Your gross income - meaning your total personal income before taking taxes or deductions into account - must meet certain rules and levels before you're required to file a tax return. With some care and planning, you can file your own taxes with confidence. tax code is extensive and very specific, the reality is that most taxpayers have simple tax situations and the Internal Revenue Service provides updated instructions annually. Although there's no question that the U.S. A big myth about filing your own tax return is that the process is too complex for anyone other than an expert to handle.