The average tax return for a single person making $50,000 can vary significantly based on several factors, including deductions, credits, and other individual circumstances. A tax return refers to the document filed with the government to report income, and deductions, and calculate tax liability, whereas a tax refund is the amount returned to the taxpayer if they overpaid their taxes throughout the year.

For a single person earning $50,000, their tax liability will depend on various factors including…

1. Filing status – Single filers have different tax brackets and standard deduction amounts compared to married individuals filing jointly or head of household filers.
2. Deductions – This includes the standard deduction or itemized deductions such as mortgage interest, property taxes, state and local taxes, and charitable contributions.
3. Tax credits – Tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), and others can significantly reduce tax liability.
4. Withholding – The amount of tax withheld from paychecks throughout the year affects whether the taxpayer receives a refund or owes additional taxes at the time of filing.

It’s challenging to provide an “average” tax return amount for a single person making $50,000 without knowing additional details such as their specific deductions, credits, and withholding amounts. However, generally speaking, a single person making $50,000 might expect to owe federal income tax of around $6,719 (based on 2022 tax brackets) before any deductions or credits are applied.

The best way to determine the potential tax return or liability for an individual is to prepare a tax return using tax preparation software, consult with a tax professional, or refer to the IRS tax tables and forms for the relevant tax year.