Taxes

[kitty]

I'm embarassed to be posting this. I have *never* filed taxes before... and I don't know the first thing about any of this stuff.

Could some of you people who've been around the block a few times help me out. When are they due? (I got a form from my employer in the mail over the weekend, so I assume the due date hasn't passed yet).

What do I have to do? I think I can download some forms from the internet, or file online, which is what I think I want to do.

I am *very* intimidated right now. Please help.

(ps, I have been surfing around on the www.irs.gov website, and it's not helping. I can't find any helpful information... say... a step-by-step guide anywhere).

[kboy75]

your taxes, i imagine, should be fairly straightforward. i'm guessing you will file a 1040EZ.

the 1040EZ is just that EZ. not that much to fill out. You just need your W-2.

If you are married, have kids, own a home, or have other assets, it starts to get complicated.

if you want to get even EASIER, you can use turbotax online, but there is a fee. it'll just walk you through it all. i've used it and it's pretty painless.

[Chester]

Like Kboy says, it'll probably be really easy. Just get yourself a copy of Turbotax. So long as you have your W-2 form from your employer (you'll also need bank statements to reconstruct interest income), it'll be a piece of cake: you just follow along and answer the questions they pose you in the program.

[TB4000]

If you get a refund this time around, I know your generous nature won't prevent you from taking us all out to dinner.

[Craig]

You guys forgot to mention the probable education reimbursement from the Lifetime Learning Credit. (Since I think, if memory serves me correctly Kittygirl was still in school earlier last year)

[kitty]

i was.... lifetime learning credit? ooooh... i like the sound of that.

government: 'yeeeeesss... we've leeched hundreds of thousands of dollars and four years of your life from you for this almost meaningless piece of paper -- here is a pittance of reimbursement... bwahahahahahahaha'

[kitty]

If you get a refund this time around, I know your generous nature won't prevent you from taking us all out to dinner.


... of course :) mcdicks or BK?

[lethal]

Hi kg, since you were in school half the year and then worked only half the year, your taxes should be relatively simple and painless.

Download the instructions to the 1040 EZ and the 1040 A, read through them. Don't worry about the stuff you don't understand yet.

The deadline to file your federal taxes is 4/15. Also don't forget your New York state taxes. You haver to file them as well.

[SunWuKong]

two words: Turbo Tax.


:smile:

[kasia]

two words: Turbo Tax.


:smile:

yep, that's what i use, too. it does all the math for you.

[Chris]

hehe always have a dad friend that is an accountant. :D

[lethal]

Bah...I do all my taxes myself...by hand. Who needs calculators and software! Hawhawhaw *evil laugh*

[teaz0r]

I'm embarassed to be posting this. I have *never* filed taxes before... and I don't know the first thing about any of this stuff.

is okay. neither do i. times like these are what secretaries are for.

[rice cracker]

I have my friend Foxy do them. It's nice. He gives me a glass of wine and we smoke cigarettes while he get's me the biggest refund he can. It's cheap and he's good at what he does. Every year I've done my own taxes (realizes this may scare KG, but plows forward) I've ended up having to pay in stupid amounts of money compared to what my actual income was. The first year I had someone else do my taxes I got a nice refund.

[moJo]

two words: Turbo Tax.


:smile:
me too, since i started filing a few years ago.

and if your income is less than a certain amount, you can file 1040EZ, right? i think i only started doing the non-EZ version last year, when i first started working FT the entire year.

[Emperor_Mike]

My accountant does my taxes for me. But a bunch of people I know swear by QuickTax. If you're Canadian, anyway. I don't know what the American software package equivalent is.

[SunWuKong]

me too, since i started filing a few years ago.

and if your income is less than a certain amount, you can file 1040EZ, right? i think i only started doing the non-EZ version last year, when i first started working FT the entire year.

yeah i think with the non-EZ version, you can save more money because you can itemise.

[51cat]

Telefile is the easiest and most painless. If you got a phone, your w-2's, the Telefile form, and 10 minutes, you're set.

[gman]

Don’t be intimidated. And you don’t necessarily have to get software to do it for you. I do my taxes online at Taxbrain.com. I dislike software, it is another thing to learn. Give it a look and see what you think. Maybe try their free tax estimator, it will walk you through and give you an idea of how it all works. Its at http://www.taxbrain.com/taxcenter/estimator1.asp
They are very reliable and have been around a long time. Best luck!

[myself808]

If your tax situation is not complicated, there is a free version at www.taxact.com (http://www.taxact.com/offers/taxact03_both.asp?sc=0343902) , I think you pay only to file electionically or if you want to do your state return.

[FrankieY18]

i have a copy of taxcut..pm me if you want it...filing tax return now takes 10 minutes