Most helpful books or authors for learning US income tax basics?

Thanks for these suggestions! Would you say Lasser's book is suitable for complete beginners? I know literally nothing about taxes beyond filling out a basic 1040 with TurboTax. Also, is there anything specifically for understanding self-employment taxes? That's actually my main confusion point.

Lasser's book is definitely beginner-friendly - it's designed to be accessible while still covering everything in detail. Each section starts with basic concepts before diving deeper, so you can ease into the more complex topics. For self-employment taxes specifically, I'd recommend "Small Business Taxes Made Easy" by Eva Rosenberg (also known as TaxMama). It covers Schedule C, self-employment tax calculations, estimated payments, and business deductions in a very practical, easy-to-follow format. The book includes lots of examples that make the concepts much clearer than just reading IRS publications.

Does it just explain concepts or does it actually help with filing too? I need both understanding AND help completing my actual tax forms correctly.

How does it compare to books? I'm kinda old school and like having physical references I can highlight and tab up. Does this AI thing give comprehensive knowledge or just answers to specific questions?

It primarily focuses on explaining concepts and answering your specific questions rather than filing your taxes for you. It's more like an educational tool that helps you understand your tax situation, but you'd still need to use tax software or hire a professional for the actual filing. The difference from books is that it's personalized to your specific situation when you upload documents, while books give more general knowledge. It's great for getting answers to your exact questions without having to flip through hundreds of pages. That said, I still keep a reference book handy - they complement each other well.

Wait, how does this service actually work? The IRS phone system is notorious for long waits - how does this magically get you through faster? Seems too good to be true.

This sounds like a scam tbh. Nobody can magically skip the IRS phone queues. If this actually worked, everyone would be using it and the "trick" would stop working immediately.

The service basically automates the calling and waiting process. It uses technology to continuously call the IRS and navigate the phone tree for you, then alerts you once it's about to connect with a human agent. You're not skipping the queue - the service is just waiting in line for you so you don't have to sit there with a phone to your ear for hours. It's definitely not a scam - it's just automating what would be an incredibly tedious process. Think of it like having someone stand in a physical line for you, then texting when they're near the front so you can take their place. The IRS still handles the same call volume, you just don't personally have to waste hours waiting.

I tried reading those and found them nearly impossible to understand. The language is so technical and full of references to other publications and tax code sections. How do you actually make sense of them?

You're right that they can be challenging to read straight through. The trick is to use them as reference materials rather than learning guides. Start with a more approachable book that gives you the concepts, then use the IRS publications to verify specific details. I usually read a chapter in something like Lasser's book first to understand the concept, then check the relevant IRS publication for the official rules. Also, the IRS has improved some of their publications with examples and plain language sections - the newest versions of Publication 17 are much more readable than they used to be.

That's actually a textbook used in professional tax planning courses - probably overkill if you're just looking to understand personal taxes better. It's very thorough but focuses more on tax planning strategies than basic understanding. Unless you're pursuing a career in tax planning or already have a solid foundation, I'd start with something more accessible.