1. Go to IRS or IRS website and get tax forms. (Clue: they a say at the top who needs to do them. Get the ones that you need...)
2. Fill out form. (Clue: they all have step by step instructions on how to fill them out. There is simple math involved. Get a calculator of addition and subtraction are too hard for you.)
3. Mail for to IRS or press submit on website. (Clue: the form tells you the address. You’ll need an envelope, stamp, and pen.)
Alternate:
1. Get accountant.
2. Pay money. Do what they ask.
Alternate B:
1. Use a tax software like turbo tax. If you can’t afford it- borrow it or look up the free version for people who qualify by income.
2. Follow directions and answer questions.
3. Done.
Alternate C: (if you don’t own property, trade stocks, etc. and make less than $100k a year and aren’t a contractor- you just go to work, cash a check.)
1. Claim no dependents on your employment forms.
2. Don’t do taxes. (Clue: most young people won’t owe any taxes. You will be owed money. You don’t have to file taxes if you don’t owe money. You do your taxes to see if you owe or are owed money. There are no penalties of you owe nothing. You won’t get a refund for years you don’t file but can always file later. If that sounds confusing- pay someone. Taxes are complicated and that’s why businesses and people with money pay to have taxes done. Because to really understand taxes you need to take entire degree loads of work and it takes 4+ years just studying taxes to learn the rules, then a life of experience and continued study to understand them. a basic 1040 form can be done by a child and is like a grade school worksheet.
This is the same quote that comes from every kid who refuses to do their math homework and wonders why they're failing. This should be changed to:
These Kids: How to you do taxes?
Public School: We tried to teach you simple math and you wouldn't try and couldn't figure it out. Now we're just giving you busy work until you graduate and are out of our hair.
More or less. School is far from perfect- but removing external factors of advantage and disadvantage- life in general tends to return based on what we put in. There isn’t a step by step life guide that guarantees success. You can get guidance but the choices are ultimately yours- and even doing everything “right” you can still fail and doing most of it “wrong” you can still become rich or famous. For those not born into advantage- usually what separates success from not in life is the ability to figure things out, to apply skills and tools you have to your problems. No one can live your life for you. It’s scary and mistakes have consequences. That’s life. Try your best and what you get is the product of those efforts.
School is less about teaching facts and more about teaching processes. They may not list out "How to follow oral directions & work together with a group of others towards a common goal while also paying attention to patterns/rhythms."
The processes are where you find the information you need, and how to use the tool that can help you find the answers. Technology progresses, if you can figure out where to find info you're aces.
Honestly 95% of taxes are pretty much spelled out for you. If you don't make enough money the tax companies or tax professionals provide free help and filing (this is why the Fed doesn't make their own tax filing program which would make everything even easier, at least as far as gathering paperwork, they made an agreement with the tax software companies that if they provide this then they will never compete with them). Having also worked with (with, not for) the IRS, they said point blank that their forms and translations are at a third grade reading level.
2. Fill out form. (Clue: they all have step by step instructions on how to fill them out. There is simple math involved. Get a calculator of addition and subtraction are too hard for you.)
3. Mail for to IRS or press submit on website. (Clue: the form tells you the address. You’ll need an envelope, stamp, and pen.)
Alternate:
1. Get accountant.
2. Pay money. Do what they ask.
Alternate B:
1. Use a tax software like turbo tax. If you can’t afford it- borrow it or look up the free version for people who qualify by income.
2. Follow directions and answer questions.
3. Done.
1. Claim no dependents on your employment forms.
2. Don’t do taxes. (Clue: most young people won’t owe any taxes. You will be owed money. You don’t have to file taxes if you don’t owe money. You do your taxes to see if you owe or are owed money. There are no penalties of you owe nothing. You won’t get a refund for years you don’t file but can always file later. If that sounds confusing- pay someone. Taxes are complicated and that’s why businesses and people with money pay to have taxes done. Because to really understand taxes you need to take entire degree loads of work and it takes 4+ years just studying taxes to learn the rules, then a life of experience and continued study to understand them. a basic 1040 form can be done by a child and is like a grade school worksheet.
That sums everything up.
These Kids: How to you do taxes?
Public School: We tried to teach you simple math and you wouldn't try and couldn't figure it out. Now we're just giving you busy work until you graduate and are out of our hair.
The processes are where you find the information you need, and how to use the tool that can help you find the answers. Technology progresses, if you can figure out where to find info you're aces.
Honestly 95% of taxes are pretty much spelled out for you. If you don't make enough money the tax companies or tax professionals provide free help and filing (this is why the Fed doesn't make their own tax filing program which would make everything even easier, at least as far as gathering paperwork, they made an agreement with the tax software companies that if they provide this then they will never compete with them). Having also worked with (with, not for) the IRS, they said point blank that their forms and translations are at a third grade reading level.