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Can you help me figure out why I'm not getting much back on my tax returns?

My income was little over 18,000. Federal taken was 985.00. Im trying turbo tax for the first time. It calculates that I'm only getting back $182.00 for federal. That doesn't sound right at all

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plaguewatcher · M

No, that doesn't seem right. Go back through TurboTax, which I am not familiar with. And make sure you have made every entry correctly. At 18000 one person single basic deductions you should get back more

swandfriends · 41-45, F

I did, it was easy and seemed I filled everything out correctly. Maybe I should just have my tax lady do it again this year. I'm just afraid she will tell me the same amount, but then I'll have to pay her 80.00 to do it!

plaguewatcher · M

@swandfriends I have not yet looked at tax tables for this year. Or I could just look it up.
Do you have only one job for which you have a W-2 and not a lot of self-employment taxes that can make it very different
Also you may have been prompted to itemize because they say it may save you money however if your itemization is less than about $11,000 then you shouldn't bother

swandfriends · 41-45, F

I'm thinking I need to file both w-2 forms separately. I've tried entering both on the same application or whatever, but it brings it down to 182.00 instead of 300.00 for one and like 370.00 for the other one. So on turbo tax, once I submit one of my w-2s will it allow me to go back in and do the other one separately?

plaguewatcher · M

No you put both of your W-2s in your same tax return because they both count to your income for the year. You do not file two separate tax returns.

plaguewatcher · M

@swandfriends and just for fun try another free tax site or to like TaxACT online.

swandfriends · 41-45, F

Ugh I'm about to go crazy over this. It doesn't make sense. If I were to file these 2 forms sepearate, the amount of the return looks right, but if I add them on the same form together the amount goes way down.