(no subject)

[lettered]

I haven't done my taxes. I'm terrified of doing them. I'm supposed to have a W-2 and I don't have one. Are they supposed to send one to me? Why didn't I get one? Did they get it at the place I used to live and rip it up, like they did my parking ticket and first paycheck? I wrote a book and got paid for it in 2011. Am I supposed to claim that? How?

Usually I freak out every year in April, because I'm bad at this stuff and don't know what I'm doing, so I wrote myself a guide in 2010. It tells me what web site to go to, what I need, what all my user names and passwords are, how much I made last year, how much I got for my return last year, what a W-2 even is, how and where to save the pdf I get from Turbotax, and how to prepare myself for next year.

But it doesn't actually tell me how to live real life and I find that short-sighted and very frustrating.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Taxes are difficult. I have been a tax preparer in my life, and I still hate doing my own. In fact, I'm behind a year - gulp! And I am not even close to getting this year's done - I'll be on extension. Again.

Yes they should have mailed you a W-2 - you should receive that by January 31. If you contact your employer(s) they should be able to get you a duplicate, and some of them can direct you to a website where you can get it electronically or they can send it to you electronically.

Your book is self-employment income, i would assume. Whoever paid you should have sent you a form 1099-Misc. If they didn't, it's possible the IRS will know nothing about it. But they probably did, and it ended up in the same round file that your W-2 ended up in. If you know the amount, you claim it as income on Schedule C, and you claim any related expenses relating to the income on the same schedule. You don't need the 1099 form to file your return.

I recommend a tax professional. It keeps you on track every year, and some years it can save you big time, cause they know stuff, like what you can write off against your book income. A good one can give you great feedback on life's financial highway outside of taxes, too. I really should get one myself.