I don’t understand what is so different between last year and this year. Last year my tax withheld was $661 and this year it was $1314. Why do I owe this year?

We cannot see your screen, your return or your account.  Have you entered ALL of your 2024 information?  All your income, etc.?  Many tax documents that you need do not arrive until late January or even February, so maybe you do not have it all there yet.

 

 

There are a lot of variables that affect your refund or tax due including how much you earned, how much tax you had withheld, your filing status, the number of dependents you claim, your deductions and credits, etc.  You may have lost Earned Income Credit or the Child Tax Credit— did a child turn 17?  If you received the EIC last year, remember that changes in the amount you earn have a big effect on the amount of EIC you can get. (Sometimes earning more money means less EIC)  Are you 65 or older ?  If so, your standard deduction is higher. Everyone has a higher standard deduction now so it is harder to use itemized deductions.

 

 

And of course, always check your own data entries, looking for errors such as misplaced decimals or extra zeros.

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/refund-go-compared-last-year/L97JmhUbi_US_en_US?uid=ld9ijm41

 

Print out 2023  and 2024  and compare them side by side to see what is different. 

 

 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-payments/video-why-would-i-owe-federal-taxes/L3VXudPiN

 

 

 

 

"Why don't I qualify for the EIC?"

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/qualifications-earned-income-credit-eic-eitc/L7w4BFP32_US_en_US?uid=m62rmz09

 

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant

 

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p596.pdf

 

Did you make more this year?  Usually more income = more tax = less refund.  Your withholding didn't increase enough to cover the tax due.  Or some credits you got are reduced because you made more income.

 

Here's a good FAQ on why your refund might be less than last year

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/refunds/help/why-did-my-refund-go-down-compared-to-last-year-s/00/25993

 

And compare 2024 with 2023 line by line to see what’s different.  Maybe you’ll spot something you entered wrong or left out.

It is possible your income increased and your tax withheld did not keep up with that increase. To qualify for an earned income credit, you need to support a qualifying child or if not be between 25 and 65 years of age. If you are single, your income must be below $18,591 in 2024 if you don't have a qualifying child. You can learn more from this IRS article.