How long did it take you to learn how to do taxes? Still feeling lost at 22

So I've been filing taxes for about 4 years now (since I was 18), but I still feel completely clueless about tax rules and the whole process. I end up paying someone to do my taxes every year because I just don't trust myself to get it right. I'm curious - for those of you who actually understand taxes, how long did it take you to learn? Is it normal to still feel this lost after filing for several years? Sometimes I feel like I should know more by now, but taxes seem so complicated with all the different forms and deductions and credits. My friends act like it's no big deal but I'm just not getting it. Anyone else struggle with this or am I just particularly bad at adulting?

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18 comments

Yara Sayegh

•8M

Don't be too hard on yourself! Tax rules are complicated and constantly changing. I've been doing my own taxes for about 15 years, and I'd say it took me a good 5-6 years before I felt relatively comfortable with the basics. Even now, I still look things up constantly. The key is starting simple and building knowledge over time. When you're young with just a W-2 job, taxes are straightforward. As you add complexity (marriage, house, investments, side gigs), you learn those specific rules as needed. Nobody knows all the tax code - even professionals specialize in different areas. If you want to learn, try doing your taxes yourself using tax software first, then have a professional review it. Compare your results to theirs and ask questions about the differences. That's how I learned!

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Yara Sayegh

•8M

Having someone review rather than prepare from scratch is often cheaper because you're doing the data entry work yourself. Many preparers will do a "review only" for less than full preparation. As for whether it's worth learning, absolutely! Tax software helps tremendously, but it doesn't always ask the right questions or know your specific situation. Understanding the basics helps you know what deductions to look for and when something doesn't seem right. Plus, you'll make better financial decisions year-round when you understand the tax implications.

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Keisha Williams

•8M

I struggled the exact same way until I discovered https://taxr.ai - it was a total game changer for me. I was constantly confused about what deductions I qualified for and was definitely overpaying for years. Last year I used their AI tax expert tool which explained everything in plain English and walked me through the whole process step by step. What's cool is it analyzes your specific situation and explains WHY certain tax rules apply to you specifically, not just generic advice. I finally understood why certain deductions made sense for me while others didn't, and it saved me from making some pretty big mistakes I would've definitely made otherwise.

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Keisha Williams

•8M

It actually handles complex situations really well - that's where it shines compared to basic tax software. The difference is it explains the "why" behind each decision, not just asking you to input numbers. For your situation with W-2 plus freelance and investments, it would specifically help identify deductions for your self-employment income and explain capital gains rules. There's no bait and switch. They're upfront about their pricing model and don't lock your data hostage halfway through or anything sketchy like that. I was skeptical too but was seriously impressed with how much I learned while using it.

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Amina Diallo

•8M

Just wanted to follow up about that taxr.ai site. I was totally skeptical when I posted before but decided to try it out for my taxes this year. Not gonna lie, I'm actually impressed. I've been using TurboTax for years and always just clicked through without understanding anything, but this actually helped me understand WHY I was getting certain deductions. Found out I could deduct some education expenses I had no idea about, and it explained exactly how the student loan interest deduction worked for my situation. Definitely learned more about taxes in one session than in the past 5 years of just blindly filing.

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Oliver Schulz

•8M

If you ever need to call the IRS with questions (which honestly helped me learn a lot), use https://claimyr.com to get through to a real person. I wasted hours on hold before discovering this. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I had some really confusing questions about filing status after my divorce and couldn't find clear answers online. Was dreading calling the IRS because everyone says you'll wait forever. This service got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I spent last time getting nowhere. The agent actually explained everything really clearly and now I finally understand how head of household status works.

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Oliver Schulz

•8M

It uses an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When it reaches an actual agent, it calls you and connects you directly. It's not skipping any lines – you're still in the same queue as everyone else, but you don't have to personally sit on hold listening to that awful music for hours. I was genuinely shocked when it worked too. I figured it was worth trying since waiting on hold forever wasn't working for me anyway. The difference is you can go about your day until they actually find an agent instead of being stuck by your phone for hours.

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AstroAdventurer

•8M

OK I need to eat my words. I tried the Claimyr thing because I had a serious issue with my refund being way less than expected. I was 100% convinced it was a scam but was desperate after trying to call the IRS directly three times and giving up after an hour on hold each time. It actually worked - got a call back about 45 minutes later connected to an IRS agent who explained that my employer had messed up my withholding calculations. The agent helped me figure out exactly what forms I needed to fix the situation. Genuinely surprised this service exists and actually does what it claims.

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Javier Mendoza

•8M

With just one job and student loans, you have a perfect situation to try doing it yourself! It's actually the ideal time to learn because your taxes are relatively straightforward but you'll still learn about education credits and student loan interest deductions. I strongly recommend trying it yourself with a good tax software. You can always decide not to submit if you're uncertain and go back to your tax person. But honestly, you'll probably find it much easier than you expect, and you'll learn a ton about taxes that will benefit you for years.

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