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Took My Taxes To A Paid Preparer

nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,084 ******
edited February 2011 in General Discussion
First time in many years.

For the past 30 plus years, I have always done my own, on paper, and mailed it in. This year, my situation is a little more complicated, so I contacted a friend from church who is a professional tax preparer.

He asked for my 2010 information, as well as my 2009 forms. When he looked at my 2009 1040, he instantly spotted a mistake that I had made that cost me about $150. He will file a 1040X and get my money back, which will pay for this year's preparation fee.

Maybe I will just let him do it from now on.

Comments

  • RtWngExtrmstRtWngExtrmst Member Posts: 7,456
    edited November -1
    With 48,000 pages of IRS regulations, it't not easy. I think if you dig deep enough you'll find something in there in your favor. Can you outsmart the bureaucrats?
  • SCOUT5SCOUT5 Member Posts: 16,181 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No one can know everything. There are times it is best to hire a professional in their field and let them do their job.
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,084 ******
    edited November -1
    I still completed my Schedule C for him, by hand. I am not sure he could decipher my records, and it took me only a few minutes.
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My accountant does mine for $100 and I know there never be an audit. Money well spent
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    I was going to do my taxes myself this year.

    I had been paying over $150 a year for my tax prep.

    This year, I used a lady over in Ohio that does taxes. Total cost, $40.

    I am telling you, IF I have to pay more than 50 bucks, I will just use a program.
  • nutfinnnutfinn Member Posts: 12,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have had my taxes done by pro for about 15 years now, money well spent IMO.
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,084 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:I was going to do my taxes myself this year.

    I had been paying over $150 a year for my tax prep.

    This year, I used a lady over in Ohio that does taxes. Total cost, $40.

    I am telling you, IF I have to pay more than 50 bucks, I will just use a program.

    How complicated is your return? How many extra schedules do you have to file?

    I always have self-employment income (or loss) and this year, I had tuition deductions for Dawnie and Gabby, and wasn't sure how to proceed.
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nunn
    quote:I was going to do my taxes myself this year.

    I had been paying over $150 a year for my tax prep.

    This year, I used a lady over in Ohio that does taxes. Total cost, $40.

    I am telling you, IF I have to pay more than 50 bucks, I will just use a program.

    How complicated is your return? How many extra schedules do you have to file?

    I always have self-employment income (or loss) and this year, I had tuition deductions for Dawnie and Gabby, and wasn't sure how to proceed.


    Simple returns. I only claim standard deductions.
    I understand you didn't want to tackle the complexities of your return.

    I am saying, that my preparer did my taxes reasonably.
    She does business taxes for the same price, other than the schedule forms are an extra 5 dollars apiece.
    If I had to go back to paying 150 bucks to do my returns again, I would use a program rather than pay some preparer big bucks to do simple work.
  • walliewallie Member Posts: 8,595 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • JamesRKJamesRK Member Posts: 25,670 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Evidently the IRS doesn't want anybody to fill out their own forms. I've been filling them out myself since 1957, but this year I used TurboTax Basic. What an adventure that was.

    We need a Constitutional Amendment that no law, including tax law, can be more that two pages.
    The road to hell is paved with COMPROMISE.
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by wallie
    taxes.jpg?t=1298393852


    Author; WESLEY SNIPES federal prison inmate #5476342.
  • tapwatertapwater Member Posts: 10,335 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ...As mine gets more complicated every year, I pay a local CPA to do mine for $145. It's money well spent. He has my older returns in his files and finds little details that I would probably miss.
    ...My Mom is 89 and has two farms and four houses (3 rentals). That's a ton of work that I'm sure I'd screw up.
  • JamesRKJamesRK Member Posts: 25,670 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by wallie
    taxes.jpg?t=1298393852
    I got one of them "pay up or go to jail" letters from the state of North Carolina in 1964. I was living in Rhode Island at the time. I'd been working since 1956 or 57 and NC hadn't been withholding tax and my tax liability to NC was zero so I figured I didn't need to file.

    They couldn't get me for back taxes or interest because I didn't owe any, but they hit me for about fifty dollars in penalties, which to me back then was righteous bucks. I don't know how they found out I hadn't been filing. I figure somebody blew the whistle on me.
    The road to hell is paved with COMPROMISE.
  • walliewallie Member Posts: 8,595 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,404 ******
    edited November -1
    Took mine to a paid preparer once, when I had a more complicated tax year. It was money well spent.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • ManygunsManyguns Member Posts: 3,837
    edited November -1
    Took mine to H&R Block. $42.00.
    Tom
  • WarbirdsWarbirds Member Posts: 16,927 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a security clearance. Can't risk cheating uncle Sam out of a dime, so it goes to an accountant. $275 this year.
  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bought TurboTax Premier today. Cost me a little over $80. Need it for rental property. Last time I used a pro it cost me over $300. That was over 20 years ago. When in doubt, take the deduction as long as you have documentation to support it. Geting the numbers together is what takes the most time. Have to do the same work to take it to a pro. Inputing to TurboTax does not take a lot more time than taking everything to the pro and explaining what is going on.
  • e3mrke3mrk Member Posts: 1,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    AARP has People at Our Library to do Our Taxes for free.
    It's the only time I have anything to do with Them.
    Believe it or not I have gotten more Money back with Them doing My Taxes than when My Wife did Them.
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