How to Calculate Income Tax

The tax season is here and it is easy to get overwhelmed when you think about how to calculate income tax for your 2008 income tax return. Start by following the instructions on this page and get your stuff together then use online tax software and do your taxes quickly and easily while saving money and maximizing your refund.

If you want to do your taxes the easy way, you can learn more about Income Tax Return Software at OnlineTaxSoftware.info.

There are many reasons you may want to know how to calculate income tax without doing a full tax return. One reason to do a quick calculation of your tax is to determine when you should do your actual tax return. If you are going to get a big tax return, you probably want to do your taxes as soon as possible. If you are going to owe the IRS money, you probably want to wait until the last minute or even request an extension. If you are trying to figure out how to calculate income tax easily read on. When you are ready to do your taxes, check the link at the bottom for a tax software review site including sites that will do your taxes for free.

The first thing you need to know to calculate income tax is how much money you made and how much you have paid in taxes. This information can be found on your pay stub or your W2.. Your pay stub should show you how much money you have made. You need to look at the "net" number because you don't have to pay taxes on certain things like 401K contributions. The other number you need is how much tax you have paid. Write these 2 numbers down as we will need them later.

Next, you need to figure out all your deductions. This includes charitable contributions, (like to your church), mortgage interest, your deductions per person in your household, and anything else that is tax deductible. Just add all these numbers up. Don't worry about being exact because you are just getting an estimate right now.

Now that you have your income and deductions, I will show you exactly how to calculate income tax. All you do is subtract your deductions from your income and look up how much tax you owe for that amount. You can go to the IRS site and look up the tax table or check out my article on tax tables (see links below). Based on your filing status and net income, you will see how much you owe. Compare that to the amount of tax that was taken out of your paycheck and you have your return amount or how much you owe.

For the record, I am not a tax professional. I have been doing my own taxes by myself or with the help of a tax professional for 20 years so I know a few things, but I cannot offer you legal advice.

I recommend automated software because it is very good at reminding you of things that you can legally deduct, but won't let you accidentally do things that will get you in trouble. If you have a complex return, you really should seek a tax professional as spending a little extra money is better than big fines if you get audited.