I am considering this for the first time, and I'm thinking of using TurboTax. The CPA I've always used has been charging me a little over $300, and I just think I'd rather save that money.

I know it's down to the wire now, but I really need all I can get. Of course an audit would send me out into orbit though, any advice?

I am a single Mom, a homeowner, and I itemize. So come on chicks, I need advice!!

Thanks!!! Donna

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*** Find A Need , Fill A Need ***

Wow, I wondered where you were when you said $300. I couldn't believe it when I noticed you were in Alabama, I am too, and it only costs me $100.

I do ours. The programs ask you questions and you fill in the blanks. I have used turbotax in the past, this year, I used taxact. It comes with audit support and you can ask a h&r block professional if you need.

I use a tax attorney. I'm a homeowner and I itemize. He's only $200. We could probably do it ourselves, but we hate doing taxes. I pay other people to do the things I hate: raking leaves and taxes.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Usually, a tax preparer charges you based on what forms are needed for your taxes. I would never do my own taxes. There are just too many tax law changes (especially this year) that I just wouldn't know about. Tax preparers go to continued education to learn these things. Luckily, my mom is an EA and does our taxes. Our return (being a homeowner with 2 kids and I am self employed) runs about $450-$500, depending on if/what we have sold during the year (financially speaking). Even if I didn't have my own biz, I wouldn't do it myself (unless it was a short form which means I am probably retired by then). I can't even begin to tell you the amount of returns my mom *fixes* each year done by turbo tax or the person themself. They miss a lot of things. H&R Block is scary though. They hired a gal I know to do taxes there. I guess she passed their tax class but honestly, the gal can't figure out a 15% tip at lunch....I wouldn't want her doing my taxes KWIM?

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I've always done my own taxes. I use TaxAct and have never had a problem. It walks you right through the whole process. My husband & I both work, own a home and itemize. It usually takes me an hour or so to complete State & Federal.

We have used Turbo Tax before with no problems, but two years ago, we went to H&R Block since our taxes were much more entailed that year with a move, income from two states, and a rental. Anyway, I about fainted when our bill was around $500.00! Of course, they rationalize that they were able to get us a larger refund because we used their services. I will never use them again. This year, we found a retired accountant who is charging us less than $200.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

As cheap as I am, we pay a CPA to do ours. I really don't have the patience for it, and DH would never get around to it. We do pay over $300, but we also have a rental property, and he is good about the deductions/losses that we take from that. DH does do the easy ones for the kids.

No way, no how! We have a construction business, a farm, 2 rentals and our own personal stuff to itemize and there's NO WAY I'd take the chances with it! Yes, I hate paying the $495 each year, but I know it's done right with our accountant.

Only twice in our married life did we have someone do our taxes. We did it that way because we moved to another state and was selling our house in the other state (for a loss).

Oh good Lord, now I really don't know.

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*** Find A Need , Fill A Need ***

Here's a suggestion. Do it yourself, but don't submit it. Pay the CPA to do it this year. Compare your results with his. If you came up with the same results, you'll feel more comfortable doing them yourself next year.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

We have three CPAs in the family. So, I haven't had to do our taxes for years. The fee is a cookout with steak and beer!

Turbo Tax baby it is easy and cost us less than $70 to file both state and federal. It's easy as eating a piece of pie. I itemize EVERYTHING from my working expenses to my home office to charity donations to whatever. Just keep all your receipts and track everything.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

When we had our own business we always had a tax accountant do them to the tune of about $450. Now that we don't have it anymore we go have them done for free at the library. It's a program through AARP (it's open to anybody though). This year our preparer was actually a guy that works for the IRS. . .it's all volunteer tax preparers. I feel pretty comfortable with that. However, my brother uses Turbo Tax and really likes it.

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

I do our taxes, I was self-employed (this past was the last year). Initially I had Liberty Tax do it, then each year after that I made sure I filed the same forms they initially had with the self-employment stuff. We originally paid about $300 several years ago to get it done, HOWEVER, they missed a state tax rebate I could have been getting all these years that I just found out about this year which is for a little over $100, so I thought they would have gotten everything correct and was going off what they initially did, not knowing they had missed something. So over the past 4 years, I lost over $400 that I didn't know about and it is something that you cannot do an ammendment for. So the tax places do make mistakes. We own a home, but the standard deduction is higher that it is for us to itemize. This year was the first time in a long time we are getting some federal back, still have to pay state though. It is not that hard to do your taxes, it is just takes some time and patience.

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We itemize and own our own home. We do our own taxes. You can do it! We use Turbo Tax.

We've used Turbo Tax for years now. I used to have H & R Block do them but I realized I was doing all the work anyway. I gave the lady my information, she put it into the computer and the computer calculated everything. I thought to myself 'self, you can do that'!

Turbo Tax asks all the questions you need. It will even save your returns from last year and carry items over that need to be carried over to the next year. If you're itemizing, be sure to get Turbo Tax Deluxe. If you have a business, get Turbo Tax Business. I even used Turbo Tax when I owned my own business. Really easy to use. Have all your paperwork in front of you when you begin and it will walk you right thru it.

Piece of cake!!!

Finally!! Someone else that doesn't itemize. For several years we haven't had enough deductions to make the itemization higher than the standard deduction either.

You're not alone. . .we always end up taking the standard deduction too. We've been in our house too long and our mtg is pretty low.

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

Like someone else above, last year I sat there thinking, I could put numbers in the computer!
I am nervous about it, but I'm thinking about biting the bullet and doing it tomorrow.
About the homeowners that don't itemize, maybe I'm missing something. But I deduct the interest and points and all, and state taxes.
And about work, I deduct for uniforms, cell phones, mileage, and all kinds of crazy stuff.

I also noticed that last year the CPA didn't deduct for insurance premiums, which was right at $2000. So I'm wondering if there was maybe a standard deduction there that I don't know about?

I'm rather nervous but I seriously need every dolllar available!!

Thanks for all of your help!!!

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*** Find A Need , Fill A Need ***

As for points, I think you can only claim that once, but, I could be mistaken. We never paid points, so didn't have to deduct them.

As for itemizing, no, not everyone does. If your itemized deductions are not more than your standard deduction, you can't claim them anyway. You take whichever one is larger. As for medical expenses, you can only claim the amount that is over a certain percentage of your AGI.

BallMom, I think you could easily handle filing with Turbo Tax. It will prompt you for all sorts of things to deduct. If you do use Turbo Tax to do them yourself, make sure you have all your paperwork organized before you start. All your charitable contributions, with addresses. I remember that one most........ Be sure to brainstorm before you sit down to file also.

Good Luck, let us know how you do.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Pre-Paid Points are deducted over the life of the loan . Some loans have you pay points every year and those are deductible too as they usually show up on the 1098

Medical is 7.5% although I like to tell clients 7.51% of yor AGI.

This year if you do not have enough to itemize even though you own your own house there is a higher standard deduction for the real estate taxes, up to $500 for Single and up to $1000 for Married Filing Jointly.

Even with all our medical and with the mortgage I have been unable to itemize since 1999 because I did not have enough.

In answer to OP's question OF course I do my own taxes I am "People" well I was until my hospitalization for heart problems this week and I was told I am done for the season . I love working with numbers and I love helping people get more bang for their buck.

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~ Christine ~
Grammie to Trinity Lorayne Jean Keens Born June 9, 2011 Loving my awesome guitar picking 100% Country Boy boyfriend Kenny !
RIP Daddy~ 01/24/1930-06/01/2007 I miss you !
Dont Think you Can .. know you can ~ Jeff Hardy

Last year hubby and I had this argument. I said Turbo Taxes is cheaper and should get us about the same. He said out CPA is pretty cheap ($175) and they get us more back. So I bought TT, he had the CPA do it. CPA got us about $2000 more from federal, state was the same.

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You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one