Plain-English guides to the forms and taxes that confuse everyone
Easy Guides turns confusing government forms and tax topics into clear, plain-English guides — each one paired with a free interactive tool that does the part you would otherwise dread.
Start with your situation
Not sure which forms you need? Take the 10-second quiz, or pick what's happening in your life.
Which form do I need? Take the quiz →
Starting a side hustle
EIN, W-9, 1099 and quarterly taxes — in order.
Going full-time freelance
Your self-employment tax roadmap from day one.
Starting your first job
W-4, I-9 and W-2 — the forms you'll fill out.
Hiring a contractor
Collect a W-9, issue a 1099, do it right.
Filing your taxes
What to gather depending on how you earned.
Which form is which?
Compare W-2, W-4, W-9, 1099, I-9 and EIN.
Our guides
Nine focused sites, one for each form or topic. Pick the one you need.
W-4 Easy Guide
Fill out your W-4 and set your tax withholding so you are not surprised in April.
Extra-withholding helperw4easyguide.com →W-2 Easy Guide
Understand every box on your W-2, from wages to Box 12 codes.
W-2 box decoderw2easyguide.com →Paycheck Easy Guide
See where every dollar of your paycheck goes, from gross pay to take-home.
Take-home paycheck calculatorpaycheckeasyguide.com →1099 Easy Guide
Taxes for freelancers, contractors, and gig workers, without the jargon.
Self-employment tax calculator1099easyguide.com →Estimated Tax Easy Guide
Quarterly estimated taxes made simple, with the safe-harbor rule that avoids penalties.
Safe-harbor calculatorestimatedtaxeasyguide.com →W-9 Easy Guide
Fill out a W-9 correctly, and know who actually needs to send one.
Step-by-step guidew9easyguide.com →EIN Easy Guide
Get your EIN from the IRS at no cost, and steer clear of the look-alike paid sites.
Free vs paid guideeineasyguide.com →LLC Easy Guide
Whether you need an LLC, what it costs in your state, and if an S corp would really save you money.
S corp tax calculatorllceasyguide.com →SSA Easy Guide
When to claim Social Security, what waiting is worth, and the spousal and survivor rules that decide it.
Claiming age calculatorssaeasyguide.com →FAFSA Easy Guide
Apply for federal student aid with confidence, and never miss your state deadline.
State-deadline lookupfafsaeasyguide.com →I-9 Easy Guide
Employment eligibility verification, explained for both employees and employers.
Acceptable-documents pickeri9easyguide.com →How we work
Why you can trust what you read here.
Official sources only
When we state a number — a deadline, a rate, a limit — it comes from the official source for the stated year (IRS.gov, StudentAid.gov, USCIS.gov), not from another website.
Plain English, then a tool
Every guide explains the form in plain language, then hands you a free interactive tool that does the calculation or decision for you. Nothing you enter is saved.
Educational, not advice
Our guides are general educational content, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and we are not affiliated with the IRS or any government agency.