A woman claiming to make six figures and is a “responsible adult” claims she owes $26,000 in taxes this year—and she’s aghast at the system making that her reality.
The TikTok video documenting the anxious reaction comes from creator West Coast Fairy (@_westcoastfairy), who has attracted more than 463,500 views since posting her confession on Saturday.
She begins by explaining that she’s at a “complete loss” and adding, “I literally can’t breathe” before explaining her predicament.
“I’m literally filing my taxes,” she said. “I have done everything right. I needed to earn six figures. I made it there. I worked so hard.”
Despite working with an accountant, she determines that she owes about $18,000 in federal taxes and about another $7,000 to $8,000 in state taxes. She also points out, “And the out-of-pocket costs that I paid for health insurance, which is around, let’s say, $10,000 for the year, doesn’t count. None of that counts.”
That’s despite her claim that “I make sure to put away the exact taxes I was told to put away.”
She also shared, “And now I’m owing taxes—more than I owe in student loans, which I still have to pay, because America refuses to forgive.”
A number of sources, including CNBC, note that the tax rate for single filers making $100,000 (and slightly more) is 22%, but a taxpayer can also take a standard or itemized deduction which lowers the person’s tax bill. Additional taxes can also be associated with being a 1099 employee, which might explain her situation, though she didn’t specify how she was being paid.
Commenters effectively said, “Welcome to the club.”
“We all pay around 30% and we make much less,” one pointed out. “It’s also taken before we even touch it. You gotta read the room boo. Get on a payment plan & set aside 30% for next year. You’ll be fine.”
Someone else added, “You have to put away 30% for taxes love.”
@_westcoastfairy Replying to @CamilleMichellee ♬ original sound – WestCoastFairy
Another noted, calculating the federal taxes, “18,000 on $100,000 salary?! Sounds like a bargain.”
Someone offered additional advice, saying, “Self-employed person here: Reduce your taxable income by maxing out expenses, investing in a retirement plan, getting an health hsa etc.”
She did respond to one allegation about her not expecting to pay taxes in a follow-up video, but that just led to more criticism—including one irked by her repeated invoking of making six figures.
“Wait? How much do you make?” that person cracked. “I forget. Was it 5 figures?”
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok direct message.