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firefly20200 t1_jeglypr wrote

Honestly taxes aren't that hard. If you say you're a simple employee, then you can figure it out yourself in maybe 20 minutes and talk to your HR department to make sure enough is being taken out.

They publish the tax brackets. They publish the standard deduction. You know approximately how much you'll earn in a year.

-- If you estimate earning $50k.
-- Google standard deduction and you find out it's $13,850.
-- Take $50k minus $13,850 is $36,150. You will pay tax on that amount of money.
-- Google tax brackets. You see that up to $10,275 you pay 10%.
-- So 10% of $10,275 is $1,027.50 in tax so far.
-- $36,150 minus $10,275 is $25,875.
-- Look at the next tax bracket $10,276 to $41,775 pays 12% tax.
-- 12% of $25,875 is $3,105
-- Add $1,027.50 and $3,105 and you get $4,132.50

Taxes done. Now you divide $4,132.5 by however many paychecks you get, most people it's 26. Make sure $159 per paycheck is going to federal taxes and you're fine. If less is, figure out how much extra needs held and talk to your HR about it. Figure state taxes out the same, or move to a state without an income tax.

If you have 401k, health care, or any other before tax deduction, you just minus the amount you pay towards that from your total pay and then calculate your taxes. It gets more complex if you have a couple kids and stuff, but really not rocket science. Most people that just go to a standard job every day don't need a tax "professional."

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