Tax returns

Jerm

This is kind of lame, but can someone help me with my tax returns?

I'm a college student working part time, making less than 10k, and just want my couple hundred dollars. Unfortunately, everyone I've asked has told me two things:

1. Have your accountant do it

or

2. how they used to do it 30 years ago before they got an accountant

I don't have an accountant. I don't even know what form to get. Help?

noir_blood

You really don't need an accountant. Not unless you're taxes are incredibly complex. If what you're saying is true and you only have to worry about your job and maybe school, then you can either head to the official irs website and download the correct form(probably 1040 or 1040 a) or go to a place like turbotax that come, where you can do your taxes and efile completely for free. THe process is really simple.

Thanatos

You want to file a 1040 EZ through the internet. H&R Block will do it for you for free (go to the IRS' website, and look up their "efile" program; they have a list of companies that will do it for free, click on H&R Block's). You're going to need your 1098-E from any college loans you have that you've been paying down, a W-2 from each of your jobs, and... I think it's a 1099 from any investment income you've made (if it's a Roth IRA, you don't need and won't have any of these). All of these things should be sent to you (the 1098-E will be electronic if you're doing e-claims through DirectLoans for your government loans). You go to the website, they'll ask you a bunch of pretty straightforward questions, you click, fill in the boxes (they'll tell you what boxes go where), click on "file," and you're done. You can even get your refund via direct deposit. It's fantastically easy to do, I don't know why people bitch about it. I filed both state and federal income taxes in about half an hour.

Oh, for your state taxes, you'll want to login to your state's Franchise Tax Board to figure out how to file for free with them (I know California has free e-filing).

embrik

Thanatos wrote: »

Oh, for your state taxes, you'll want to login to your state's Franchise Tax Board to figure out how to file for free with them (I know California has free e-filing).

So does Wisconsin.

Seriously, you need to do this on your own. You'll have to do it each year for basically the rest of your life, so you've got to learn sometime. I've used Turbotax online for the last few years, and they make it incredibly easy. They do charge for state filing, so don't use 'em for that if you don't want to. It makes it stupidly easy though. Best part is that when you file with them next year, they'll have all your info from previous filing.

Dalboz

I've used Turbotax for several years now. It fairly quick and easy. You'll just punch in your information and it will tell you what forms you need to file and help you calculate and fill them out. You can e-file, but it costs about $15 or more (I think they've upped the price) as opposed to a 41 cent stamp. I personally go for the snail mail route since I want to save the money and am not usually in a rush on the refund.

Thanatos

You can e-file for free (and get your refund via direct deposit) if you go to the IRS' website and use one of their programs. I went with H&R Block because they pay for it if they fuck up.

If you buy a tax program, you have to buy a new one every year, because the laws/rules change.