Bleck! Tax time. Any good, not ridiculously pricey tax preparers?

[sunnie741]

I am glad to get names other than HR Block for tax preparation. I wanted to find somewhere else to go, as it seems that we have paid close to $500 in the past few years with HR Block. We live in SW Durham, so if anyone has names and references for that area feel free to Dm me.

[steve54]

What do you call 'least expensive'?

[MI-Roger]

Based on your description you will need the most expensive version of TurboTax or its equivalent. Plan on spending $100 to $125 for this software which handles home businesses in addition to all other sources of income.

I have done my own taxes for 30+ years. Initially with the forms and booklets, recently with the software products. The software makes it much quicker and easier, but it is NOT as easy as the advertisements would make you believe.

You still need a good basic knowledge of IRS terms, computation methodologies, and types or records necessary in order to use the software to its greatest benefit. Although using the software to do my 1040 last spring was easy, using it do a 1040-X (after receiving a late 1099 form) was a royal PITA!

F.Y.I. - Many (all?) of the store front Tax Preparation places, even those with nationally known names, hire part time people to do taxes for clients. Anyone with good "Ten Keying" skills qualifies after taking minimal in-house training courses. Admittedly many of their clients have super simple returns with no math skills, but a store front Tax Place is not the place to go with a potentially complicated return.

[adlnc07]

I need to become a tax preparer, work like crazy for 4 months, take the rest of the year off! I'm always amazed at how much people pay, even for a simple 1040.

(I work in accounting but don't do taxes other than my own).

[annesg]

FWIW, I did check out number crunchers with the BBB and they have an A-, which is great, and their folks have more than just a 12-hour course in how to enter stuff into a computer. I have had too many screwups with TurboTax using even their most expensive software to even consider it--especially since a "real" CPA has gotten me serious money back AFTER I attempted Turbo Tax on my own. Computers can't ever replaced a real brain with in-depth knowledge, experience, and understanding of the tax code. I'm going to give number-crunchers a try.

[MI-Roger]

Originally Posted by adlnc07

I need to become a tax preparer, work like crazy for 4 months, take the rest of the year off! I'm always amazed at how much people pay, even for a simple 1040.

(I work in accounting but don't do taxes other than my own).

My sister does taxes as a side business. Generally, her life is not her own for February, March, and April. 16 hour work days for these three months is not unhear of. And then there are the crazy stories..

One year my sister received a telephone call late on April 15th from someone asking if their taxes were finished. My sister's reply was "You never contacted me or provided your information this year."

They had driven to her home on the 14th, placed a thick envelope stuffed with every crumpled slip of paper that might be needed, yet missing somethings which were clearly needed, between the screen door and front door, then left without knocking or leaving a phone message. My sister never uses that door to her home!

So it was a latst minute extension filing for them.