do you do your own taxes?

[Pipkitty]

I am planning to do my own taxes this year using software designed for that purpose. Has any one done their taxes this way. were your experiences good ?

[SouthDakotaSherry]

We have done our own taxes for the last four years with Turbo Tax. Having paid H & R Block, I LOVE Turbo Tax. It is easy. It prompts you for everything. It knew things like the credit I get as a teacher. I did it myself the first year and my husband has been doing it for us since. You will not have a problem.

Good luck!

[YellowRoseTex]

We have a CPA as dh has a side business and we have some stock. The stock forms can be very complicated and we want to be sure that we take all our deductions for his business. It's worth the dollars for peace of mind.

[Canadian Girl]

I've been doing my own taxes, and that of my family, ever since I moved in with DH, in 1989. Before that, my dad used to do them for me: he was very, very good at it and was doing that of a lot of people :)

One year, my MIL got antsy and go hers done by an acquaintance of DH's aunt :rolleyes: She paid $35.00 to get them done, the return wasn't on warranty and she ended up paying more than expected because the girl had made a mistake. Since I don't charge her and never was that she now doesn't mind that I sometimes take a little longer than she expects :)

I do them the good old way: on paper.

[NotTheOtter]

I am a bookkeeper and I have done it the old fashioned way but I too love Turbo Tax - definitely worth the money.

[Kate]

I've used Turbo Tax for the 3rd time. I LOVE it! It makes it very simple and asks you every question in book. It figures up everything for you, too. I had to do the expanded version due to some self employment stuff and it was easy as pie! I highly recommend it.

[MalteseJane]

We have a small business and I do both, the personal and business taxes myself the old fashion way on paper. Turbo tax would not save me any money and I bet my taxes are done quicker by hand then by software. Now if I had something complicated like stocks, I would go to a CPA.

[sagespot]

I've been doing my own taxes since I was 16. (My father worked for the IRS, so it was kind of a part of "becoming an adult" in our house.) With the exception of one year when I got married, started University, bought a home, and inherited some funds (all those things just seemed a bit much to calculate.)

For the past three years I've been using the online software available from TaxAct.com. Its quite easy to understand and has allowed me to learn about a ton of things to deduct each year!

The software can be downloaded to your home computer, or you can fill out the information online. This year I did attempt to use H&R Blocks online software, but to be honest, I found it to be a touch more complicated as TaxAct.

Sage

[babsRN]

Yeah...1040-EZ all the way for me. I don't have enough deductible expenses to make up the difference in the standard deduction. I'm done in 5 minutes and I'm actually getting money back this year!

[PositivelyMental]

I have used TaxCut for years now and love, love, love it! Before that, did taxes by hand. Our taxes are fairly complex so I use the deluxe version.

Here's a thought for the first year .. use the software and then have a CPA review your stuff. If your documentation is organized, it should not take long to do the review and the cost should be reasonable. Make sure you ask about cost, first.

Good luck!

[AgingGracefully]

I used Tax cut for a number of years, and didn't have any problems. I suppose because the deductions were fairly straightforward. Last year though I finished them and just felt they weren't right. I made an appt with H&R Block and ended up with a big refund. I am going back to them this year-I moved, bought a house, got a divorce, have kids in college etc etc....
Maybe next year I will do it my self.
Kathy

[Shebop020107]

Hi, I have done my own taxes for years using Turbotax (there are lots of others - some are free - taxact.com comes to mind). Information on anything you need can be found through the Irs website (www.irs.gov). My only advice is that if typically have a complicated tax return (lots of extra forms) or have had allot of changes financially in the last year you may want to have it reviewed by a tax professional.

Do some searching on the web - there are forums available to answer questions. I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have if I can!

[batgirl9923]

When I was single, I always went to H & R Block to have my taxes done. I am not the best person at math... :)

Now that I am married, my husband does our taxes since we use the 1040 EZ form.

[NeNe]

I am planning on doing my taxes on line this year for the first time. What I don't know about is, what do you do with your w2s? Do you mail them in or do you keep them????? Couldn't find answers online.

[NeNe]

I have a son in the Marines. He is stationed in Quantico, Va. He is a Second Lt. in the Military Police. He hasn't made it out of the states and I hope he doesn't but he wants to go. I'm afraid if he has a chance to he will volunteer to go to Iraq.

I know he has a job to do but as a mother it scares me. He tells me that is it is his job and that I shouldn't worry about it and if something happens to him then he died serving his country and that is what he wants to do.

Does anyone out there have this situation?

[triplej2676]

i have used turbo tax for years now and i love it. it keeps getting better every year. i buy it from sam's club for $8 less than what it sells for online or at other stores. two or three of my very good friends have me prepare their taxes for them every year and they are always thrilled with their refund and how easy it is! i have done taxes on paper with a calculator and a pencil and if you can read, you can do your taxes. don't be overwhelmed... the guide is very self-explanatory and simple. IF you have complicated taxes, which most people do NOT, then you should have some professional help from an accountant or tax prep expert. otherwise, you can do them yourself and save at least 80 bucks.

[Punkybird]

Man if only I knew how many taxes I have done. Probably 1500 over the course of time I worked do income tax. Now I'm going into public accounting and articling as a CA (same as CPA in US). So I see taxes dancing in my head and tax law ---- so much tax law.
At home I use Taxwiz. I don't know if they have it in the States, but its cheap ($20) and can do up to 5 returns over $25000 annual income and unlimited under that amount. So family, friends etc. Some pay other are gratious.
Even stock don't scare me :).

[KyaMia]

I have also done my own taxes since I was 16. Turbo tax for the web is free to use and very easy. I also do others taxes as well. It's a great money saver, and it's really not that difficult. Every year Turbo Tax gets better and better.

[Pipkitty]

Thanks girls, for all the comments. I just filed my return today and I did it myself! I used TaxAct, which was suggested by one of my co workers. I am getting a better refund this year and it is because I did it myself.

[Seashell]

I like numbers, but tax forms -- a lot too confusing. (I'm finding that as I age I have less and less patience.) So a taxman does mine.

And I know the taxman -- the IRS Commissioner. He and his wife lived in Chicago in the late '80s - early '90s. I was his wife's secretary.

[purplecat]

hi i have done my own taxes on the internet at turbo tax or tax act. it is so easy and is mostly free. i watched people at h & r block do their taxes. all you do is fill in the blanks and type just like them. i did my mother in laws and a friends also. we went to h and r they wanted $210.00 i walked out and went home and did them myself

[Autumn Moon]

I have used QuickTax for the past 4 years now because I can get it through work.
My FIL does it both with QuickTax and on paper...just to make sure it all works

[tinkerbell]

My hubby & I have done our taxes together with the Turbo Tax program for the last 2 years. It's SO much better than paying our old tax guy to do them, and it's really pretty easy, too! We can get it all done in our jammies (I think ANYTHING you can do in your jammies is a GOOD thing!), and we always have our taxes DONE before anyone else we know. YAY Turbo Tax!

[DJAKoala]

Absolutely not. I have a professional prepare everything. My husband and I submit all needed, to confusing with all the itimizing.
Debbie

[Jojo]

I have always done our taxes. It was always fun for me figuring out all those forms. The last three years though, I have used TaxAct, it is so easy to use and go back to double check and change things if need be.

Jojo

[joyinaz]

We have used TAX ACT for a while now. It is very straight forward and easy. It is cheap and we got out money within 7 days.

[cancaz]

I used TurboTax for the first time this year...it was great!

Question, though, for all the frequent users: Do I have to buy the TurboTax program every year? Or do I re-use the one I have used that is on my computer?
Does that question make sense?!

[Digitizingqueen]

I used Turbo tax this year (Used it in the past) then went back to doing taxes by hand (I have done my own taxes since I started working) actully working towards an accounting degree and plan on becomeing a CPA at some point....still need several credit hours, I have odne taxes with a small bussiness and depriciation and pretty much anything you can throw at me (used to get the package x from the IRS) Turbo tax does the math for you which is really cool and you cna update it to include the latest changes in the tx laws, you do have to buy it every year because the laws will change every year... I used this years to figure out an estimate of what will be gotten back for me and for my Ex... pretty accurate from past expirence...

[shannanigans]

h&r block is good.. that's where we go also since i'm an accountant and too lazy to do our own :p

[LuvMaui]

Yes. We do our own taxes. Sometimes I get a little worried that we are not aware of all the laws and requirements. I pray we don't get audited. :(

[Carmen]

Yes, I do...and, not very accurately, it seems! :o

A few weeks ago, I received a check in the mail from the IRS...a little over $400.00. A letter explained that, if I had filled out a "worksheet" regarding my 2007 return (something about about Capital Gains and Losses), I would have had a lower tax rate. (I had just determined my tax from the general Tax Tables.) Anyhow, the IRS figured out the lower tax for me...and Voila! I got a little windfall! :)

I thought that was really decent of the IRS. :signgoodj

[LuvMaui]

CARMEN:

YOU ARE SO LUCKY!!! I recently got a letter from the IRS saying I owed them an additional $20,000. :eek: I just about had a heart attack. Turns out neglected to file a Capitol Gains schedule that was required. GOOD NEWS.. We don't owe the $20,000. I would have much prefered to receive a letter like the one you got. :rolleyes: