how do I file for a tax return?

[dpopiz]

Hi, I'm 18 and I've gotten about $300 withheld from my paychecks over the last year. So how do I get it back? I've never done this before, so help me out a bit

 

You probably won't get all of it back. But the easiest way to do your taxes is to acutally do the math yourself. This way, the whole amount withheld/amount due/amount of return idea won't be foreign to you. It's a very useful thing to know.

So, go to:
http://www.irs.gov and click on "Forms and Publications." From there, you want the 1040EZ and the 1040EZ instructions.

Your profile says you're in California. You'll also need to fill out a state tax return. Go to:

http://www.taxes.ca.gov/ezzzyind.html and follow the instructions in the '540 Booklet.'

I enjoy doing taxes. I like the straightforwardness of it, and it's neat to learn about how the math works on the forms. Do yourself a favor and fill out a form by hand.

Actually, if you got a Federal TeleFile booklet in the mail, DEFINITELY use that. I love TeleFile. Also look into http://www.ftb.ca.gov/online/CalFile/index.html TeleFile for your CA taxes. If you can do it over the phone, do it. It's much easier than anything else, even something like TurboTax.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: jumpr
You probably won't get all of it back. But the easiest way to do your taxes is to acutally do the math yourself. This way, the whole amount withheld/amount due/amount of return idea won't be foreign to you. It's a very useful thing to know.

So, go to:
http://www.irs.gov and click on "Forms and Publications." From there, you want the 1040EZ and the 1040EZ instructions.

Your profile says you're in California. You'll also need to fill out a state tax return. Go to:

http://www.taxes.ca.gov/ezzzyind.html and follow the instructions in the '540 Booklet.'

I enjoy doing taxes. I like the straightforwardness of it, and it's neat to learn about how the math works on the forms. Do yourself a favor and fill out a form by hand.

Hey, cool, thanks. I can use this too. My mom just finished doing mine today lol. I have absolutely no idea what goes on with taxes and all that, other than money gets taken out of my paychecks.

 

[Tsaico]

You can go to the post office or IRS.gov and get the 1040ez form, as well as the instructions on what to do.

When you get to the IRS.gov website, on the left, put in 1040ez for the search string, and change the parameters to "forms and publications". The forms you want are at the bottom. Since you are below the poverty line, you should get back just about all of it. Good luck and welcome to taxes, all you have to wait for now is death.

P.S. If you go to a place like turbotax.com you can file online, and they do all the work for you, but you generally pay 10 for federal and 20 for state, or you can go to some places that are free, and you do everything. You will also get your return quicker too, and it get deposited into your bank account quickly.

 

[Attrox]

If you are lucky, you can be selected to file via phone for free. If you are qualified you should already receive their form via mail.

You have to do both Federal and State tax return. I think the IRS website has a free tool to submit the Federal tax return on their website. For California you can go to the Franchise Tax Board website and file the state tax return there for free. I forgot what's the website, but you can go to the irs website and search for Franchise Tax Board and follow the link.

It's pretty straight forward, you'll be done in like 20 minutes.

 

Originally posted by: Attrox
If you are lucky, you can be selected to file via phone for free. If you are qualified you should already receive their form via mail.

You have to do both Federal and State tax return. I think the IRS website has a free tool to submit the Federal tax return on their website. For California you can go to the Franchise Tax Board website and file the state tax return there for free. I forgot what's the website, but you can go to the irs website and search for Franchise Tax Board and follow the link.

It's pretty straight forward, you'll be done in like 20 minutes.

I wouldn't recommend doing taxes online/via a computer program for your first time. There's something to be said for learning how the process works and figuring out the math on your own.

I've been doing my taxes by "hand" (filling in the documents on my computer in PDF format) since my first year filing (1999).

 

[Attrox]

Originally posted by: Tsaico
You can go to the post office or IRS.gov and get the 1040ez form, as well as the instructions on what to do.

When you get to the IRS.gov website, on the left, put in 1040ez for the search string, and change the parameters to "forms and publications". The forms you want are at the bottom. Since you are below the poverty line, you should get back just about all of it. Good luck and welcome to taxes, all you have to wait for now is death.

P.S. If you go to a place like turbotax.com you can file online, and they do all the work for you, but you generally pay 10 for federal and 20 for state, or you can go to some places that are free, and you do everything. You will also get your return quicker too, and it get deposited into your bank account quickly.

I don't know why people are paying to get this done because you can do it from the government site for free. Unless paying at those site will give you more $ return? Maybe it gets complicated when you are married with dependent, etc. But so far it's very easy for me (I'm single) because they will actually tell you what to put in based on the W-2 form.

 

[Attrox]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Attrox
If you are lucky, you can be selected to file via phone for free. If you are qualified you should already receive their form via mail.

You have to do both Federal and State tax return. I think the IRS website has a free tool to submit the Federal tax return on their website. For California you can go to the Franchise Tax Board website and file the state tax return there for free. I forgot what's the website, but you can go to the irs website and search for Franchise Tax Board and follow the link.

It's pretty straight forward, you'll be done in like 20 minutes.

I wouldn't recommend doing taxes online/via a computer program for your first time. There's something to be said for learning how the process works and figuring out the math on your own.

I've been doing my taxes by "hand" (filling in the documents on my computer in PDF format) since my first year filing (1999).

Why?

 

Originally posted by: Attrox

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Attrox
If you are lucky, you can be selected to file via phone for free. If you are qualified you should already receive their form via mail.

You have to do both Federal and State tax return. I think the IRS website has a free tool to submit the Federal tax return on their website. For California you can go to the Franchise Tax Board website and file the state tax return there for free. I forgot what's the website, but you can go to the irs website and search for Franchise Tax Board and follow the link.

It's pretty straight forward, you'll be done in like 20 minutes.

I wouldn't recommend doing taxes online/via a computer program for your first time. There's something to be said for learning how the process works and figuring out the math on your own.

I've been doing my taxes by "hand" (filling in the documents on my computer in PDF format) since my first year filing (1999).

Why?

Why not? I think everyone should have to do their taxes by hand while it's still simple enough for a 1040EZ. It's not hard, and it helps people figure out where their money goes without some computer program adding up simple numbers for you.

 

[Attrox]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Attrox

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Attrox
If you are lucky, you can be selected to file via phone for free. If you are qualified you should already receive their form via mail.

You have to do both Federal and State tax return. I think the IRS website has a free tool to submit the Federal tax return on their website. For California you can go to the Franchise Tax Board website and file the state tax return there for free. I forgot what's the website, but you can go to the irs website and search for Franchise Tax Board and follow the link.

It's pretty straight forward, you'll be done in like 20 minutes.

I wouldn't recommend doing taxes online/via a computer program for your first time. There's something to be said for learning how the process works and figuring out the math on your own.

I've been doing my taxes by "hand" (filling in the documents on my computer in PDF format) since my first year filing (1999).

Why?

Why not? I think everyone should have to do their taxes by hand while it's still simple enough for a 1040EZ. It's not hard, and it helps people figure out where their money goes without some computer program adding up simple numbers for you.

Or maybe so that I can find out if the IRS is trying to screw me over or not!
I made significantly more than what I made previous year but the return I get is much smaller, that's just not fair
I'm gonna get the form and try it at home tonight, let's see if I get the same number

 

Originally posted by: Attrox

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Attrox

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Attrox
If you are lucky, you can be selected to file via phone for free. If you are qualified you should already receive their form via mail.

You have to do both Federal and State tax return. I think the IRS website has a free tool to submit the Federal tax return on their website. For California you can go to the Franchise Tax Board website and file the state tax return there for free. I forgot what's the website, but you can go to the irs website and search for Franchise Tax Board and follow the link.

It's pretty straight forward, you'll be done in like 20 minutes.

I wouldn't recommend doing taxes online/via a computer program for your first time. There's something to be said for learning how the process works and figuring out the math on your own.

I've been doing my taxes by "hand" (filling in the documents on my computer in PDF format) since my first year filing (1999).

Why?

Why not? I think everyone should have to do their taxes by hand while it's still simple enough for a 1040EZ. It's not hard, and it helps people figure out where their money goes without some computer program adding up simple numbers for you.

Or maybe so that I can find out if the IRS is trying to screw me over or not!
I made significantly more than what I made previous year but the return I get is much smaller, that's just not fair
I'm gonna get the form and try it at home tonight, let's see if I get the same number

It makes a whole lot more sense as to why you have to pay/why you get back what you do, when you figure it out longhand.

 

[FlyLice]

look in the tax sticky thread

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: FlyLice
look in the tax sticky thread

If he can not read, how would you expect himto follopw instructions to be able to do his taxes.
Lucky he can write clearly enough to post.

Will probably be the type that goes to the Wal-Mart/H&R block as pays $50 for 5 minutes worth of work.
:disgust: