Tax Preparation

[caneshockeychick]

Do you do your own or do you pay someone to do them?

I'm kinda stuck right now. I usually have a friend do mine. However, she's got some family/personal issues going on right now and it looks like we may never find time to get together to go over things.

I would attempt them on my own but.......I started selling Avon at the end of last year and I'm clueless how to work that stuff out. I think I could do them on my own (if I knew where to go to do this kinda stuff) if not for that reason.

Any help/suggestions/names of places or software or online places to go would be greatly appreciated. I really want to get this done ASAP and for as little $ as possible.

:D

[livinthedream]

I consider myself to be a Reasonably Smart Person and I figure if I can't do my own taxes there is definitely either something really wrong with me or with our tax system. So that's my personal philosophy on the situation.

When we relocated I used an accountant because I was dealing with multiple states, home sale and purchase, relocation expenses, etc. I don't have rental property or income outside of my job other than my investments, and I've found I can do my taxes myself with TurboTax and it's quite straightforward. I highly recommend TurboTax as worth the money. I think it could probably step you through your Avon home-based business with no problem. It also helps look for issues that may come up from an audit perspective or looks for things you may have missed. I figure if I'm ever audited my use of TurboTax would at least show I used good faith in my preparation.

[c-girl]

We had someone do ours for years but I decided to do them myself this year. I've always done those for our single son which is pretty simple since he has no deductions but the standard. Anyway, I did ours on Saturday using the H&R Block on line software. I was amazed at how easy it was and believe me I am no math/tax person. It prompts you with questions and makes deduction suggestions. When you're finished, you can e-file. The Federal is free but they charge to do the state return. For our son, it cost $9.95 and for us it was $29.95. You only have to input the information once to do both the federal and state. I had all the information gathered, entered into the software and e-filed in less than three hours.

[SoCalcaniac]

We had an accountant do our first taxes when we moved here same situation with the LTD's- multiple states, hub just left the military and got that Clinton buyout, and we had just gotten married.

Fast forward 16 years later, and we have always done our own, using TurboTax as well; it's fool proof, it walks you through even the most complex situations-- we had some inheritance matters and I had a couple of bonus things related to my employer that were tricky because they weren't paid in a "normal" situation, but they had a solution to that issue too. we're fans. I highly recommend Turbo Tax.

[VandyCane]

I did my taxes for years using Turbo Tax including my husband's self-employment stuff without problems. Things got complicated due to my work (K-1s, etc) so we finally gave up and I gladly pay my accountant. You should be fine with the Avon stuff. They ask you lots of questions and ask you stuff you didn't even know you needed to know!

[Kat]

I use TaxActOnline. I did both one year, Turbo and TaxAct, and TaxAct saved me more $$ than Turbo.

You can try both for free (and probably H&R as well) and see which you like, because none of them require payment until you file.

We have mortgages and other craziness and I haven't found any of them hard to use.

[StormChaserBH]

I've used TaxAct as well (though the downloaded version, not the "online") for the last 5-6 years I think -- easy to use and usually reminds me of something I would have forgotten about. I've not had a home business to deal with, but it handled some pretty complex stock sale issues.

[ButtersSaysNo]

Smart enough to do ours, did my own for a long time, but starting using Turbo Tax about 6-7 yrs ago and really like it, so that is what we have used ever since.

[caniac97]

Do you do your own or do you pay someone to do them?

I'm kinda stuck right now. I usually have a friend do mine. However, she's got some family/personal issues going on right now and it looks like we may never find time to get together to go over things.

I would attempt them on my own but.......I started selling Avon at the end of last year and I'm clueless how to work that stuff out. I think I could do them on my own (if I knew where to go to do this kinda stuff) if not for that reason.

Any help/suggestions/names of places or software or online places to go would be greatly appreciated. I really want to get this done ASAP and for as little $ as possible.

:D

really depends on the Avon part of what you are doing. if you are doing six figures in sales and want to deduct part of your house, vehicle, etc. then I would suggest a CPA but if your Avon business is smaller than that then it may only make a difference of $5 either way (pay or get back) at which point it wouldn't be worth it to get too much into detail on the Avon stuff and simply follow the recommendations here of using turbotax or tax cut or whatever.

[Shell]

I do ours using TurboTax as well. Check around, I know I get discounts on it through my bank, credit cards, retirement account, etc. so I just check who offers the best discount and go with that. We have income, mortgage, kids, etc. and it is easy.

Good luck!

[superdave]

Paying taxes is for suckers. Come on over to the sd compound and hear all about avoiding taxes, bigamy, and weapons hoarding. Teeth optional.

[puckin_A]

don't trust H&R block. They have messed me up BIG TIME in the past. $10,000 on my California taxes after selling my house and more recently $2,000 to IRS in 2007....... wtf

[caniac97]

Paying taxes is for suckers. Come on over to the sd compound and hear all about avoiding taxes, bigamy, and weapons hoarding. Teeth optional.

Preach it brother Dave!!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I've used TaxCut ever since our got more complicated than the 1040-EZ, lol. It's super easy and Mr SHC has several avenues of independent contractor income.

Paying taxes is for suckers. Come on over to the sd compound and hear all about avoiding taxes, bigamy, and weapons hoarding. Teeth optional.

You're joking but, my best friend who only files/pays hers about every 4 years (or when she gets audited or threatened). She says if the government wants her to pay them something they should bill her. This was funny when we were in college. :lol: Although, at that time she had income from SS due to the death of her father at a young age so she usually owed money. Now, she tends bar in Seattle so I bet the US owes her.....bet she gets less nasty letters now!!

[KaniacFever]

I've always used Turbo Tax. Its very easy and straight forward.

[puck_it]

turbo tax.

[kermelbar]

As there are several of you who recommended Turbo Tax and most likely live in Wake County, I have a question about how you handled something. (And, of course, I realize that you're not tax experts, etc., etc.)

I felt like the car tax that Wake County assesses wasn't well covered in the questions. It doesn't seem to fall under the car section because -- as I'm reading it -- that seems to only cover ones where your registration fees are deductible and NC is not listed for that. Then, the personal property section doesn't list cars -- boats, RVs, mobile homes, yes, but not cars -- although if you read the criteria (based on value, assessed yearly), Wake County's tax fits this situation.

I looked at last year's return (which I did online at H&R Block) and it seems to be showing up as a personal property tax deduction. For the time-being, I've put it there, but I thought I'd see what others did before I file. (Again, I don't think any of you are tax experts, I know I should consult a CPA, etc. :))