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Taxes Activities

ECON: Public Goods Game

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the effect of individual and group incentives when making financial decisions

[This activity has no answer key]

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: Paycheck Scavenger Hunt

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Read a paycheck
  • Calculate percentages
  • Distinguish between gross and net pay

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

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: Your Federal Taxes

In this activity, students will be able to:

  • Calculate the taxes of four individuals including reading W-2s and 1099s
  • Analyze deductions and credits
  • Calculate marginal and effective tax rates

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

INTERACTIVE: Intuit TurboTax Education Simulation

In this activity, students will be able to: 

  • Experience what it is like to file a tax return for a fictional person using the Intuit TurboTax Education Simulation

 

NGPF is pleased to share this online tax filing simulation created by Intuit TurboTax Education. For tech questions regarding the simulation, please contact Education@intuit.com. Please note that curriculum materials provided by Intuit TurboTax Education are provided on the same webpage as the simulation.

[This activity has no answer key]

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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