Do you pay to have your taxes done?

[gakline]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I have my mom do them. She loves reading all that stuff, seriously. I think she uses some software too. She waits for the sales and rebates and buys the software fairly cheap.

[shelbylovesmelby]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

we just buy turbo tax & call it a day. We went to h&r block because of issues w/ me loosing my job. But it was like $300 for them to prepare our taxes & I paid like $35 & did them myself.

GB TURBO TAX!

[lrjohnson]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I do the 1040 EZ myself; single, only earnings, no kids, no special deductions I think. One year I did a 1040 and itemized just to see if I was missaing anything, but I didn't have education/medical/mortgage or other costs that would make it worth it. If it got more complicated I would probably still try myself, or get software.

[CRFSaver]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I have a sister that is a tax consultant... guess who does my taxes?

[StressLess]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

Have never paid to get ours done, even the 3 years when I had my little online business. I did ask my mother's tax lady one question about figuring inventory, that's about it. I don't know, I saw my dad do my parents' every year when I was growing up, and when I got my first job it just seemed the natural, grown-up thing to do my own. (With instruction from DDad the first few years.) Felt like a badge of honor, like getting your driver's license or something.

Last year I did use tax software, sort of. Did you know you can do your taxes online for free, through the IRS website? The one we used was H&R Block, and it worked fine (although slowly, with a dial-up modem.) Here is a link to a page about it: http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html

DMom has paid to have hers done ever since my dad and other relatives died, and she had estate issues. But what gets me is, at this point she is paying the tax person several hundred dollars to plug numbers into forms. The really hard work, like figuring the cost basis on stocks she's owned for 40 years (and have split several times), we have to do ourselves. Meaning, at this point, me rather than my mom. And, every single tax preparer has made mistakes one time or another. I can make mistakes myself, for nothing! I can't see where I will EVER pay anyone to do them, unless I'm severely ill or something.

[abowers]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I've done my own taxes since 1999, when I got my first real job in High School. I've dealt with multiple w2s before, and income from some serious babysitting where i haven't had w2's, but this year I get to do my taxes for TWO states. I still plan on doing it myself. It will be interesting. I lived in NY through mid-july, then moved to NJ. Also I get to claim the tax I paid on my new car in October in place of NJ sales tax. This is also something new. It will be a learning experience!

[Optsol]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I have a small business, so mine are a slight nuisance. I used to be afraid of missing deductions, or fearing that I was over-deducting.

So now I do the 'every other year' approach with a professional. I feel up-to-date, and going every other year is like getting 50% off

[dealsaver]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I do my own taxes as well as some family member's taxes. I wouldn't trust someone to do my own taxes. I would just end up doing them myself anyways to make sure they didn't mess anything up.

[AntiCost]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I used to do my own taxes when I was single and all I had to deal with was the 1040EZ.. Nowadays I'm self-employed and married, which adds some complication into that..

I pay an Accountant to take care of my finances now (~ $150 year for my wife and I). CPA's are always well versed on the tax laws and what you are eligible for.

Most local accountants will give you a better price then the large national firms. Once again, this is something you can shop around for.

It's all a comfort & patience factor...

[Fern]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

Yes, have done so for years, but he's really too expensive...$250.

This year will try to do on my own. T. Rowe Price has a free Turbo Tax software you can download now so will try to do on my own.

[PRICEPLUS]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

We do our taxes ourselves.

[rob62521]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I used to do our taxes until my husband and his brother inherited some farm land, so we now pay to have them done. The place we go to gives us a small discount each year since we had them do it the previous year. It does cost a bit, but they have all the forms and getting forms around here is next to impossible! Our library and post office has the basic forms for this and that, but getting specialized forms is like pulling teeth. Fortunately we never procrastinated, but...Now we just have someone else do them, check them and get on with our lives.

[BillsGirl]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I did before I married my husband..... now he does all that stuff!

[contrary1]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

Definately an expense I find on my NEED list. I have even stumped my tax person. I had a great guy, but he went & died!!! So, I've had to find someone new this past year & she and I are still disagreeing about my taxes/income & requirements.
Mine are a mess ...........complicated & convoluted.
Maybe as my life gets more settled & routine.........I'll be brave like some of you & try one of the programs here on my PC. But, not now!!!

[cheapbastard]

Re: Do you pay to have your taxes done?

I do my own taxes and have always done my own taxes. I am too cheap to pay someone else to do it. Last year got $7500 for a refund and I was quite pleased with that, but there is always the possibility that I could get more back. I go over the forms and instructions carefully and I don't believe that I am missing anything. I am interested in tax software, I may have to look into that next year.