Plain-English US tax articles
Real explanations of how American taxes work — for students, freelancers, small business owners, and anyone tired of jargon. Browse by category or start with our featured guides below.
Start with these
Federal Income Tax Brackets, Explained Like You're Five
How US federal tax brackets actually work in 2024 — marginal vs effective rates, with examples for single, married, and head-of-household filers.
Filing & FormsHow to File Your Taxes: A Step-by-Step Guide for First-Timers
A complete walkthrough of filing a US federal tax return — what to gather, which form to use, how to e-file, and what to do after you submit.
Self-Employment & 1099Self-Employment Tax: What Freelancers and 1099 Workers Owe
A plain-English guide to self-employment tax — what it is, how the 15.3% rate breaks down, who pays it, and how to lower the bill legally.
Capital Gains & InvestingCapital Gains Tax in the US, Explained
How short-term and long-term capital gains are taxed in the US, the 0% / 15% / 20% LTCG brackets, wash sales, and basic tax-loss harvesting.
Deductions & CreditsStandard vs Itemized Deductions: Which Saves You More?
A clear comparison of the standard deduction and itemizing in 2024 — which deductions count, the SALT cap, and how to decide which path is better.
Federal Income TaxForm 1040, Explained Line by Line
A plain-English walkthrough of Form 1040 — what each section means, which schedules attach, and the lines most people get wrong.
All categories
17 focused topics, 45 in-depth articles.
Federal Income Tax
How federal brackets, withholding, and Form 1040 actually work.
3 articles →State & Local Tax
SALT cap, residency rules, and state-by-state basics.
3 articles →Small Business & LLCs
Entity choice, pass-through taxation, and bookkeeping habits.
3 articles →Self-Employment & 1099
Quarterly estimates, SE tax, and freelancer deductions.
3 articles →Deductions & Credits
Standard vs itemized, EITC, CTC, and credits people miss.
3 articles →Capital Gains & Investing
Short vs long term gains, wash-sale rules, and brokerage 1099s.
3 articles →Retirement Taxes
401(k), IRA, Roth conversions, and Social Security taxation.
3 articles →Payroll Taxes
FICA, Medicare, FUTA, and what each line on a paystub means.
3 articles →Filing & Forms
Step-by-step filing, e-file vs paper, extensions, and amendments.
3 articles →Tax Planning
Year-end moves, multi-year strategy, and bracket management.
3 articles →Estate & Gift Tax
Annual gift exclusion, lifetime exemption, and inheritance basics.
2 articles →International Tax
FEIE, FBAR, FATCA, and US tax for expats and non-residents.
2 articles →Crypto & Digital Assets
Cost basis, staking, NFTs, and reporting digital asset income.
2 articles →Real Estate Tax
Property tax, mortgage interest, depreciation, and 1031 exchanges.
3 articles →Sales Tax & VAT
Nexus rules, marketplace facilitators, and VAT for US sellers.
2 articles →IRS Notices & Audits
Understanding CP notices, audit triggers, and response timelines.
2 articles →Tax News & Reform
Plain-English explainers of major tax law changes.
2 articles →