Last minute tax filing
April 17, 2023 4:58 PM Subscribe
On your W2 form, does the dollar amount listed in "wages, tips and other compensation" mean before or after your taxes were deducted by your employer? And does the tax amount listed on your W2 mean what has already been deducted or what you owe?
Seconding that these are pretty basic questions to be asking at this stage in the game. You might want to file an extension if you still want to do this yourself, and/or avail yourself of the free file program to get your taxes prepared in a way that guides you through the process.
posted by Aleyn at 5:03 PM on April 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Aleyn at 5:03 PM on April 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It used to be karmacredit but is now cashapp will let you file federal and state for free, even with some relatively complex situations.
I know that sounds sketch, but it's real and easy.
Cashapp taxes
posted by atomicstone at 5:05 PM on April 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I know that sounds sketch, but it's real and easy.
Cashapp taxes
posted by atomicstone at 5:05 PM on April 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Agree with praemunire on using a tax program! Freetaxusa.com is good and only charges you small amount for your state taxes. Federal taxes are free.
If you look at your W2, each box has a number or number-letter combination next to it. Each box holds a specific bit of information here is more detail.
If you got a W2, you have already paid some taxes. Depending on how much you made last year, and a few other factors, you might still owe some more money, or you might have paid too much and the government owes you money. The tax software will calculate all of that for you once you type in the numbers from each of those boxes and answer a few questions.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:05 PM on April 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
If you look at your W2, each box has a number or number-letter combination next to it. Each box holds a specific bit of information here is more detail.
If you got a W2, you have already paid some taxes. Depending on how much you made last year, and a few other factors, you might still owe some more money, or you might have paid too much and the government owes you money. The tax software will calculate all of that for you once you type in the numbers from each of those boxes and answer a few questions.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:05 PM on April 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
If you are considering a paid option for the state filing, check first that your state isn't super easy to do once the Federal form is taken care of. I paid H&R Block for Wisconsin filings entirely too many times before realizing that it's mostly just copying over the Federal numbers and letting the WI form calculate some things.
posted by teremala at 5:26 PM on April 17, 2023
posted by teremala at 5:26 PM on April 17, 2023
Just read and follow the instructions for the forms. The instructions will tell you which box on the W2 goes with which link on the 1040 and how to do the intermediate calculations.
https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1040gi
posted by Jacqueline at 6:09 PM on April 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1040gi
posted by Jacqueline at 6:09 PM on April 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
(b) What's been deducted
(c) If you're this new to the ideas, you should probably get a tax-filing program and let it hold your hand through the process.
posted by praemunire at 4:59 PM on April 17, 2023 [5 favorites]