Getting started#

Taxcalc-Payroll packages are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers that have the free Anaconda Python 3.7, 3.8, or 3.9 distribution installed. You can use Taxcalc-Payroll without doing any Python programming, but the Anaconda distribution is required for Taxcalc-Payroll to run. Take the following four steps to get started.

Install Anaconda Python#

Download and install the free Anaconda distribution of Python from Anaconda. You must do this even if you already have Python installed on your computer, because the Anaconda distribution contains all the additional Python packages that Taxcalc-Payroll uses to conduct its calculations (many of which are not included in other Python installations). You can install the Anaconda distribution without having administrative privileges on your computer and the Anaconda distribution will not interfere with any Python installation that came as part of your computer’s operating system.

Download Taxcalc-Payroll package#

Download the Taxcalc-Payroll taxcalcpayroll package for your computer:

Firstly, download the repo from github.

Then go to the Taxcalc-Payroll directory, and excute the command pip install -e .

Become a registered GitHub user#

Open a free GitHub account so that you can communicate with Taxcalc-Payroll developers. This is by far the easiest way to ask questions, make suggestions, or report bugs. Not only does this put you into direct contact with Taxcalc-Payroll developers, it allows the community of more experienced users, all of whom are watching the Taxcalc-Payroll GitHub repository, to answer your questions. You can create an account at the Join GitHub webpage. And then you can specify how you want to “watch” the Taxcalc-Payroll repository by clicking on the Watch button in the upper-right corner of the Taxcalc-Payroll main page.

Read Taxcalc-Payroll user guide#

Read the User guide about how to conduct tax analysis with Taxcalc-Payroll two different ways: (a) without doing any computer programming, or (b) by writing Python programs. Then after reading the Structural overview, you will be in a position to do any of the following:

  1. If you want to ask a question, create a new issue posing your question about Taxcalc-Payroll as clearly as possible.

  2. If you want to request an enhancement, create a new issue providing details on what you think should be added to Taxcalc-Payroll.

  3. If you want to report a bug, create a new issue providing details on what you think is wrong with Taxcalc-Payroll. An ideal bug report demonstrates for a single filing unit that a Taxcalc-Payroll result is not the same as what you get when filling out the relevant IRS tax form.

  4. If you want to propose code changes, follow the directions in the Contributor guide on how to fork and clone the Taxcalc-Payroll git repository. Before developing any code changes, be sure to read completely the contributor guide.