Filing your taxes, step by step
The practical April companion to the tax concepts
Taxes 101 explains how the system works; this track walks the actual act of filing a return. Learn the documents that arrive each January and February, the standard-vs-itemized choice and the credits young filers miss, the real ways to file (Free File, software tiers, a preparer) and what the April deadline and extensions truly mean, and how to read a refund or a balance calmly — including estimated taxes and payment plans. Warm, judgment-free, never pushy.
4 lessons · about 29 minutes total · 100% free
Saved on this device only — no account needed.
1. The forms you'll receive
A tax return is assembled from forms, not written from memory. See who sends the W-2, 1099s and 1098s, what key boxes mean, and why to wait for them all.
7 min read
2. Standard vs. itemized, and what you can claim
Take the standard deduction or itemize? See how the choice works, which adjustments and credits you keep either way, and what each is worth in dollars.
8 min read
3. How to actually file
Filing is mostly typing numbers into a system. See the free and paid ways to file, why e-file with direct deposit is fastest, and why an extension never delays payment.
7 min read
4. Refunds, balances, and not panicking
A refund is your money coming back; a balance is the same tax collected late. See what untaxed income does to a refund, and your options if you can't pay.
7 min read