5 Tips for Filing Your Taxes

Ah, tax filing season. Don’t you miss when you could just ignore its existence? Or when you didn’t know what taxes were? Unfortunately, for college students who also work, it’s a reality we just have to deal with. Filing your taxes is actually pretty simple, but there are a few key things you need to remember to make it all go smoothly. Here are a few tips and reminders for filing your taxes this year! 

1. Obtain all of your W-2s by mid-February.

Whether you worked one job in the past year or five, according to the IRS website, you need to make sure you receive a W-2 in the mail or online from each of your employers by Valentine’s Day. That means if you haven’t yet, you need to give your employer(s) a call ASAP! Confirm with them that they have your current address on file, and ask them to send you another copy. Remember that this could take a couple of weeks, so don’t leave it until the last second! If you can’t get ahold of your employer, follow these instructions. 

2. Decide if you need to file.  

Technically, you don’t need to file taxes if you make under a certain gross income. You can check whether or not you are required to file on the IRS website. However, it’s never a bad idea to file; most students receive a refund and you shouldn’t deny yourself a little extra cash.

3. Talk to your parents/guardians.

Before you file your taxes, talk with your parent(s) or guardian(s) to confirm whether or not they are claiming you as a dependent. If they are paying for the majority of your expenses (including things like college tuition), they may want to claim you as dependent to receive tax deductions, and they could have trouble doing that if you file as independent.

4. Look into tax services.

While you’re speaking to your mom and dad, ask them what services they use to file their taxes. There are many online filing services around that are easy to use, but it’s easy to be scammed if you aren’t careful. Make sure the service you choose is reputable. Don’t be afraid to ask around your family for their favorite site. Also, note that some tax filing services require fees! You might want to check out the IRS’ free tax filing sevice. 

5. Get it done on time!

Finally, don’t forget about filing! The national deadline to file in 2016 is Monday April 18th, but there’s no reason to wait until then. You’ll be glad once it’s out of your mind, and the sooner you get it done, the sooner you could have a little extra money in your bank account! 

Doing your taxes might be boring and well, taxing, but it’s just a part of growing up. If you get a nice refund, remember to treat yourself a little for a job well done! 

• Adulthood
• money
• taxes