Recover · Return Studio

Return Studio — the guided interview

Answer the interview, and the rules engine — the same one behind the Refund Estimator, reading the same IRS-sourced tax-year tables — computes a draft Form 1040 worksheet, line by line. Nothing here is filed, transmitted, or promised.

Education only — not personal tax advice. Personal questions route to a credentialed pro.

Figures verified against IRS sources · Tax-year tables 2016–2026 · Re-verified each season by the Update Engine · Last review: November 7, 2026

1 · Household & status2 · Income3 · Adjustments4 · Deductions5 · Credits & payments6 · Review

Step 1 — Household & filing status

Status and household decide the standard deduction, the brackets, and the Child Tax Credit — the engine reads all three from the 2025 tax-year table.

Tax yearFiling statusChildren under 17 (Child Tax Credit)Other dependents (collected — priced by a pro)The $500 Credit for Other Dependents is real money — the engine does not price it yet, so it is recorded here and on the Credits step, never dropped.