NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- MainStreet, the personal finance site in TheStreet network, has published several tax-filing tips this year. We provide excerpts of those articles here for a list of the 10 things you should know before filing your income tax return.

1. Don’t overlook important tax deductions.

Student loan borrowers tackling debt through President Obama’s Pay As You Earn (PAYE) program can deduct 150% of the poverty guideline for a single person, or about $17,000. Deductions can bring payments of a borrower earning $60,000 a year down to $300 a month.

HSA contribution limits are $3,300 for individuals and $6,550 for families, while HSA account holders who are 55 and older can contribute an extra $1,000 when not enrolled in Medicare. Contributions made with pre-tax dollars cannot be deducted.

IRA contributions for the previous tax year are also an area to review, since contributions can be made until April 15, the annual deadline for filing taxes. If in 2014 you didn't reach the $5,500 annual contribution amount allowed, there's still time to contribute. The deduction is included in the 2015 tax return even though the deductible contribution is made in the period leading up to April 2015.

2. Job hunting? Here’s what you should know.

If you were searching for work last year and spent for lodging and meals, you may be able to deduct those expenses. Just make sure to keep receipts and a travel log in the event of an audit.

A number of categories of professional fees may be deductible, too:

- Tax preparation fees and the cost of software or preparation services paid within the year

- Legal expenses for matters that produce taxable income that relate to the determination, collection or the refund of any tax, work-related lawsuits

- Fees related to investment, tax and financial expenses

Read more:Tax Quirks and Complications to Look for in Education, Work and Job Searches

3. Worried about an audit? Here are some common tax return errors.

Presenting yourself as overly altruistic can tip the IRS off to possible tax fraud. The national average for charitable contributions is about 3% of Annual Gross Income, according to the IRS, and tax payers who inflate their charitable contributions beyond what could be expected in their income range could invite the scrutiny of an audit.

A child can only be claimed one time, but if divorced spouses both claim the same child as a deduction, the mistake can cause delays.

Don't try to make your earnings skinnier than they are. The IRS will send a notice to consumers who under report their income, because they neglected to declare stock transactions with a small loss or gain.

Read more:3 Most Common Tax Return Errors for Self-Filers Can Delay Refunds and Trigger an Audit

4. Self-filing? Here are some options.

Some 50% of individuals and families in the United States who earned $60,000 or less last year are eligible to receive free tax preparation and filing assistance in Spanish or English through MyFreeTaxes.com, a non-profit online platform.

This allows self-filers a modicum of essential information to improve and structure their filing decisions.

Another way for Millennials to file for free is with TaxACT Express, now available through mobile or tablet application. In addition to interactive step-by-step questions, the iOS and Android app provides guidance via email with tax and technical specialists.

Taxpayers can also e-file all IRS forms for free.

Read more:Where to Self-File Your Taxes For Free and Get Complimentary Tax Return Advice

5. Claiming charitable deductions? Here's how to do it by the book.

Just because you paid $1,000 for a suit doesn't mean it's worth that when you donate it. If you've never been to a thrift shop or don't know what a fair market value for an item may be, Salvation Army and Goodwill have charts showing average retail prices. At Salvation Army, pants and blouses range in value from $2 to $8, and at Goodwill, books are priced from $1 to $3.

It comes down to fair market value — what someone would willingly pay for the item. If you decide to play "audit roulette" and overstate your charitable deductions on your tax forms, you'll have to prove to an auditor exactly what you donated and how much it was worth, regardless of what the receipt from the charity says. The burden of proof is always on you.

Read more:Why Lying About Charitable Contributions on Your Taxes Is More Dangerous Than You Think

6. Income falls below the filing threshold. Still need to file a return?

If your gross income falls under the filing threshold, you are still required to file a federal income tax return if you are liable for other taxes, such as –

- Employment taxes on household employees (Schedule H).

- Self-employment tax (Schedule SE); you must file a tax return if you had net earnings from self-employment (Schedule C, Schedule C-EZ, or Form K-1) of at least $400.

- The premature withdrawal 10% penalty tax and other additional taxes on IRAs and qualified retirement plans (Form 5329).

- Repayment of the First-Time Homebuyer Credit (Form 5405).

- Unreported Social Security and Medicare tax on tips you did not report to your employer (Form 4137) or on misclassified wages (Form 8919).

- Uncollected payroll taxes on taxable group-term life insurance provided by a former employer.

Read more:Do You Have to File a Tax Return? Yes, If Your Gross Income Falls in This Range

7. Hiring a tax pro? What you need to know.

When shopping for a professional tax preparer, here are some questions to ask candidates:

- Do you have a valid PTIN?

- Will you be signing the finished return?

- Are you familiar with state tax returns for my state?

- Do you have any tax credentials or certifications?

- Do you belong to any tax preparer membership organizations?

Read more:What to Ask a Potential Tax Preparer Before You Start a Working Relationship

8. What documents should you prepare for your tax pro?

In order for your tax preparer to allow you to take advantage of all the tax deductions, credits and loopholes to which you are entitled, you need to give him or her complete and accurate information:

Here is what you need to give to your tax professional -

- The full names, as they appear on the Social Security card, Social Security numbers and dates of birth for you, your spouse and all dependents.

- The relationship of each person you want to claim as a dependent, and whether or not, and how long, they lived with you.

- All W-2s (all copies) and the final pay-stub for the year for each of your employers. Make copies of your W-2s to keep before giving them to your tax preparer. You may need to provide a copy of your W-2s to third parties for a variety of non-tax reasons.

- All 1099s (for interest, dividends, gross proceeds, pensions, distributions from a Qualified Tuition Program, and other income), 1098s (for mortgage interest, contribution of a motor vehicle to charity, student loan interest, and tuition and fees), and K-1s and all attachments (for partnerships, sub-S corporations, estates, and trusts) from all sources.

- New this year - all 1095-As, 1095-Bs, and 1095-Cs you receive for health insurance coverage.

- All year-end statements and information from brokerage and mutual fund accounts and any Average Cost Statement” you receive from a mutual fund on the sale of fund shares.

Read more:What Does Your Tax Pro Need to Prepare Your Return? A 2015 Guide

9. Should you use your credit card to pay taxes?

The IRS charges a fee to pay taxes with plastic.

While there can be many reasons to use a credit card for your taxes, often the number one motive is simple: not enough money in the checking account to cover that bill. The problem is that means you likely can’t pay off that credit card bill at the end of the month, which means it will carry over and start collecting interest. If your interest rate is anything but rock bottom, this can add a bundle to a bill that was already too high from the get-go.

Carrying a lot of debt can hurt your credit score, especially if you slide through on minimum payments.

If you think it’s hard putting aside the money to pay one year’s taxes at a time, imagine how much harder it’ll get when you need to find the cash to pay off last year’s bill too. Just be careful. What seems like a quick fix on April 15 might come back to haunt you for the rest of the year.

Read more:The IRS Lets You Pay Taxes With A Credit Card. Should You?

10. Getting a refund? Here’s how to spend it.

Americans love their tax refunds. In 2014, we got about $305.7 billion in tax refunds, or about $2,792 per individual tax return. That's up from a year earlier, when those figures were $301.8 billion and $2,755, respectively.

Refund recipients want to do the right thing and use their money to improve their financial situation rather than their comfort. According to a Bankrate.com study, 84% of American taxpayers want to either "pay down debt, save or invest their windfall or use it to pay for necessities." Only 7% want to spend their tax refunds on frivolities such as travel or a big-screen television, Bankrate says.

Read more:Here’s What to Do With Your Tax Refund After You Decide to Be Responsible