Tax Day Simulation
April 2026
🔒 Local Only

🔒 How Your Data Stays Private

Nothing in this app sends data to any server, database, or cloud — including when it's hosted on Netlify, GitHub Pages, Google Drive, or your school's LMS.

What this page is

This is a single static HTML file. There's no backend, no database, no analytics, no tracking. Everything you see is computed by JavaScript running inside your own browser.

What happens when you upload a ClassBank export

The Excel file is read by your browser using JavaScript. The totals are calculated on your device. The file never leaves your computer — it's not uploaded to Netlify, not uploaded anywhere. Close the tab and the data is gone.

What happens when students fill out the form

Their answers live in their own browser. When they hit "Email to Teacher," "Copy My Tax Return," or "Save as PDF," the data goes only to whichever channel you chose — your inbox, their clipboard, or their device. The host never sees it.

Why hosting on Netlify is safe

Netlify (and similar services like GitHub Pages, Vercel, etc.) only deliver this file to whoever loads the URL. They host the static page itself but have no way to peek at what visitors do inside their own browsers. This is the same model as a printable PDF posted to a website — the website doesn't see what someone writes on the printed copy.

Want to verify it yourself?

Open your browser's Network tab (Right-click → Inspect → Network). Then upload your Excel file or fill out the form. You'll see zero outgoing requests — no data leaves your machine.

What it does NOT cover

If a student emails you their tax return, that email goes through whatever email service they use (Gmail, school email, etc.). That's a normal email — separate from this app. Same for "Copy My Tax Return" — once they paste it somewhere, that destination's privacy rules apply.

🍎 Teacher Guide
📝 Student Tax Form
📚 Answer Key
📊 Student Reports

⚙️ Simulation Setup

Configure these settings before starting. They control the numbers used throughout the lesson and on the student form.
Students who save on or before this date file on time. After this date triggers the late fee automatically.
Students will email their finished form here when they hit "Submit to Teacher."

🧪 Try It First!

Before running this with your class, click the Student Tax Form tab above and test it yourself using a sample student's numbers from your ClassBank dashboard. This lets you see exactly what the refund or expense outcome will look like.

💡 Adjusting the Citizen Credit: Every classroom economy is different! The default Citizen Credit is $10, but you should adjust it based on what your students typically earn. Here's a quick guide:

Want most students to get a refund? Set the Citizen Credit higher (e.g. $15–$20). Great for younger students or making the experience feel rewarding.

Want a mix of refunds and expenses? Keep it around $10. Students with lower earnings or more deductions get refunds; higher earners may owe.

Want it to feel more realistic? Set it lower (e.g. $5) so most students owe something — just like most adults. Better for older grades learning real-world tax responsibility.
The best approach: pull up 2–3 sample students in ClassBank, plug their real numbers into the Student Tax Form, and adjust the Citizen Credit until the outcomes feel right for your class. You can always change it above — it updates everything instantly!
🎯 Want a smart recommendation instead of guessing?
Click the 📊 Student Reports tab and upload your ClassBank transactions export. The page will show your class's average gross income and recommend exact tax-rate / citizen-credit combinations for "most refund," "mostly owe," or "mixed" outcomes — with one-click apply buttons that push the numbers right back into Setup. Nothing leaves your computer — the file processes everything in your browser.

🔗 Share with Students

🔒 Hosting on Netlify or another site is safe for student data. The page is one static HTML file with no backend — student form entries live in the student's own browser only. Submissions come back to you through whatever channel you choose (email, Copy/paste, Google Classroom). The host (Netlify, GitHub Pages, your school LMS) never sees student answers.
📄 Print Blank Forms opens your browser's print dialog with a paper-friendly version of the student tax return. Your tax rate, citizen credit, deadline, and other settings are baked in. Step 3 includes step-by-step math instructions so students know how to compute each line by hand. Pick "Save as PDF" in the print destination, then print the PDF or distribute it digitally.

My ClassBank Tax Return

April Tax Day 2026
🏛️
In the real world, everyone who earns income must file their taxes by April 15th. Today you're filing your ClassBank taxes! Look at your ClassBank account, fill in your earnings below, and find out if you get a refund (bonus!) or if you owe taxes (expense).
Tax Rate10%
Citizen Credit$10
Filing Deadline—
Late Fee$15
👤 Your Information
Check your ClassBank dashboard for your job title
Set automatically — you can't change this. It's the real date you're filing.
💰 Step 1: Calculate Your Total Earnings
💡
Open your ClassBank account. Look at your paycheck history and bonus deposits to fill in the amounts below.
Income SourceHow to Find ItAmount ($)
💼 Job Salary (total paychecks received) Add up all your paycheck deposits in ClassBank
🌟 Bonuses Earned Total bonus deposits from your account history
🏦 Savings Interest Any interest earned on your savings
TOTAL GROSS INCOME $0
📋 Step 2: Deductions (Things That Lower Your Tax)
💡
Deductions are amounts subtracted from your income BEFORE calculating tax. This means you pay tax on a smaller number!
DeductionDescriptionAmount ($)
🎁 Charitable Donations Any coins you donated to class causes
📦 Class Supplies Purchased Supplies you bought for classroom use
TOTAL DEDUCTIONS $0
🧮 Step 3: Calculate Your Tax
📝
Doing this on paper? Here's how to compute each line:
  • Line C = Line A − Line B (subtract your deductions from your income)
  • Line E = Line C × 10 ÷ 100 — Example: if Line C is $80 and rate is 10%, then Line E = $80 × 10 ÷ 100 = $8
  • Line G = Line F − Line E . If positive → REFUND!   If negative → YOU OWE.
LineWhat It MeansAmount ($)
A Total Gross Income (from Step 1)
Copy your TOTAL GROSS INCOME from Step 1
 $0
B Total Deductions (from Step 2)
Copy your TOTAL DEDUCTIONS from Step 2
 - $0
C Taxable Income (A minus B)
Subtract: $0 − $0 = ?
 $0
D Tax Rate (set by your teacher)
Use this rate when calculating Line E
 10%
E Tax Owed (C × D)
Multiply: Line C × 10 ÷ 100 = ?
 $0
F Citizen Credit (every participating ClassBank member receives this!)
Already filled in for you — your teacher set this
 $10
G YOUR RESULT (F minus E minus Late Fee)
Subtract: Line F − Line E = ?
 $0
🏦
ClassBank Action: Your teacher will deposit your refund as a bonus or charge your amount owed as an expense in ClassBank. Every student also receives a $10 Citizen Credit just for participating in our economy! If you filed on time, you get a $10 on-time bonus. If you filed late, there's a $15 late filing expense that gets added to your tax bill automatically.
ClassBank Tax Day Simulation • classbank.com
Student Signature: _________________ Date: ___________

Tax Scenario Challenge

Show Your Work
🧠
Read each scenario. Calculate whether the person gets a refund or owes money. Show your math! Your teacher will review the answers together.
⭐
Bonus: Why Do Taxes Exist?

In the real world, the government collects taxes to pay for things everyone uses — like schools, roads, firefighters, and parks. In our classroom, taxes help keep our economy fair and teach us responsibility.

Write 2-3 sentences: What would happen if nobody paid taxes? What couldn't our classroom (or community) afford?

ClassBank Tax Day Simulation • classbank.com
✅ Your tax return has been opened in your email app. Hit Send to submit it to your teacher!
✅ Copied! Now paste it into Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, an email — wherever your teacher told you to submit it.

📚 Teacher Answer Key

A complete reference for the questions on the Student Tax Form. Includes a line-by-line walkthrough of the tax return, full math solutions for every worksheet scenario, and teaching explanations to help you guide the discussion. Everything updates live based on your Setup choices (grade band, tax rate, Citizen Credit, etc.).

🧮 Section 1 — Tax Return Form: Line-by-Line Guide

📝 Section 2 — Worksheet Scenarios: Answers & Explanations

⭐ Section 3 — Bonus Reflection: "Why Do Taxes Exist?"

Discussion Goals

Students should connect the abstract idea of taxes to real, shared things they use every day. Listen for examples that show they understand pooled resources — money everyone contributes a little to, that pays for things no single person could afford alone.

Sample Strong Answers

"If nobody paid taxes, our school wouldn't have books, computers, or even buildings. Police and firefighters wouldn't get paid. Parks would close down. Taxes are how our community pays for everything we share."

"In our classroom, taxes pay for the rewards, supplies, and field trip fund. If nobody contributed, we couldn't afford those things and only the kids who could pay would get them."

Look For

• Mention of shared/public things (schools, roads, fire, police, parks).
• Understanding that taxes pay for things everyone benefits from.
• Connection to fairness — everyone helps a little so everyone gets the benefit.

📊 Student Account Verification

Upload your ClassBank transactions export to get a per-student breakdown of salary, bonuses, expenses, purchases, fines, and refunds — so you can quickly verify the numbers each student wrote on their tax return.

🔒
Student Data Stays on Your Computer
This whole page runs entirely in your browser — even when it's hosted on Netlify or any other site. Your ClassBank Excel file is read on your device, the totals are computed on your device, and nothing gets sent to any server, database, or cloud. No student names, emails, or transaction data ever leave this tab. Close the page and the data is gone. (Want to verify? Open your browser's Network tab while uploading — you'll see zero outgoing requests.)
📥 How to get the file: In your main ClassBank dashboard, click All Transactions (in the blue panel on the left) and hit Export. If you've used ClassBank for multiple years, filter by this school year first — otherwise old data will skew the totals.
📁
Drop your ClassBank .xlsx export here, or click to browse
🔒 Processed locally — nothing uploads.
No data loaded yet. Drop a ClassBank .xlsx export above to get started.