When do U.S. citizens start paying taxes and how?

Question

So, when people file taxes, what does that mean?

What are tax refunds and how do we get those?

Answer 1

Whether it's through Federal income Tax being withheld from your paycheck, or if you are required to make an Estimated Tax Payment if you have no income tax being withheld from your income, you begin paying taxes when begin to earn income... basically.

When you "file your taxes", you are reporting all of your income to the Internal Revenue Service through a set of forms.  You also get to take certain deductions, etc. from your total income number.  The remaining amount is taxed according to a set of guidelines.  Whatever Federal Income Tax Withholding or Estimated Tax Payments you've made reduces this tax number.  The tax that is leftover is what you must pay additionally when you send in the form, or "file your taxes".

A refund occurs when you've paid more through your Federal Income Tax Withholding or Estimated Tax Payments (or other means) than the tax that was calculated on your remaining income number mentioned above.  After you send in the forms, the IRS will send you a refund of this overpayment.

That's (very) basically it.  :-)

Hope this helps!!

Answer 2

When u work...But technically u already do pay taxes everytime u walk in a store and pay for something

Answer 3

Taxes are paid from the time you take your first breath until you take your last breath.  After all, the non-working politicians in the state and federal capitals are better able to spend the money oh-so-wisely and better than the bottom feeding citizens who sweat for their daily bread.  

Answer 4

For articles on your U.S. tax return, http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/04/list...

Answer 5

As you work, there is tax withholding from each paycheck which your employer sends to government:  FIT, SIT, Medicare, SS.

At the end of the year you receive a W-2 and file a tax return, prior to April 15 of the following year.  Then you get a refund or pay any extra tax you owe.

Answer 6

what kind of taxes? Income tax?

when you get your first paycheck...they take it out

Answer 7

For federal income taxes, In the beginning of the year (2009), people fill out income tax forms on paper or on-line, and send them to the IRS.  These forms are called (income) tax returns.  Sending them to the IRS is called filing them.  The forms report the amount and type of income of the tax payer for the prior year (2008), and the amount of income that is not to be taxed for some reason (exemptions and deductions).  The amount of tax owed is then calculated.  

During the prior year (2008), some tax usually has been paid via withholding (usually from paychecks) or quarterly estimated tax payment.  If less tax has been paid than is actually owed, the difference is paid with the return.  If more tax has been paid than is owed, the difference is refunded, and is called a tax refund.

So you get a tax refund by giving the government more during the year than you will owe, then filing your return to get the excess back.