Income Tax Returns

[Krilons Resa]

Do you guys experience any difference between filing online on your own for a fraction of the cost of going directly to say, H&R Block, and paying over $100 for them to do it? I always wondered if you get more money back if you have some "professional" do it.

Where talking about regular employees here. No business owners, or others that have tons of stuff to claim.

 

[E-bortion]

i am the law

 

[Dark One]

Nope - unless you're going to have a really complicated return and don't feel like organizing all your records, there's really no difference.

Turbo Tax is the best and walks you through every step of the way to make sure you don't miss anything. If you really want to be sure that you don't get nailed for an audit down the road or anything, just buy the audit protection package at the end and it's pretty much 100% peace of mind.

You also don't have to mess with lines, commuting to a tax prep place, their own fees, etc. Unless you have a ton of investments, or run your own business, or work under the table, etc. I can never see the logic of overpaying for something that's so easy to do.

Jason

 

[Demilich]

My mom does my (very simple) return for me

 

[Climb Thar Hill]

Turbo Tax is the best and walks you through every step of the way to make sure you don't miss anything. If you really want to be sure that you don't get nailed for an audit down the road or anything, just buy the audit protection package at the end and it's pretty much 100% peace of mind.

You also don't have to mess with lines, commuting to a tax prep place, their own fees, etc. Unless you have a ton of investments, or run your own business, or work under the table, etc. I can never see the logic of overpaying for something that's so easy to do.

Jason

Jason, someone told me you need to buy a new version of that program every year. Is that true? I'm pondering swinging by Fry's before work to pick up this program.

 

[Dark One]

Jason, someone told me you need to buy a new version of that program every year. Is that true? I'm pondering swinging by Fry's before work to pick up this program.

I don't even mess with buying the software (which yes, pretty much needs to be upgraded each year) - I simply pay the fee each year to do the taxes right online. Easy, simple, fast. www.turbotax.com

 

[Climb Thar Hill]

I don't even mess with buying the software (which yes, pretty much needs to be upgraded each year) - I simply pay the fee each year to do the taxes right online. Easy, simple, fast.

say what? so i dont need the program? i'm a wee bit confuzzled

 

[Dark One]

You can do either or - but I've always chosen the online version. Why even bother going through the installation of software that always needs to be upgraded? Even if in the long run it costs a little less to buy the software on the side, the difference in price isn't that much at all and the convenience of doing it right online is well worth it.

Just go and check it out (I ninja-edited the link above). You don't even have to pay until you're done and you know what your refund is going to be. It's awesome.

 

[Climb Thar Hill]

Oh shiznit, I didn't know they had a free online version. Farkin' cheers, mate!

 

[Dark One]

You got it Mike.

Well.... it *can* be free if all you're filing is the federal return using the 1040 EZ form (which means you're not itemizing your deductions among other more complicated tax issues). Aside from that, it increases in price depending on your needs ($29.99, $49.99 & so forth).

If you need to do your state return, you have to buy the $29.99 & higher packages (which includes the federal).

In Florida, there is no state income tax, so I only have to worry about filing the federal this year.

 

[Krilons Resa]

I can never see the logic of overpaying for something that's so easy to do.

Jason

Exactly.

I just did mine on the H&R Block website. Federal was free and State was $29.95.

Getting back $1700.

 

[Dark One]

Bang: net profit = $1,670.05

 

[Krilons Resa]

Dayum straight.

 

[Ars Magna]

I am always afraid I will do something wrong that will haunt me in, like, 5 years when I'm rich and famous...so I have them done for about $140. With the house, daycare, school, dependents, donations, and, this year, some capital gains taxes, I'm still a little chickenshit. I should just give it a try. Federal prison can't be that bad.

 

[War Ensemble]

We could retitle this thread "Dark One Presents: Tax Tips From The Dark Side"

 

[Dark One]

Indeed....I can feel the force flowing through me....

Oh wait.... that's just a bad burrito. Man, I can't wait until that's a deduction.

 

[EricT]

I still haven't gotten my W2's... 3 more days until I go batshit crazy on some payroll people.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

I'm trying to decide if I want to go through all the bullshit of amassing possible deductions from my musical expenses (the band is a registered LLC).

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

I have no canadian income this year. And Maren's mom works for the tax office, so thats done easy enough too.

 

[General Zod]

Our taxes are a little more complex. We use an accountant. He charges $275, but he's good at what he does. We also have to pay about $2,000 each year (not because of the accountant, but because of how we choose to declare), but that's the way we prefer it.

Zod