How do I figure what my salary would be after taxes. I'm a single person. If I made 38k what would I get after taxes? (Before taxes is gross and after is net, right?) I know on a w2 SS is a deduction of aprox 7.5%. (7.5% of $100 is $7.5 right?)

There's a reason people pay accountants to do their taxes, motcha. It depends which state you live in and a gazillion other factors.

Don't try to do it like that. Either buy a program or go to an actual accountant.

Go to an accountant...don't buy a program.

(They pay for themselves).

Your taxable income is any money you earned (wages, interest, real estate, etc) less your standard deduction (5,000 in 2005 for a single person) or itemized deductions (charity, medical expenses, local income taxes, etc), whichever is higher.

You can figure out your tax by using the tax tables.

I'm not trying to do my taxes. Its just that I'm getting 2k a month tutoring. I'm wondering how much more 38k working for the city will be after taxes. I'm in NYC. I don't think I have any real deductions. Will a good acountant really get my good legit deductions?

just send all your money to uncle sam and have him send you any change

My advice: Take the job working for the city and do tutoring at night. You'll do just fine.

But its basically the same amount of money (not counting benefits. And I might be able to get health care from where I tutor.) I dont just tutor at night. I do it by day too.

take the city job if you want good benefits, not just health you gotta think about after when you will want to retire

You have to pay taxes on your tutoring income as well, you know...

How does that work? 1099?

Depends on if you're doing it through a service. Otherwise it's like expecting a babysitter or a cleaning lady or a music teacher to pay taxes. When there's a private arrangement between two people (not involving a business) that involves the exchange of money for a service, there's no reason to involve the gov. Unless you enjoy giving away your money.

How much vacation does a civil service job get? Aside from the legal holidays, do you get a week or two? What do most jobs get?

Or enjoy obeying the law. Especially since dina d'malchusa dina, as I'm sure you know. I haven't checked it recently, but the last time I checked the dictionary, "a private arrangement between two people that involves the exchange of money for service" is a "business" transaction.

How would I even go about reporting babysitting money? It doesn't really apply anymore since I don't babysit as much as I used to but still. I'm curious.

You'd probably use a Schedule C for tutoring/babysitting income.

If babysitting was your only income and you made less than $6,000 annually you don't have to pay any taxes, iirc. Legally, you are supposed to report it, though, if you made more than $600 annually (iirc).

Well, of course if your total income is less than your standard deduction, you're not paying any taxes....

Right. I'm just guessing that Brianna, as a full-time student holding odd babysitting jobs, would not have had to pay taxes anyway.

What she said. Same for most (all?) self-employment income.


Yes, after reading about the swinging-related activities that she witnessed in the course of her job, "odd" would be a good choice of word.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

On another note...Cookie Monster obey law. Jail no have cookies.

Why don't you see if you're offered the job first, and then evaluate the pros and cons.
Even if you start off at 38k, that's not going to be your salary forever. The good thing about these types of jobs is that performance doesn't really matter - your salary is automatically raised every few years.

Keep in mind that most working people in the US generally get 2 weeks vacation each year, and are able to survive quite well with that.

Don't you want to retire eventually? Chances are, the civil service job has some type of retirement plan. That's something important to think about.

Right now I want to just tutor. But I'm 35. Thats crazy. You can't tell a girl you tutor. You need a real job with a future. The civil service job has a future of up to 56k and benefits. Thats something with substance. If you make 40 and she makes 40 you got 80k. Everyone says, a frum person needs 150k with tuition these days ... Well I don't see myself making 150k. I'll be happy at 38k. Had I been a teacher this year I'd have made 42k. And this civil service job just requires a BA. Other civil service jobs want experience. I keep going back and forth in my head but right now I hope I get the civil service job. Thats respectable enough for dating, right?
Maybe I'll become a magid shiur when I retire. I actually know someone who did that. It was in a yeshiva that didn't mind that he had been a baal habas. not too many like those around here. But my yeshiva is very luke warm on college yet they are giving me these tutoring jobs. And they are very nice to me. Its making me get over some of the stuff I didn't like as a bochur.

It's not just crazy, it's also irresponsible, immature, stupid and selfish.

I'm not a full time student anymore. I finished my associates and plan to continue in January. Now I make approx $26K with my full time job, about $3K babysitting.


When I found out about that I quit, you know. It's not like I asked to be put in that situation.

Civil service is fabulous benefits, pension, and vacation time. Don't know about the city but in the feds you can get up to 4 weeks, you accumulate more time each year. Those benefits are worth a lot on top of your salary. Few companies pay into your pension the way government does and you'll pay almost nothing for your health insurance.

Because of state and city taxes it's hard to work out exactly what you will pay from the tax tables; I'd guess around 30% total.

You're Jewish, don't you have a cousin who's a CPA?

That will be me soon

My grandma is my CPA and financial advisor.

This is getting out of hand. Its disgusting. If I point out such posts to the moderator can a person be banned for talking like this? Or should we just ignore it? It destroys the trust we have here which is so vital for us to carry on discussions.
Goldfish, you should be ashamed of yourself. If you have any familliarity with my posts you will know that I grapple with depresion and anxiety and take medication. You will know that I got a degree and tried twice to teach but that I emotionally couldn't handle the job. If you can't understand that then you should learn some rachmanus and to be dan people lkaf zchus. You should learn from all the other people on this site (I'm afraid to list them because the list is so long I might forget someone) who help build me up not tear people down. I want to thank everyone here who has so graciously given me advise.

Sort of like your comment I'd say.

You know, I was thinking. Was I just as rude with my anti Lubavitch comments? I hope not. But I never ridiculed a poster, just vehemently decried an idea.

But you can't see your whole future now either. Nobody gets married and has a couple of kids and a huge tuition bill overnight, so you really shouldn't be worrying about that now. Give yourself time to worry about things like that and concentrate only on your immediate future.

I have no familiarity with your posts.

I only read that you're 35, you want to date and get married but you don't have a job that pays anything decent. I told my friend about what you wrote and she said she'd never want to set you up with anyone she knows because of it.

Now that I know about your issues I will be more sensitive. In a way. I know a number of people who have been abused, struggled with depression, and were on the brink of suicide. I never thought that coddling was the answer to their problems or anyone else's.

Motcha, I wouldn't be adverse to the idea of marrying someone who makes less money than I do. Assuming I get married when I finish school, get a good job etc.

OK. I'm not asking for coddling. I'm talking about understanding. Like I said, I had to resign twice from teaching. And both times I managed to get hired in the best schools in the city. (How many NYC public schools do you know without discipline problems? I was hired in two.) But if someone can't handle something its not coddling to recognise it. I wasn't happy about just tutoring. But as my therapist pointed out. You just got yourself 20k a year worth of tutoring in a week. Thats responsible and admirable.
Frum people are so judgemental. They don't understand people's emotional issues. I like the way non Jews aproach it. I posted how teaching wasn't working for me on a high level academic discussion board and I got understanding people from throughout the country offering me free help! And I explained to them how my problem was anxiety and depresion to one person who is an educational consultant and trained teachers for many years. He didn't say, well you are a loser, good bye. He said that he understrood why first year teaching would be beyond my "comfort level," and that I should deal with that by paying someone to mentor me daily. Another guy told me how he also takes medicine and he is a career trainer and will help me figure out what job I can handle. Most of you on h.com have been great. By I think frum people tend toward the "give him a good kick in the behind" aproach that is implied by the "coddling was never the answer" line. No one is talking about coddling.


So like if the guy made 35k as a travel agent but he was a nice, sensative guy etc you'd be happy with it.

Motcha, you crack me up. How many times you want us to tell you that? You should start a topic asking all those who think it possible for you to marry to sign, so you will know for sure.

Should I make a poll?

Nice? Sensitive? Did you read my list on the perfect guy thread at ALL? If the guy was a travel agent and only took home 35K but got perks it wouldn't get in the way.

I'll go read it.

Go for it and may the force be with you.

Judgmental has nothing to do with it. Are you going to a therapist that challenges you? Are you taking medications that work? Are you doing the homework your therapist assigns to you? To me, if the answer to any of those things is no then you are not doing your part in helping yourself.

Again, I have seen people struggle with mental illnesses for years -- and how much that struggle was compounded by self-defeating thoughts and behaviors.

If someone had cancer you'd want to treat it agressively as possible, why should a mental illness be any different than a physical illness?

[quote name='Goldfish' date='Oct 23 2006, 09:05 AM' post='684895']
Judgmental has nothing to do with it. Are you going to a therapist that challenges you? Are you taking medications that work? Are you doing the homework your therapist assigns to you? To me, if the answer to any of those things is no then you are not doing your part in helping yourself.
[/quote] yes yes yes though I'm not sure I know what you mean by a therapist that chalanges you. I prefer therapists that understand you and treat you respectfully. I don't go to therapy to be challanged. I go to ask questions and get good advice and perspective, encouragement and the like. I challange myself pretty much.
You want to talk about challange. I'll tell you what challange is. Challange is resigning from a job after a week from anxiety and going back and attempting the same job in another place a few months later even though you failed the first time. Thats what I did in September. That was bravery. Challange is taking meds and going to therapy even though the frum community doesn't get it like the goyim and fryer do and screw you when it comes to getting married. (Gee I'm feeling angry ) Where do you come off asking me if I am doing my part to get better. Don't insult me by using the words stupid and iresponsible when you don't even know my situation. Challange is asking questions about jobs on this site when you know someone might mock you like you did.
[quote]
Again, I have seen people struggle with mental illnesses for years -- and how much that struggle was compounded by self-defeating thoughts and behaviors.
[/quote]
I'm not in the mood to go through a whole depression thread which we have done so many times on h.com but I don't know if I would say the struggle is compounded by self-defeating thoughts and behaviors. I think the self-defeating thoughts at least, are an intrinsic part of the illness. For example, feelings of hopelessness do not make it harder to fight depression. Feelings of hopelessness are depression itself. Therefor, telling someone "if you would be less hopeless you'd be less depressed" is like saying "if you would be less depressed you would be less depressed." And depression can be a condition one is experiencing which should not be blamed upon the person who is experiencing it.
[qoute]If someone had cancer you'd want to treat it agressively as possible, why should a mental illness be any different than a physical illness?
[/quote]
I'm not sure what you mean by different. If by difference you mean why should a depressed person who isn't working to get himself better be more understood than a cancer patient who isn't trying to get better then I disagree. Depression is a distotion in ones thought process, and one that cancer patients don't suffer from (unless they too are depressed.) When a persons thoughts are distorted it is sadly understandable why they might lie in bed all day. You can't say, "what a stupid idiot, of course he's depressed if he lies all day. He must not want to get better. It is his own fault." That is wrong. I hope you have never had a mood disorder. Don't judge a man who has untill you have walked in his shoes. Some people sleep all day because the guilt they feel when awake is unbearable. There is stuff going on in people's heads you could never imagine. And I'm not talking about psychosis.

I agree with motcha.

Thank you. Tommorow I go for open house for civil service job .

Goldfish - don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes ... because then you'll have his shoes and be (safely) a mile away ... but really - you don't know how hard Motcha is working or struggling ... maybe it's a massive accomplishment that he's figuring out how to pay his own taxes for a job he CAN hold and not in a home living off your tax dollars ... you don't know ...

Motcha -- as to Taxes, here are some random points:

1. In general, you'll have federal, state, local + social security taxes.
2. If you don't get health insurance and have substantial medical bills (and it sounds like you might) look into setting up a flexible spending account. This is money you set aside in advance for use in healthcare, and it's completely tax free
3. Your mileage may vary with this ... but if you take a religious teaching job, there is something called parsonage which is for clergy. Most yeshiva Rabbeim get this. Essentially, you'll probably be able to deduct all your living expenses, which could make your entire income mostly tax-free
4. Consider setting up even a small ebay business ... or create an educational website with ads ... or write an article or two and try to get a nominal fee from a local paper. Then, in addition to being a tutor, you can also claim to be an entrepreneur or a writer. I'm not advocating outright deception ... you really will be these things. You can explain the extent of it to the girl once she's met you (and maybe this other thing will take off!) But it might keep some doors open in the dating world if you are "a tutor and a guy who runs a small web business" or something

It's a good thing you pointed this out. I think motcha really likes being unwell and doesnt want to treat it aggressively cuz he wants attention. I mean, how dumb are you!??!?!?!??!

[quote]
maybe it's a massive accomplishment that he's figuring out how to pay his own taxes for a job he CAN hold and not in a home living off your tax dollars ... you don't know ...
[/quote]
Baruch Hashem I have never been near being hospitalised or in a home. I sound bad here but I'm not as bad as I think. Strangely, thats part of my problem. If you saw me you'd never guess that I have all this inner mood stuff.
[quote name='veg' date='Oct 23 2006, 11:10 PM' post='686184']
Motcha -- as to Taxes, here are some random points:

1. In general, you'll have federal, state, local + social security taxes.
2. If you don't get health insurance and have substantial medical bills (and it sounds like you might) look into setting up a flexible spending account. This is money you set aside in advance for use in healthcare, and it's completely tax free
[quote name='veg' date='Oct 23 2006, 11:10 PM' post='686184']
So every penny spent on health is deducted from gross? I didn't know that it was that much.
[quote name='veg' date='Oct 23 2006, 11:10 PM' post='686184']
... I'm not advocating outright deception ... you really will be these things. ...[/quote]
I am way to open with girls about my issues. Overly honest. A gadol said I make it sound worse than it is.

I believe every penny is deducted as long as you set it away in advance into an FSA for uncovered medical expenses. You can only deduct after-the-fact if it's a substantial part of your gross ... it gets stick there ... google "Flexible spending account" for more info. There are problems if you put too much away and then don't need it ... so it's sort of a gamble. But if you have fixed mental-health costs (i.e. you know how often you see your doc and what your meds cost) you've got a definite advantage over all the people trying to guess how many times their kids will get ear infections or something.

As to honesty ... it's a good thing if it's accurate. I was pointing out more that if the shadchanim are blocking you in advance, you can possibly help get the girls foot into your door (or however you want to rework that analogy) if you're finding that simply being a "tutor" makes the shadchanim ignore you.