SKL Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 I would like to force my kids to file their first tax returns in a way that helps them understand what is actually happening. Not just "look at your W2 and copy the boxes into this portal page and we'll generate your return." How did you all introduce your kids to this lovely aspect of life? Should I go on irs.gov and download the paper return and print it? Do they still hand those out at the libraries and post offices? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 28 minutes ago, SKL said: Do they still hand those out at the libraries and post offices? Not around me, they don't. We talked about that approach for ds last year but ended up using an additional return option on the software we had to purchase for ourselves. I made the argument you are making, but in the end the electronic return made more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartstrings Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 I’m sure you can still download a pdf of a 1040 ez form. If not you could just go over their 1040 with them and explain where each number comes from. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toocrazy!! Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 DS and I did this the past few years with taxact. And we just defaulted to a regular 1040 and went through all the questions it asked and I explained more why it was asking that, etc. Last year he had an eBay business and some crypto sales. His return was more complicated than ours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvToRead Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 I print off the pdf and my girls fill them out by hand, with my help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 At our library, we have paper copies of the returns but not the instructions. Our local IRS office used to keep all copies of the forms, but that was pre-Covid so not sure what they are doing now. I sat down with my son for the first few years of his taxes. We did Turbo Tax but I tried to help him understand why they were asking the questions that they did. The last year I helped him, he did the form while I watched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 I’ve always had the kids do the online systems. I feel like the questions asked and printable final product are pretty clear, especially for their situations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longtime Lurker Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 1 hour ago, SKL said: I would like to force my kids to file their first tax returns in a way that helps them understand what is actually happening. Not just "look at your W2 and copy the boxes into this portal page and we'll generate your return." How did you all introduce your kids to this lovely aspect of life? Should I go on irs.gov and download the paper return and print it? Do they still hand those out at the libraries and post offices? We can still get paper copies at local libraries and at the IRS office. However, I usually print the forms from online. DD23 has been doing her own taxes on paper (and then transferring the data to the IRS Free Fillable Forms to e-file for free) since she started a summer job at 16. This works great! Incidentally, she just got a state form booklet in the mail the other day as our state does not yet have free e-file in a fillable forms format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kidlets4me Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 As an accountant I do their taxes for them. Then we go over it in detail just like I would with a client. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 6 hours ago, SKL said: Do they still hand those out at the libraries and post offices? Libraries still have copies, and have tax filing sessions there where volunteers would do their best to help. Post offices are a hit and miss in terms of whether they have the 1040 and 540 (California) forms on hand to give out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Our library and post office both do have the paper forms, and many (all? definitely most) of the libraries in my area offer hours with quasi-vetted volunteers helping ( seniors, English language learners, first-timers, otherwise perplexed ) filers with the forms. (That said, we just did/do our kids' for them through college. Eldest managed the transition to doing her own without incident; middle was scrambling on 4/14 to get his employer to reissue his lost W2 (sigh) and was calling us at 10p to talk him through the online submission.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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