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Taxes Activities

CARTOONS: Tax Deductions

In this activity, students will be able to: 

  • Examine a number of cartoons about tax deductions and choose one to analyze in more depth
  • Explain the cartoon's key message about tax deductions and how it depicts that message

MOVE: Your Tax Dollar in Action

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Learn how their federal tax dollars are spent using a fun, out-of-their seats whole-class race challenge

INTERACTIVE: TurboTax Simulation

In this activity, students will be able to: 

  • Experience what it is like to file a tax return for a fictional person using Intuit Education's TurboTax simulation

CALCULATE: Completing a 1040 (Sp)

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Complete a 1040 form for individuals with a variety of backgrounds and personal situations (dependent vs. independent, part-time vs. full-time, etc.)
  • Available in English & Spanish

CALCULATE: What Affects How Much We Pay in Taxes? (Sp)

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Determine the taxes due for a variety of different people
  • Explain how certain factors (salary, state of residence, cost of living) can affect the amount of taxes owed and how much you have leftover to spend
  • Available in English & Spanish

COMPARE: Tax Forms and their Purpose (Sp)

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Identify the purpose of a variety of tax forms, including the W-2, W-4, 1099, 1040, and I-9
  • Available in English & Spanish

FINE PRINT: W-2 Form

In this activity students will be able to:

  • Understand the W-2 Form and what information is captured on it
  • Understand how the information from the W-2 can be used to file income taxes

FINE PRINT: W-4 Form

In this activity students will be able to:

  • Understand the W-4 Form and what information is captured on it
  • Understand how the information from the W-4 form impacts income tax withheld from a paycheck

PLAY: Should They File a Tax Return?

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Analyze different scenarios and determine if the person in each scenario is legally required to file a tax return
  • Explain the benefits of filing a tax return even if they are not legally required to
  • Understand who can be claimed as a dependent 

RESEARCH: The Tax Cycle (Sp)

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • List important dates in the yearly tax cycle
  • Describe the event that takes place on each date in the tax cycle
  • Available in English & Spanish
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