gar1976

Well, as my management professor was fond of saying, "it depends."

As for your $50k - how was it earned? If salary, you probably had withholdings, and as long as you following the number of exemptions based on the W-4 you filled out when you started working, you'll probably get cash back.

If the $50k was earned through self-employment, did you make estimated tax payments? (Federal and state/local, if applicable).

As for the house - how much did you originially pay for it, and how much did you sell it for? Married filing joint couples are allowed to exclude up to $500k of gain on house sales, provided you meet several rules, one of which is that you used the house as a primary residence for 2 of the last 5 years, give or take. Note: "Gain" is not cash received, but the difference in cash received minus your tax basis in the house (Note again - your basis usually is the amount paid for the house, plus significant additions done, like a new roof, addition, remodel, etc.).

Lastly, any other income? If you are collecting unemployment, that is taxable, however there is usually no income tax withheld on this - leading to a nasty tax bill when it comes time to file.

Any kids/dependents? Disabled? Interest/dividend income? Capital gains?

You might be in for a bit of a shock when it comes time to file - you might want to get started now, since all of your 1099, 1098, W-2 should have shown up by now. If you can't afford the taxes, it might be best to know what the bill is now, when you have some time to save up for it.

You can pick up a copy of turbotax for around $30-40, and I think H&R Block/Jackson Hewit do returns for around $150-200, which is about as cheap as it gets here where I live.