W2

1. HOW TO FILE YOUR
TAXES
Standard – Education, Careers, Income
Target
• Describe factors affecting take-home pay
such as tax withholding, benefits, and plan
payroll deductions.
Objectives
• Identify items they need to prepare their tax
return
• Explain the different ways they can file their
taxes
• Understand the purpose of a W-2 form and
how to use it to file their taxes
• Explain how to make a tax payment if taxes
are owed

2. WHAT METHOD DO YOU
THINK MOST GEN Z
(AGES 18-24) PREFER TO
USE WHEN FILING THEIR
TAXES? WHY?

3. TAX PREPARATION
CHECKLIST FOR
TEENS
WHAT DO YOU NEED
TO FILE YOUR
TAXES?

4. WAYS TO FILE YOUR TAXES
LIST THE PROS & CONS
OLD FASHIONED METHOD
TAX-PREPARATION SOFTWARE
PROFESSIONAL TAX PREPARERS
VIEW THE VIDEO BELOW
& RESEARCH THE INTERNET
Schoology
How To File Your Taxes
How To File Your Taxes

5. FORM W-2
LABEL

6. WHAT IS
A W-2
FORM
ANYWAY
Click to watch “What’s a
W-2 Form” video
In this activity, you will
explore a W-2 in more
detail to understand its
various components.

7. THE FINE PRINT W-2
FORM
EXPLORE A W-2 IN
DETAIL
ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS USING
THE SAMPLE W-2

8. WAYS TO MAKE A TAX PAYMENT

10. PROS CONS
You’ll Have To
Pay Only Federal
Income Tax
Other Taxes
Might Be Higher
You will have a
higher income
Lower
Infrastructure
and Education
Spending
Is It Better To Live in a State With
No Income Tax?
Read this article
Pros & Cons of States with No Income
Tax to examine the Pros & Cons.
Research Tennessee and three other
states of your choice and complete the
table in your Schoology document.

11. EXIT TICKET
What information does the W-2 form
provide
True or False: You need a W-2 form
only for filing your federal taxes, not
your state taxes.
Identify one advantage of using tax
filing software to file your taxes.
Say you start a new job running the
fryer at Bushel of Burgers. Which form
will you receive first from your
employer -- a W-2 or a W-4?