First Time Filer Tax Tips

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Definitions

DOR - The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is the state taxing agency.

IRS​ - The Internal Revenue Service is the federal taxing agency.

W-2 - A tax form you receive from your employer to identify how much money you made and how much has been put aside for your taxes.

1099 - A tax form used to report income for non-employees such as freelancers, gig workers, or independent contractors.

Tax Return - A form used to report your income and expenses to DOR and the IRS.

Tax Refund - Money returned to you when you have paid more in taxes than you actually owe.

Withholding - The amount of income tax an employer takes out of each paycheck. It is sent to the government to pay your taxes.

Filing Status - Determines your filing requirements, tax bracket, deductions, and credits. Wisconsin has four filing statuses; single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, and head of household.

WisTax - Wisconsin's free online filing system for Wisconsin residents. Enter information from your tax documents to find out if you owe or if you have a refund coming. Use WisTax to pay or tell us where to send your tax refund.

Income Taxes - Money withheld from your income to help cover essential public services and programs. The percentage of this tax can vary greatly depending on income, credits and deductions. Income tax applies to both businesses and individuals.

Ask Maria​

Ask Maria

Videos

How do I know what I owe?

How do I know what I owe?​

What if I get it wrong?

What if I make a mistake?​

View more first time filer ​videos

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Common State Tax Forms

Form 1 - The state tax form for an individual who was a full time Wisconsin resident for the entire year they are filing (i.e., if you were a Wisconsin resident for all of 2025, you would use a Form 1 to file your 2025 taxes).

Form 1NPR - The state tax form for part-time or non-residents of Wisconsin during the tax year they are filing.​​

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Do I Need To File Taxes?​

Wisconsin tax filing requirements may change each year and differ based on filing status and whether or not you are considered a dependent.

​See: DOR Individual Income Tax Filing Requirements.​​​

How Do I Get Started?​

  1. Gather your records – make sure you have all your income statements (e.g., W-2s, 1099s, etc.)
  2. Complete your federal return
  3. Complete your Wisconsin return

How Do I File?​

File your federal and state return ​www.irs.gov/filing/individuals/how-to-file

Bring your documents to WisTax - www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/WisTax/home and file using Form 1. If you a​re from a ​ different state see this information​.

The VITA program is a free option for qualified individuals. For more information, see: DOR Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)

Contact Us

For individual income tax questions, contact Customer Service at: