This year, my income from this job is $30,096 based on my 2021 W-2. I owe $500.00 in taxes this year; mostly Federal. I just don't know where I missed the mark. Last year, I got a return of nearly $1800. My circumstances then was that whilst I still worked for the same company, I was being paid through a staffing agency for a majority of that year up until September 2020 when I chose permanency.
Filing seemed so much easier last tax season. For 2021, the only deductions I have are for the $73 student loan interest paid. Nothing much changed for 2020. There aren't any other deductions, I don't think.
With that being said, I want to figure out how to understand what my stub is telling me and what I need to do to maximize what I can receive (or owe as little as possible on a return). I also don't want too much to come out of my take-home pay as I'm already not making a lot anyway. I always file single and I never claim (nor do I have) dependents.
I'm rather young and new to the game so any support is appreciated. Adulting is hard and I'm figuring this out alone.
I attached my recent stub and censored out any sensitive info if it's helpful.
