It’s tax season! Read on for tips on how to use one of our popular tax activities to teach your students how to file their taxes. 

CALCULATE: Completing the 1040 is an activity in the NGPF taxes unit. Students complete a 1040 form for character personas with a variety of personal situations (dependent vs independent, part-time vs full-time, etc). Students will calculate who gets a refund, who owes taxes, and what amounts. 

And just like in real life, they’re not done once they’ve completed the form. Students then get “audited” by reviewing each other’s calculations and discussing any errors found. This activity is available in both English and Spanish.

Before using the activity for one of your lessons, you’ll need to make a few decisions:

1. Decide if you want students to complete all 5 individual scenarios on their own
2. Decide if you want students to complete the 1040 Form on paper or electronically
3. Find a way to enable students to access multiple links in the activity document (W-2 Forms, Tax Tables)

Here are tips from other teachers who attended the January conference session about this activity: 

Want to get more tips on this activity as well as supplemental resources?

Come to the virtual PD this week with Amanda, Activity Spotlight: Completing the 1040 on Monday, February 6 at 4 p.m. Pacific / 7 p.m. Eastern. 

Can’t make the PD? The NGPF On-Demand module "Tackling the 1040" will brush up your content knowledge on this important tax form.

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.