Jobs, paychecks and taxes for high school students

Three first steps

1. Look at a sample pay stub and find gross pay, deductions and net pay.
2. Learn what a W-4 and a W-2 do.
3. Work through one tax simulation from start to finish.

The resources

• IRS How Taxes Work Modules

  14 tax preparation modules including income, deductions, dependents and refunds.

  Hidden gemFreeCourse & lessons

• IRS Payroll Withholding Lesson

  Teaches payroll taxes and W-4 withholding.

  Hidden gemFreeTeacher materialAccount or sign-up needed

• IRS Tax Teacher Lessons

  Tax lesson plans, activities, assessments and sample forms.

  Hidden gemFreeTeacher materialAccount or sign-up needed

• IRS Taxpayer Simulations

  20 fictional taxpayer scenarios with W-4, W-2 and 1040 practice.

  Hidden gemFreeGame & simulation

  Review against current tax forms before applying to real filings.

• IRS Understanding Taxes, Student

  38 IRS lessons on tax filing, withholding and the tax system.

  Hidden gemFreeCourse & lessons

  Some historic examples/forms may not reflect current tax law.

• Federal Reserve Career Education

  High-school learning on careers, pay, buy-now-pay-later and the economy.

  FreeCourse & lessons

• Intuit Taxes and Career Units

  Lessons using simulated 1040 filing and career-income planning.

  FreeCourse & lessons

• NGPF Paycheck Math Activities

  Exercises involving pay stubs and take-home pay.

  FreeGuide & reference

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