Tax Time! ARRRRGH!

[DavidB80911]

Finished the taxes at last. A reccomendation, I used Tax Brain online, and it was fairly painless. For e-file of Fed and State - 55.95.

I had 1 question for online support, had an answer in less than a minute.

For me it was worth the price, no need for the Adult Beverage but, I will celebrate.

[Mickey]

Did my taxes a couple of weeks ago. My fed taxes took about 10 minutes. My state taxes took several Aspirin, a couple of drinks, and a fat cigar. I don't know why it has to be so complicated.

[flyingshamrock]

I have a CPA for my business so I just give him my personal taxes and enjoy the drink and cigar before I stress about how much I owe our wonderful government!

[ForresterModern]

It takes me about two minutes to do my taxes. That is how long it takes me to put all my electronic W2s and such in an email, including my routing info for billing, and send it all off to my accountant, wherein it then becomes her headache. I am a doctor, she is a CPA, and we are each good at what we do, so I would never expect her to read her own chest xray and I don't mess with my taxes. Spent a lot of planning time once setting things up so that I always get refunds from state and federal and I hate to write big checks in April unless it is for a new car or some nice kilt kit. And when the refund checks arrive it is a great time for the "hey, honey, I found this really neat tartan that I think I want a kilt in" line.

[Kiltboy]

Finished? I havn't even received half the paperwork I need to get started.

[Riverkilt]

I'm usually a hard head on taxes. I believe ANY American should be able to compute their own taxes. Is that naive or what. So, except for a couple years back in the 70s when I was working commission sales I've done my own. The last two years I've been entiltled to that olde person deduction. Both years I computed it wrong and the IRS sent me back money!! $500 two years ago and $400 last year. So, even following instructions I ain't so good.

This year with the cancer bills that insurance didn't cover figured best take it to an expert. Took it over to the franchises of two national tax preperation companies and both their waiting rooms looked like waiting rooms at motor vehicles. And some of the staff looked like they were high school students. Next appt was two weeks out.

Talked to a friend who recommended a local CPA. Didn't even realize he was in town. Called. Got an appt for the next day. Took my stuff in. Had it done in 40 minutes for $125 with a very kilt friendly refund. Electronic filing, he thinks I'll have the refunds next week already.

As FM said - well worth it for a professional. Sure beats wasting a weekend struggling through myself, then waiting a week and spending another weekend rechecking before sending it in - and being wrong. Or waiting for hours at a national franchise who's main focus seems to be selling me on cash advance from the refund or another credit card....

So...if you brothers haven't looked for a local CPA....recommend at least checking them out. I'm a happy camper!

[Macman]

I'm a Chartered Accountant, and I do lots of income tax work. I agree with Ron that a tax system should be understandable to all those who have to pay taxes. It sure isn't that way in Canada. I'm not going to get into tax policy, but there's an old saying: A tax system can either be fair (and don't try to define that) or simple. Not both.

[unixken]

I got my W2's on Jan 14th, had them both e-filed that evening (H&R Block online), and both my federal and state refunds were electronically deposited 8 and 10 days later. I'm using my tax refunds to finance my kilt purchase from Scotweb. ;)

[tundramanq]

Yesterday - about an hour to fill them out another to make sure I had found all the loopholes. Mailed them in - ain't making it easy for "our" governments.

[RockyR]

In my mid to late twenties, I discovered something... I STINK at certain things. I have tried and failed to do several things. Usual scenario goes like this:

Hmmm... To pay a professional to do this project / make this item / build this thing would cost $500. I can buy the materials myself and do it for 1/2 the price.

Buy $250 worth of materials.

Spend 3 or 4 days messing it up / doing it wrong / breaking tools / hurting myself.

Get angry it doesn't look like the professional job.

Bandage up wounds from hurting myself.

Call the professional and pay them to take apart what I did and re-do the thing the correct way.

Pay them $500 to do it right.

BECAUSE I now can recognize things that I WILL get frustrated with and fail at (it takes a big man to admit where he's in over his head), I just find a "guy" who does it for a living. I have a Jewelry "guy" (who is actually my jewelry 'gal'), a Car 'guy', a computer 'guy', and an accountant 'guy'. The "guy" is a professional who I know and trust and therefore I put my decision in his / her hands. I impress upon them the fact that I am trusting them to make the best decision for me and to make sure that they're not just selling me the most expensive item, but the one that best fits my needs (and telling them you don't want 'doo dads' you won't need / use... just give me what's right for me, yadda yadda yadda). They ask me all the pertinent questions and I am happy to be open and honest. What I get as a result is the best possible scenario for a reasonable price, done right the first time. As painless as it can be.

In the RARE instance that someone would try to oversell me (or I allow myself to be oversold), I don't go back to them I need a similar item... I find a different "guy".

All this to say, I've had an accountant for the past 6 years. He's done very well for us and done a MUCH better job on our taxes than I EVER could... and he's reasonably priced and it takes 1 [huge] thing off of my plate that I don't have to worry about. THAT in ITSELF is priceless.