How do I know if I need to pay taxes with my first job at 19?

Hey guys, I'm kinda freaking out and feel so dumb for asking this. I just turned 19 and started my first "real" job at this local warehouse about 4 months ago. I've always lived with my grandparents who handle all the household bills and tax stuff, so I'm completely clueless about how taxes work personally. The reason I'm worried is I've gotten like 5-6 voicemails in the past couple weeks talking about taxes. Most of them (like 4) are from the same person. They don't sound super official but it's making me nervous. I thought my manager at work would just tell me what to do about taxes or send me something, because that's what my one semester of personal finance class in high school mentioned would happen. Do companies automatically send you tax forms? Am I supposed to be doing something now or is this for next year? And are these voicemails legit or some kind of scam? I don't want to get in trouble with the government my first year working!

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18 comments

Sean Flanagan

•8M

Those voicemails are almost certainly scams. The IRS primarily communicates through official letters in the mail, not through phone calls. They definitely won't leave repeated voicemails from the same person. Here's how taxes typically work for your situation: Your employer withholds taxes from each paycheck (you can see this on your pay stub). Around January-February 2025, they'll provide you with a W-2 form showing how much you earned in 2024 and how much was withheld. You'll use this form to file your tax return, which is due April 15, 2025. Since this is your first job, you likely filled out a W-4 form when you started, which tells your employer how much to withhold. If you're not sure, ask your HR department about it. Given your age and likely income level, filing taxes might be very simple. There are free options available for basic returns, and your grandparents might be able to help or even include you on their return depending on your situation.

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Sean Flanagan

•8M

Yes, you can safely ignore those voicemails. If you're concerned, you can block the numbers. The IRS won't call out of the blue demanding payment or information. You don't need to do anything right now. Your employer is already withholding taxes from each paycheck based on the W-4 you filled out. When January comes around, you'll receive your W-2 form. Most companies provide them electronically through an employee portal, but some still mail paper copies. Ask your HR department how they distribute W-2s. Once you have that form, you'll use it to file your tax return before April 15, 2025.

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Zara Shah

•8M

I was in your shoes a few years ago! I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me figure out my taxes when I was confused. It basically analyzes tax documents for you and explains what everything means in plain English. When I got my first W-2, I had no idea what half the boxes meant or what I was supposed to do with it. I uploaded it to taxr.ai and it broke everything down for me - showed me which numbers were important and even gave me an estimate of what my refund might be. Definitely made the whole process way less intimidating.

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Zara Shah

•8M

It doesn't file your taxes for you - it's more like a helpful guide that explains what all the information on your tax documents means. Think of it as a translator that turns tax jargon into normal language. You can still use TurboTax or another service to actually file, but with a better understanding of what you're doing. For side gigs like DoorDash, it's super helpful because it can look at your 1099 forms and explain what deductions you might qualify for. It definitely helps with tracking things like mileage, business expenses, and other deductions, and explains why they matter for your taxes. I found it really helpful for understanding the basics before diving into the filing process.

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Luca Ferrari

•8M

Just tried taxr.ai after reading about it here and wow, this would have saved me so much stress last year! I had a main job plus started driving for DoorDash and was completely confused about what counted as business expenses. I uploaded my mess of documents from last year (W-2 plus 1099) and it immediately organized everything and explained what each thing meant. It even pointed out some deductions I completely missed! Going to be so much more prepared for next tax season now that I understand what all these forms actually mean. Definitely check it out if you're new to taxes like me.

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Nia Wilson

•8M

If you do end up needing to talk to the IRS for any reason (though it sounds like you won't need to right now), just know their phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE to get through on. I spent literally 6 hours on hold last year trying to sort out an issue with my return. I eventually found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to a real IRS agent without the insane wait. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me from having to waste an entire day on hold. Just throwing it out there in case you ever find yourself needing to talk to someone at the IRS!

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Nia Wilson

•8M

It basically uses an automated system to call the IRS repeatedly until it gets through, then it connects you when an agent answers. It's not a special line - it's just doing the waiting for you so you don't have to sit by your phone for hours. No scam at all - it works exactly as advertised. They don't ask for any tax info or personal details beyond your phone number to call you back when an agent is ready. I was skeptical too until I tried it and got connected to an IRS agent in about 45 minutes (while I was able to do other things instead of waiting on hold the whole time).

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Aisha Hussain

•8M

Ok I need to eat my words from earlier. After dealing with complete frustration trying to get through to the IRS about a letter I received (sat on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected TWICE), I broke down and tried the Claimyr thing mentioned above. Not gonna lie, I was convinced it was going to be a waste of money, but I was desperate. It actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back when an agent was ready to talk, and finally got my issue resolved. Total game changer when you actually need to speak to someone at the IRS. Sorry for being so negative before - just wanted to update since it legitimately helped me out.

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Ethan Clark

•8M

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - if you make below a certain amount, you might not even need to file taxes at all. For 2024, if you make less than $13,850 as a single person, you generally don't have to file (though you still might want to if your employer withheld taxes, so you can get a refund). Also, since you mentioned living with your grandparents - are they claiming you as a dependent? That's another factor that affects how you file and what benefits you might be eligible for.

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Ethan Clark

•8M

Yes, at $18,000 you'll definitely need to file a tax return. Being claimed as a dependent does change things a bit. You won't be able to claim your own personal exemption, and there are some credits you might not qualify for. Make sure to check the box on your tax return that says someone else can claim you as a dependent. This is important because if you don't check it but your grandparents claim you, it will create problems for both returns. Also, as a dependent with income, you'll need to file your own return - your grandparents can't include your income on their return.

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