Taxes 101
Where your paycheck actually goes
How income tax really works — W-2 vs 1099, marginal brackets, deductions vs credits, and why a refund isn't free money. Stop fearing tax season.
3 lessons · about 24 minutes total · 100% free
Saved on this device only — no account needed.
1. How income tax works (and what W-2 vs 1099 means)
Why your $25/hour job doesn't pay you $25/hour, what all those paycheck deductions actually fund, and why being a W-2 employee is very different from being a 1099 contractor.
8 min read
2. Tax brackets, deductions & credits — why nobody pays the rate they think
Moving into a higher tax bracket never lowers your take-home pay. Learn how marginal rates actually work, and why a $1,000 credit beats a $1,000 deduction every time.
9 min read
3. What a refund actually is — withholding and the W-4
A tax refund isn't a gift or a bonus — it's your own money coming back without interest. Learn how withholding works, what the W-4 form controls, and how to tune it.
7 min read