of what I paid) that I wouldn't get refunded. It even explained that I might be eligible for Earned Income Credit which could mean getting BACK more than what I paid in! Definitely worth checking out if you're confused about your refund situation.

If you're waiting on your refund and need it quickly, you should know that the IRS phone lines are absolute HELL to get through. I used a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) after waiting for 2 months with no updates on my refund last year. They somehow get you connected to a real IRS agent without the typical 2+ hour wait. Check out how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c In my case, there was a simple issue with my address verification that was holding up my refund, and the agent fixed it on the spot. Got my refund within 10 days after that call.

Well I'm eating my words now. After posting that skeptical comment I decided to give Claimyr a shot because I've been waiting 6 weeks for my refund with status still showing "processing." I figured what the hell, I'm desperate. It actually worked! They got me through to the IRS in about 45 minutes (compared to the 3+ hours I spent getting nowhere by myself). Turns out there was a verification issue with my return. The IRS agent was able to resolve it right there on the phone, and my refund status changed to approved the very next day. Just got my direct deposit yesterday - $1,180 back in my account. Sometimes being wrong feels pretty good!

To answer your question about timing - if you file electronically and choose direct deposit, you usually get your refund within 21 days. I filed on February 2nd last year and had my refund by February 15th. Paper filing takes MUCH longer - like 6-8 weeks minimum. And if there are any issues with your return (missing info, identity verification needed, etc.) it can take even longer.

Just a heads up - make sure none of that $1,260 was for state taxes! Everyone here is talking about federal, but depending on what state you live in, you might have state income tax too. Some states don't have income tax (like Texas and Florida) but if you're in a state that does, the rules might be different.

@Victoria Scott - Based on your situation, you should definitely get most of that $1,260 back! Since your income is under $12,000 and well below the standard deduction, you won't owe federal income tax. Just keep in mind that part of what was withheld might be FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare) which are about 7.65% of your income - so roughly $918 if you made exactly $12,000. Those aren't refundable. But any federal income tax withheld should come back to you. Also, don't forget to check if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) - with your income level, you might actually get back MORE than what you paid in! The EITC is a refundable credit that can result in a larger refund than your withholding. For timing, definitely file electronically with direct deposit as others mentioned. 21 days is typical, but early in tax season (January-February) it's often faster.