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Glite Dictionary
to file a tax return

to file a tax return

3 3.5
Officially send a completed form showing your income and taxes you owe
  • phrasal verb
  • Formal
translation icon : presentar una declaración de impuestos
  • Also, potential US expats, realize that you have to file a tax return to the IRS even if you're not a resident in the US and do not make your income in the USA.
  • requires you to file a tax return

And if your income subject to tax is below the standard deduction amount, then you are not required to file a tax return.

Examples

  • Everyone is required to file a tax return.

    Blog text (3)

  • "That's a pretty big deal every time you want to file a tax return for a major client."

    Academic text (2007)

  • In New Jersey, where I live, residents are required to file a tax return if the size of the estate is $675,000 or more.

    Blog text (18)

  • You can speak 6 languages and fly a jetliner... ...but you don't know how to file a tax return?

    Zero Effect (1998)

  • People with lower incomes receive EITC from the US government if they file a tax return and have earned less than 49 grand.

    Blog text (28)

  • You are required to file a tax return by April 15 every year to report your income.

  • Many students are unsure about when to file a tax return after starting their first jobs.

  • It's important to file a tax return accurately to avoid any issues with the IRS.

Surface Forms

file a tax return infinitive
filed a tax return past
filed a tax return past participle
filing a tax return present participle
files a tax return third person singular

Morphology

file + a + tax + return

The meaning 'to officially submit a completed form reporting income and calculating taxes owed' is directly derivable from 'file' (to lodge or register paperwork) combined with 'tax' + 'return' (a formal tax document). This is a standard verb + object composition that is cross-linguistically common (e.g. Spanish 'presentar la declaración de impuestos') and therefore a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

File a tax return comes from the old practice of handing your finished paper to the tax office and putting it into an official file. People gave a form that showed how much they earned, so today file a tax return means 'to officially send in the form that reports your income'.