Help with tax return.

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Access_Denied

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Well, I turned 18 in January, and last summer was my first job. So, I'm filing my taxes for the first time. I have it pretty much all down, except my state taxes. I went to TurboTax.com and filled out all the information for my federal ones, but they want to charge $26 to do my state taxes. I'm wondering, how would I go about doing my own state taxes. (Illinois BTW) Google searches just bring up confusing pages with hundreds of different form numbers and whatnot. I just want a link to some entirely free tax software, or a way to file my own state taxes.
 
[quote name='Access_Denied']Well, I turned 18 in January, and last summer was my first job. So, I'm filing my taxes for the first time. I have it pretty much all down, except my state taxes. I went to TurboTax.com and filled out all the information for my federal ones, but they want to charge $26 to do my state taxes. I'm wondering, how would I go about doing my own state taxes. (Illinois BTW) Google searches just bring up confusing pages with hundreds of different form numbers and whatnot. I just want a link to some entirely free tax software, or a way to file my own state taxes.[/quote]


are your parents still claiming you as a dependent? Because you could mess up the entire tax situation at your house if you filed without consult from your parents first. long as you did not make over the standard deduction you should let your parents still claim you. you can still file by yourself but your parents still get the tax benefit of you. if you need more help just send me a pm for federal questions.
 
Thanks JJSP. I seen that page before, but I just wanted to be sure it was the right one.

[quote name='DarkKenpachi']are your parents still claiming you as a dependent? Because you could mess up the entire tax situation at your house if you filed without consult from your parents first. long as you did not make over the standard deduction you should let your parents still claim you. you can still file by yourself but your parents still get the tax benefit of you. if you need more help just send me a pm for federal questions.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I took care of this. I claimed me, but so did my dad. I don't know how or why, but it happened. At first, I checked the wrong option, so the IRS rejected my return because my dad claimed me, but they accepted it this morning, so I'm all good.

Anyway, thanks for all your help. Taxes suck. Damn Jewish those people and their natural ability to do taxes. :bomb:
 
go to the irs website, irs.gov, punch in your info and they will find you a site that will charge you nothing. i was able to get federal and state for free from taxslayer.com last year.
 
You *really* shouldn't have been able to both claim you as a dependent/exemption. You're probably small potatoes enough to not get audited, but don't be suprised if one or both of your filings are rejected and you have to do them over.

Taxes are EXTREMELY easy... everything you need to know is in the 1040/EZ/A/your mom handbook. You most likely will have to print out additional forms if you have a lot going on (itemized deductions, 1099s, your own business) but you won't. It's not like you're someone with no legal experience deciphering a contract, read the instruction book and learn something ya whippersnapper.

Ok, Ok.. easy for someone with an accounting degree to say, but I never specialized in tax and the one semester of individual taxation I had, the teacher didn't know what she was doing and we had open book exams. Give it a shot with a pen and paper and then plug your info into turbotax and see if you end up with the same results.
 
I don't want to start another tax thread so, Anyone know a program that would do multiple state returns, well? I have to 4 this year =( and I remember last year I had to do 2 state returns (my wife and I had different states) and it was a pain in the ass, This year its

me: Mass/R.I (unemployment)
Wife R.I/ N.C

any suggestions would be great
 
Weren't you listening, he just turned 18. What 18 year old in this country has 6th grade math skills?
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']1040EZ requires 6th grade math skills.[/quote]
 
[quote name='Kayden']Weren't you listening, he just turned 18. What 18 year old in this country has 6th grade math skills?[/quote]

I always marveled by people willing to PAY to have their taxes done.

Seriously, the OP is 18, single and presumably with no kids.

If you're in the same boat as the OP, here is some advice:

1. Go to the library on a Saturday with a few pieces of paper and a pencil and your W-2s.

2. Grab the federal and state tax forms.

3. Read the instructions TWICE.

4. Fill out the forms on the extra pieces of paper with the pencil. Consider it a rough draft.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4.

6. If the results are the same, grab a pen, fill out the tax forms. If you owe, cut a check and mail it. If you are owed, mail it and forget about it. If the results are different, find the mistakes. Then, repeat step 5 twice.

7. Repeat step 6 until tax forms are mailed.

8. Smile. You now know what recursive programming is.
 
An ever better solution:

freetaxusa.com

Follow simple instructions. Plug by numbers. If there's something on there they ask you about that you have no idea what the hell it is, it probably doesn't apply to you, click through and get your hopeful refund.
 
speaking as a tax professional myself. it sounds all easy and they way you guys are telling people. (which it actually is) but at the end of the day no matter how many numbers you plug in, if you don't understand overall why things are the way they are then you still are confused even if you have done your return properly.

also one more note- MAKE SURE YOU DO THE RETURN STEP BY STEP AND JUST READ EACH LINE PROPERLY.

as far as the multiple state returns. that is tricky since I don't know those states particular return laws. but look online and they should direct you to free tax paying sites. and if in doubt you can go to H&R Block and they can just do state returns for you. (much cheaper than federal returns)
 
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