Tax Time

Any advice on doing taxes? Every year I got to HR Block, and they charge so much since I have a 1099. Whenever I go there, everybody else seems to have coupons, but I never get any sent. Any advice on where to get them?

But doing taxes alone since about 20 percent of my annual salary comes from freelance work makes doing it myself tough, especially since I write off transporation, cell phone, etc;

Even doing taxes is harder for journalists.

 

Can you do it with an online program as long as you have your documentation?

Those make it pretty easy.

 

Once again, I profess my love for TurboTax ... works great with 1099s, but added bonus of being able to carryover your info from year to year. If you have your freelance expense all figured out (mileage, expenses), it's a breeze.

Did my last Sunday before the Super Bowl in about two hours (and that was with me taking my sweet time), e-filed and had my returns accepted by the IRS by midday Monday.

 

I can't believe how easy that makes it for a dunderhead such as myself.

In that process, I found out that my wife got two W2s this year, both greater than my one.

 

I've been using Turbo Tax since I bought it on 5 1/4" floppies for my 286 DOS computer. It's great. When my wife freelanced, it did all that stuff just fine. It's the greatest invention since duct tape.

 

Myself also. I didn't plug it because there is free stuff out there, too. I don't know if it's as easy or not. I've been afraid to try.

 

Turbo Tax is the best and cheapest way to go if you have been organized all year. If not, talk to an accountant and fork over the $350 at least once. The good accountant knows all the newest laws and the best way to get you the most of YOUR money back.

 

If you have State Farm insurance, you can use TurboTax for free, filing federal and state. Log into the State Farm web site and there are links in there. Saves you at least $50.

 

If you are filing singly and make under $50,000 the IRS has a link to free filing for federal returns. Different companies have different requirements, though.

I, however, also pimp Turbotax. I'll be buying the deluxe version this year with the deduction minimizer and you can write off the cost of buying the program. I don't have any states in which I'm filing as a resident this year, so I think it will be my best option. I will be filing as a part-year resident in one state and a non-resident in another. My current state does not require income taxes unless they're received on dividends. I have a friend who does taxes for H&R Block and she's told me to do the dividends I received and the money I took out of my mutual fund this year based on the state they were mailed to rather than the state I lived in when receiving them. I did my taxes last year in about an hour with TurboTax. I am definitely a fan.

 

Yet another TurboTax endorsement here. And if you have a Fidelity account you can get a discount on TurboTax.

 

I pay my accountant/financial advisor $400 a year to do my taxes. Between an on-going estate deducation from when my father died a number of years ago, investments, and other things going on its safest just to go with an accountant - and the tax preparation fees are deductable if you itemize.