2023-24 tax decoder

Verification, once performed entirely by the school, is increasingly a shared effort by the school and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to ensure that federal student aid funds are awarded and paid based on accurate family financial information. A student’s application for federal student aid (the FAFSA®) may be chosen for verification by ED or by the school. The information that must be verified varies by applicant, as, effective for the 2012-13 award year, ED transitioned to a targeted approach that specifies verification of only those items that appear most likely to be in error.

Related terms: Need Analysis; Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

For 2023-2024, use the table below to determine the general timeframe when you request a transcript for a 2021 Form 1040 return filed on or before April 15, 2022. Availability varies based on the method you used to file your return and whether you have a refund or balance due.

When your original return shows a ...

and you filed electronically, then

and you filed on paper, then

refund amount or no balance due,

allow 2-3 weeks after return submission before you request a transcript.

allow 6-8 weeks after you mailed your return before you request a transcript.

balance due, and you paid in full with your return,

allow 2-3 weeks after return submission before you request a transcript

the IRS processes your return in June, and you can request a transcript in mid- to late June.

Note: the IRS processes all payments upon receipt.

balance due, and you paid in full after submitting the return,

allow 3-4 weeks after full payment before you request a transcript.

balance due and you didn't pay in full,

the IRS processes your return in mid-May, and you can request a transcript by late May.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Americans are feeling the pinch from rising prices, but they could make filing taxes a little less painful in the future. 

That’s because inflation prompted the IRS to raise thresholds for income tax brackets for tax year 2023.

While such adjustments take place annually under a formula set by Congress, this year’s unusually large increases will be welcome news to anyone whose wages have not kept up with significant price increases over the last year. 

Standard deductions for all filing statuses are also getting a boost. These let workers reduce their yearly earnings by a preset amount before calculating income taxes. 

The upshot: Many households could see a smaller tax bill in spring 2024.

Taxpayers don’t have to take any special steps to take advantage of the new tax brackets, which will apply automatically when you do your taxes. 

However, the increase to the standard deduction could mean you no longer need to itemize deductions when you file your taxes, potentially saving you hours of paperwork. 

And there are other recent inflation-related moves you can also take advantage of, such as the recent increases to 401(k) and IRA contribution limits, which allow savers to sock away more pretax dollars for retirement.

What are the tax brackets?

The U.S. taxes income at progressively higher rates as you earn more. Those rates—ranging from 10% to 37%—will remain the same in 2023. What’s changing is the amount of income that gets taxed at each rate. 

For example, in 2023, an unmarried filer with taxable income of $95,000 will have a top rate of 22%, down from 24% in 2022. That shakes out to tax savings of $429, assuming no changes in income between the two years.

Here’s how the math works: The first $11,000 of income will be taxed at 10%; the next $33,725 will be taxed at 12%; the last $50,275 will be taxed at 22%. That equals a tax bill of $16,207 for 2023, compared to $16,636 for 2022. 

Here’s where the income thresholds fall for the upcoming year. If you are single:

Tax rate For incomes above
37% $578,125
35% $231,250
32% $182,100
24% $95,375
22% $44,725
12% $11,000
10% $11,000 or less

Source: IRS

And if you are married and file a joint return:

Tax rate For incomes above
37% $693,750
35% $462,500
32% $364,200
24% $190,750
22% $89,450
12% $22,000
10% $22,000 or less

Source: IRS

What is the standard deduction?

All tax filers can choose to take the standard deduction or itemize deductions. This reduces the amount of their income that’s taxable for the year. The bulk of filers claim the standard deduction, in part because it’s easier—it doesn’t require tallying up select expenses like charitable donations, major medical bills, and state and local taxes.

Like the income tax brackets, the standard deduction gets an annual adjustment for inflation. But next year’s bump is one of the biggest yet.

The standard deduction for single filers is increasing by $900, to $13,850, in 2023. For married couples filing taxes jointly, the standard deduction is double that of single filers. In 2023, it rises to $27,700.

The advice, recommendations or rankings expressed in this article are those of the Buy Side from WSJ editorial team, and have not been reviewed or endorsed by our commercial partners.

What will tax rates be in 2023?

When it comes to federal income tax rates and brackets, the tax rates themselves aren't changing from 2022 to 2023. The same seven tax rates in effect for the 2022 tax year – 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37% – still apply for 2023.

What tax form do I use for 2022 2023?

The 2022–2023 FAFSA Verification-IRS Tax Return Transcript Matrix is applicable only for U.S. IRS tax return filers (IRS Form 1040, and applicable Schedules) and includes only the tax return items required by the Department to be verified for 2022–2023.

How do I read my 2022 tax transcript?

Therefore, it will look something like 20220602. The first four digits indicates the tax processing year, so this would be 2022. The fifth and sixth digits are the week of the year, so in this example the '06' would mean it is the sixth calendar week of the year.

What does the as of date mean on tax transcript 2022?

The “As Of” date on a Tax Account Transcript is the date your penalties and interest are estimated to be calculated to determine if you have a balance due or tax refund. It's computed to a future date in the case someone may owe and they want to mail their check-in rather than pay online.