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Taxes Without Fear

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LEVEL 1 · 0/3LEVEL 2 · 0/3LEVEL 3 · 0/3LEVEL 4 · 0/3LEVEL 5 · 0/3START
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Find out whether you must file and under which status, climb from gross income to AGI to taxable income, choose between the standard deduction and itemizing, compute your tax with the 2026 brackets and tell your marginal rate from your effective rate, weigh credits like the EITC and Child Tax Credit against deductions, read your W-2 and 1099s, set your W-4, find your refund or balance due, work out self-employment tax and quarterly estimated payments, keep the right records for the right time, file free and on time knowing an extension delays filing but never paying, and hang up on fake IRS agents while knowing your rights, all as general education, not tax advice.

3h 18m5 constellations
AT THE SUMMIT, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO

01Know whether you must file, your status, and how gross income becomes taxable income

02Compute your tax with the brackets, and weigh deductions against credits

03Read your W-2 and 1099s, set your W-4, and handle a refund or a balance due

04Pay self-employment and estimated tax, keep records, file free and on time, and shut down fake IRS calls

Every lesson of Taxes Without Fear

15 lessons in 5 levels, about 3 hours. Level 1 is free.

Level 1Who Files, and on WhatFree · 3 lessons
  1. Do You Have to File?Know who must file a federal return, why many people should file anyway, and which tax years this path uses.12 min
  2. Your Filing StatusPick the right filing status among the five, and see why head of household matters.12 min
  3. From Gross Income to Taxable IncomeTurn gross income into AGI and taxable income, and find each on Form 1040.13 min
Level 2Deductions, Brackets and CreditsMembership · 3 lessons
  1. Standard or Itemized?Know the standard deduction for your status and when itemizing beats it.13 min
  2. How Brackets Really WorkCompute tax with the 2026 brackets, and tell a marginal rate from an average rate.14 min
  3. Credits Beat DeductionsTell a credit from a deduction, and know the EITC, the Child Tax Credit and the education credits as the IRS states them.13 min
Level 3Forms, Withholding and Your RefundMembership · 3 lessons
  1. Read Your W-2 and 1099sRead a W-2 box by box, tell it from a 1099, and know what each one means for your return.13 min
  2. Withholding and Form W-4Fill in Form W-4 so the right tax comes out of each paycheck, and know when to check it again.13 min
  3. Refund or Balance DueFind the refund or the amount owed on Form 1040, know when refunds arrive, and what paying or filing late costs.14 min
Level 4Working for YourselfMembership · 3 lessons
  1. Self-Employment TaxWork out self-employment tax the way Schedule SE does, and see why it's 15.3%.14 min
  2. Quarterly Estimated TaxesKnow when you must pay estimated tax, the four 2026 due dates, and the smallest safe amount.13 min
  3. Records: What to Keep, and for How LongKeep the records that prove your income, deductions and credits, for as long as the IRS says.13 min
Level 5File Free, On Time and SafelyMembership · 3 lessons
  1. File Free, and On TimeFile for free with IRS Free File or a volunteer site, in the right order, by the deadline or with an extension.13 min
  2. Fake IRS Calls, Real RightsSpot and report an IRS impersonation scam, and know your rights and the free help you have with the real IRS.14 min
  3. The Tax Year TestUse the whole path: brackets, self-employment tax, forms, credits, extensions and scams.14 min
FREE

Level 1 is open.

Membership opens every other level of this path.

See membership
AFTER THE CORE

Keep going where this path leads.

Build Your Personal Money SystemPlan for the tax bill and the refund · 3h 14m
Get Out of Debt for GoodPut a refund to work on debt · 2h 56m