Finance · Understanding financial basics
Tax return basics: how to do your taxes
Six short lessons on personal tax returns. Check whether you need to file, find your deadlines, gather the right documents, understand refunds and deductions, use the official ways to file, and spot tax scams. Country panels for Australia, the UK and the US.
About this course
how to do your taxes.
Starter · About 1 hour of learning · 6 lessons · 13 quick checks · 1 download
Who it's for
Adults in Australia, the UK, the US and elsewhere who want to understand how a personal tax return works.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time.
Sources we rely on
25 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- Explain what a tax return does and check whether you need to file one
- Find the tax year and filing and payment deadlines that apply to you
- Build a document checklist and a record-keeping habit
- Explain where a refund or tax bill comes from and what a deduction is worth
- Choose an official filing route, spot tax scams and find personal help
Downloads
- Tax return checklist and filing plan .xlsxDeadlines by country, a documents checklist, a deductions log with the record you’ll keep, a refund-or-bill calculator and a filing plan.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1 hour of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
Drafted with AI assistance and run through automated quality and source checks. How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
General information only, not financial advice. We don't recommend financial products.
- Lodging a tax return · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Do you need to lodge a tax return? (Individual tax return instructions 2026) · Australian Taxation Office
- Tax Help program · Australian Taxation Office
- Scam alerts · Australian Taxation Office
- Check if you need to send a Self Assessment tax return · GOV.UK (HMRC)
- Self Assessment tax returns: deadlines · GOV.UK (HMRC)
- Income Tax: how you pay Income Tax · GOV.UK (HMRC)
- Tax codes · GOV.UK (HMRC)
- Report internet scams and phishing · GOV.UK
- Check if you need to file a tax return · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- File your tax return (how and when to file) · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- Gather your documents · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- How long should I keep records? · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- IRS Free File: do your taxes for free · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- Free tax return preparation for qualifying taxpayers (VITA and TCE) · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- Tax scams and consumer alerts · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- Financial advisers register · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- TPB Register: check if your tax or BAS agent is registered · Tax Practitioners Board (Australia)
- National Debt Helpline · National Debt Helpline (Australia)
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority · AFCA (Australia)
- How to check a firm or individual is authorised · Financial Conduct Authority (UK)
- Get free debt advice · GOV.UK
- Working with an investment professional · Investor.gov (US Securities and Exchange Commission)
- Choosing a tax professional · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- What is credit counseling? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: drafted with AI assistance from published regulator, government and official money guidance, then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. The course guide is an AI presenter and is labelled as one. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General information only, not financial, credit, tax or legal advice. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
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