You may recieve a tax refund from the IRS if you paid more in taxes than what you actually owed. Organizations deduct taxes based on the forms you fill out when you are hired. The federal and state if applicable then determine the rate at which you owe your taxes back to them. When it comes time to file a tax return you are able to show your true income for the year minus all deductions you are able to claim, based on your claims you are then possibly eligable for a refund if you paid too much during the tax year.