Who does your taxes?

I would never send my tax documents to an unknown, online preparer. We just use a CPA because I’m self-employed and have a separate LLC in addition to my company so it’s too complicated for us to do on our own.

R1 How did you meet your CPA? A listing in the Yellow Pages? Hooked up at a CPA bar?

I've always done my own. But I used to work for the IRS, and I'm also a volunteer tax preparer. At the volunteer site, we use TaxSlayer. For many years, I used the H&RBlock software, but I got fed up with having to pay extra for state returns and for extra Federal e-files. Plus their interface is old and clunky.

My recommendation is FreeTaxUSA. Free for Federal; $15 for state. I've used it for the past two years and it's great. Easy to use.

Do NOT use TurboTax. They spend millions lobbying Congress to keep things complicated and to prevent the government from coming up with its own free filing program. And there's an upcharge for EVERYTHING.

[quote] I used the H&RBlock software, but I got fed up with having to pay extra for state returns and for extra Federal e-files.

You get five free Federal efiles. How many more than one do you need?

I print my state return and mail it. The postage is significantly less than what H&R Block charges to file it.

[quote]Who does your taxes?

This cute guy and his black bears.

[quote] You get five free Federal efiles. How many more than one do you need?

Because of my "expertise," I am called up on by friends and family members to do their taxes as well. Now that I've ditched Block, I do them through the volunteer site. With Block I had to have them cough up $20 for each state return, as well as the extra fee for every e-file past five.

The downside to FreeTaxUSA for doing others' returns is that you have to create an account for each person. I don't do that for other people.

Taxes are due today, 04/17/24 in MA and the guy who's supposed to be preparing my taxes hasn't given me any updates!

Do I have to file for an extension?

I've been using TurboTax for the last 5 years. My taxes are complicated because I trade 1256 contracts (futures) and usually have to pay in along with a penalty. Turbotax forces me to go through the state return but I just look at the final number and then complete using the state website.

I've been using Turbo tax for perhaps 15 years now, except for about 2 years during that time when my tax return was going to be complicated and I wanted expert guidance.

[quote]My recommendation is FreeTaxUSA. Free for Federal; $15 for state. I've used it for the past two years and it's great. Easy to use.

Seconded. It's about $100 less than Turbotax and just as easy to use.

I print out the papers for both IRS and state. But I'm old. I dread the day when it's not allowed anymore. The hard part is getting the data together. After that, it's very simple (but I don't have a business - just some very small revenue from book sales). If I screw anything up, they fix it and adjust the refund or send me a bill for more.

If you don't need assistance doing your taxes, you can do them online for free at the IRS website. They don't promote this service due to the influence of TurboTax and their ilk. The site offers no automated assistance either, for the same reason. But you can input the figures as needed into the forms and it will compute the totals and autofill cells, so that's nice. You get your refund really quickly as well. My state offers a similar service for their tax returns, but I don't know if every state does.

Myrtle Gaskins.

This year was a complicated tax year for me for a few reasons, so I asked my Fidelity retirement account rep for recommendations for a few tax accountant professionals. He gave me some names, and I contacted one of them. He was wonderful. He did research into my tax liabilities, and was thorough and clear with explanations of tax laws that pertained to my situation. He efiled my returns a month ahead of the deadlin, sent me instructions on how to make payments to both Fed and State, and sent me copies of everything. All that to say, get a recommendation from a professional for another professional, and don't wince at the cost. I felt my tax accountant guy was worth every penny. I knew I wanted his expertise in our initial Zoom consult.

I use turbo tax. I have to pay a little now but all my info is saved so I stick with them. I did my mother’s on tax slayer after her previous preparer got out the business. It was 100% free with a pension and social security income.

OP, are you special needs? Do them your goddamn self. Jesus.

[quote] have to pay a little now

To use Turbo Tax?

I use IRS Free Fillable forms. I've made mistakes where I had to pay extra tax and other years I got a refund I wasn't expecting. I'll look into Free File USA.

My Boston Terrier does my taxes for 5 milk bones minis

CPA.

My partner is self-employed and mine are complicated b/c of investment accounts. I intend to simplify things when I turn 65 and then I'll like do my own.

[quote]I'll look into Free File USA.

FreeTAXUsa

Thank you so much, R12. I had no idea, and a few years ago, I remember trying to check and see if it was possible (and being pissed that it wasn't). Oh well, THAT MAKES SENSE!!! For years, I've been disgusted at the gov't making people pay fees to just file their damn taxes.

I use a CPA for corporate and personal tax prep and filings. I do my own bookkeeping throughout the year so this makes it easier. Having a corporation and doing corp filings yourself is a good way to get flagged for IRS audit. And in this case they never owe YOU. Never.

r22 The IRS is finally doing a pilot of a free filing program this year. It was called IRS Direct File and was only available in certain states, and was very limited in scope. But at least it's a start.

The link at R12 seems to be saying that people from any state can file online for free - but then your link, R24, seems to say that only some states have this (and not mine).

This is so effed up. But anyway, I've done my taxes since 1974 with pencil and printed forms - if they'll just let me keep doing that till I die, I'll be happy enough.

I'm Norwegian. It happens automatically here. It's all digital.

I'm not familiar with the Direct File program, R25, but I've been using Free File Fillable Forms for several years now and everyone in the US is eligible to use it. Here's what the IRS website says about it:

[quote]No matter your income level, you can use Free File Fillable Forms for your federal tax return. These are identical to IRS paper forms, so this option is like the old “pencil and calculator” method of filing. However, the fillable forms don’t come with any additional guidance. If you plan to use this option, you should be comfortable with the process of completing a tax return.

[quote]Direct File is a new tax tool to file your federal tax return directly with the IRS. The pilot is rolling out in phases throughout the filing season. Initial access is limited but will be increased with each phase. Direct File is made for people with relatively simple tax needs who live in participating states.

I couldn't tell you the differences between the two programs.

r25 Two completely different programs.