Taxes!

Taxes

It's almost Tax season.  Do you ever question should we do it ourselves  or should we hire someone?

I myself (Shelley) hire it done every year for the last 20 years.  I am with the same person.  We love him!  I hate being stressed out about even gathering the tax information.  Look for someone who has experience and will help you out if you are audited.  Make sure they are a CPA .  It costs between $100-$300.  If they are not a CPA you might as well buy a tax software and enter the data in yourself.



I love using stuff like this.
http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2014/02/how-to-organize-your-taxes.html

I have a special treat for you.  I have a guest blogger in.  Please welcome Jordan Gilmore.


Turbo Tax Review

Yes. The dreaded season will be upon us in few short months-Taxes Season. And Turbo Tax is one of the more popular ways to prepare and e-file Federal and State taxes.  Let me start by stating that I am an amateur user of the product, and am not an Accountant.  With that said I have used the product for several years.  Using the same account each year provides some advantages.  It remembers what income and deductions you had the previous year, and can streamline the experience using that information.

While I won’t say that completing the filing in my experience is fast, the amount of time it takes does depend on how many dependents and deductions and life events you have.  One of the reasons that I have returned to the product several times is not because the amount of time it takes to complete the filing but because of the thoroughness that is built into it.  If you choose to explore every possible type of income and deduction they are available for you to do so.   There are also definitions provided for nearly every choice you are asked to make as you walk through your tax form. 

While I’ve almost always chosen the itemized deductions, the choice to use the standard deduction is available within the program too, and it will help you determine which benefits you more.  Another plus is that the amount you owe or will be refunded changes with each section completed, so you can see which items give you a larger deduction as you work, or you can tell if skipping the trouble of itemizing will bring you the same sized refund.  Nothing is set in stone until you submit your return to the IRS. 

Can mistakes still be made? Yes.  But, I find it’s more relaxing to review and correct them at home on the couch while reading what portions of the form mean before hitting send than to wonder why certain numbers were entered by someone whose office is only open for six months. 

And if speed is what you’re after, once you have filed you can have a notification within hours (depending on how busy the IRS and your state office is) letting you know that your filings have been accepted. 

Taxes can be stressful, but I find that the way that TurboTax walks you through the process tend to each the tension.

-Jordan  Gilmore

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelley

*Disclaimer  I was not compensated in any way.  These are just Tips!

Editor: Alyssa Johnson-Glassel  AKA 2 Dainty Crafters