Summary

A 22-year-old individual shares their experience and insights after filing taxes for the first time, emphasizing the ease of using TurboTax and the personal satisfaction of completing this adult responsibility.

Abstract

The author, who began working at 16, reflects on their recent experience of filing taxes for the first time at age 22. Despite initial apprehension and procrastination, they found the process manageable and even empowering, thanks in part to user-friendly tax software like TurboTax. The article highlights the importance of keeping track of income sources, especially for freelancers, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with fulfilling this civic duty. The prospect of a tax refund adds to the positive experience, offering exciting possibilities for the returned money. The author encourages others to file their taxes, suggesting that while it may seem daunting, the benefits and sense of adulting make it worthwhile.

Opinions

The author admits to previous indifference towards tax filing due to fear or laziness but now acknowledges the ease and benefits of the process.
TurboTax is praised for its simplicity and efficiency, making tax filing a straightforward task.
Keeping accurate records of income is seen as crucial, particularly for those with multiple sources of income.
Filing taxes is associated with a sense of peace of mind and personal responsibility, contributing to a feeling of maturity and adulting.
The author expresses excitement about the potential tax refund and the freedom to choose how to spend it.
Despite the general perception of tax filing as boring, the author encourages a positive outlook, focusing on the advantages and the sense of achievement upon completion.
Having an accountant friend for guidance is considered beneficial, and the author suggests that there is ample online information available for those who need assistance with tax filing.

I Filed Taxes for the First Time and I’m 22-Years-Old

Get your refund and feel better about your money.

Ever since I started working at sixteen years old, I never put much thought into filing taxes. I worked and worked, heard about people asking for their W2’s, but didn’t feel a sense of urgency about not filing.

The only time I would feel FOMO is when people would share their tax refunds. Extra money in my wallet? How nice. I’m not sure if I was afraid of going through the paperwork, or it was just pure laziness.

Six years later, I finally file my own taxes, and it feels good, not going to lie! All of the paperwork I’ve done in the military to get my promotion and stay up-to-date, I saw filing taxes as a walk in the park.

Here are some of my findings when filing taxes.

1. TurboTax Makes It So Easy

We’ve all seen or heard of the commercials about how great TurboTax is. I finally took my stubborn-self to the website and got everything done in a couple of hours.

The website is user-friendly and allows me to upload my W2 PDFs directly to the site, and it does all the copying into the necessary lines that need to be filled in. Just make sure to double-check in case the system made a mistake!

I was able to file in one night, electronically, as long as I was able to locate all my tax forms. I am a satisfied customer!

2. Keep Track of Your Income

Keeping track of my income was probably one of the biggest things that slowed me down when filing my taxes. I had to remember which freelance gigs I did that required me to submit.

If you work one job as a primary source of income, this is going to be cake. Oh, you’re single too? Even easier.

For people who are married and have kids, it’s probably not too much more complicated, but I won’t speak on what I haven’t experienced. Just be prepared to share if you’re a stock investor and have other jobs you need to include.

3. Peace of Mind

Knowing that my taxes are filed and out there for the IRS to review makes me feel like I did a good deed as a citizen. I feel like I’m actually “adulting”.

The idea of getting an extra $500+ income coming back to me is exciting! What am I going to do with the money? Toss it in savings? Take a vacation? Pay some bills? The options are endless.

It’s your money and you get to choose what you do!

No matter if you’re a millennial or a bit older with three kids, filing taxes will be part of our lives annually. I am not an expert on the matter, but I did find several advantages by doing it.

Regardless of how boring the topic is, I try to find the positive sides, and I hope that this motivates you to either file your taxes or help someone else!

Luckily I have an accountant friend who helped me with a couple of things. There’s a lot of great information on how to file them online. We may not enjoy filing taxes, but it sure feels great once you finish them!