How Do Your Taxes Get Done? Have You Filed Yet?

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

SF VIP
Location
New Jersey
A. You do them yourself and file by mail.
B. You take them to an accountant? If so, does the accountant e-file for you or must you mail them?
C. You use a tax prep program. If so which one?

Over the years I've done all three but for at least the last 10 years I've been using H & R Block Deluxe, which includes the state program. It's free to e-file the federal but the state charges $19.95 plus tax. I am so happy that I no longer have to mail my returns. I finished my taxes yesterday.
 

I always do my own taxes, filled out the forms for last year yesterday and will mail them tomorrow.
There were three choices for payment, bank account, credit card, or Paypal, the last two costing1.8% more.
I didn't want them accessing my bank account, and they wanted my credit card pin, so I paid them through Paypal.
The California state process was much easier, didn't require a payment and was completely online.
 

Iā€™m self employed so I pay quarterly. Iā€™ve set up an automatic withdrawal from my checking account into a specific savings account each week, my IRS account. Iā€™ve also set up automatic IRS payments from that account 4 times a year through EFTPS (electronic federal tax payment system) who withdraw the specified amount on the specified date.

I have an accountant who prepares my taxes and files them electronically. I make sure my quarterly payments are generous so so never owe anything, and each year have gotten a refund.

For years I did them myself and mailed them in, but a few years ago I decided I could afford the luxury of having that headache off my plate, so ever since Iā€™ve been paying my guy to do them. Itā€™s been a good decision!
 
I have never filed a tax return. The option to do so is there, and I was tempted a few times. But I have never filled one in. For the most part, in the UK, it is done by the empoyer through a Tax Code.

In the UK, the majority of people have their taxes deducted from their salary through a system called PAYE (Pay As You Earn). Employers are responsible for deducting the correct amount of tax from employees' salaries and paying them to "HM Revenue & Customs".

People in the UK who have other income or who are self-employed may need to file a tax return to ensure that they have paid the correct amount of tax. This is not required for most people who have straightforward tax affairs.

UPDATE/EDIT:
As a side not, and admittedly off topic: Our previous UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was born in New York to British parents. He had dual nationality, American & British. Boris Johnson renounced his American citizenship in, I think, 2016. The same year that over 5400 American citizens renounced their American citizenship.

Itā€™s thought that the main reason Boris Johnson renounces his American citizenship was because the IRS was chasing him for tax on his earning in Britain, even though Boris left the US when he was 5 years old. In 2014 Boris publicly said that the US was trying to hit him for tax of $50,000 on the sale of his home in Islington, north London. Something he said he regarded as ā€œabsolutely outrageousā€. It was said later that he did pay that tax bill to the US, eventually.
 
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Started mine weeks ago, but then put them away, I get so frustrated with them, things like mileage for doctors' appointments and parking, prescriptions, and other medical stuff, filled it all in, and it doesn't take that stuff... Also the numbers I have in certain boxes, there's no spot to input them... So I get very frustrated with it... Will get started again, but sounds like CRA is going on strike, so I'll have more time to get it in... and if late?, well we are late most years...

Any Canadians looking for a free program, use Simple Tax...by wealth simple...
 
I hire a professional CPA. After a boo-boo I made about 20 years ago and found myself owing $40K in penalties and interest, I decided to have mine done by someone who knew what they were doing. At least I'd have someone to go to bat for me if there was a problem. I was using another CPA for a while (who did get me excused from the IRS penalty), but about 5 years ago, he never filed my return and gave the excuse that the April 15th deadline was only for people that owed money. People getting a refund had up to 3 years to file. My excuse for ditching him was, "That doesn't mean I don't want my refund ASAP!"

Now I go to a woman that is much closer and charges half as much. I file as soon as I'm sure I have all the documentation I need which is usually early February. My refund has been in the bank for a month.
 
For many years I channeled my personal taxes thru the accounting firm that handled our business taxes. After retirement I did my own twice then said screw it, now I pay a local accountant $125 and let her handle them and then e-file.

Funny thing is now my taxes are probably the least complicated they have been in thirty five years, I just don't want to be bothered doing them.lol
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Over the years I've done all three but for at least the last 10 years I've been using H & R Block Deluxe, which includes the state program. It's free to e-file the federal but the state charges $19.95 plus tax. I am so happy that I no longer have to mail my returns. I finished my taxes yesterday.
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Same here. I've used H&R for several years. I "E-filed" in early February, and got this years refunds about 2 weeks later.
 
A. After the costly fiasco last year - do my own (both Fed & State) on the free fillable sites. Save copies to .pdf files & print all at the library. No cost except the price of stamps/envelopes & library copies. Have got & spent refunds, mailed Feb 28th. Took < 8 weeks. I don't use the IRS or state as savings accounts.
 
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I am an enrolled agent, arguably a tax expert. I volunteer my time during tax season to work for our local VITA/TCE organization which provides free tax preparation services for seniors (people over 65) regardless of income and lower income working folks. These programs exist throughout the United States and are supported and sanctioned by the IRS. Our particular program operates out of a local senior center in Southern California and is one of the best in the region. All of our tax volunteers must undergo rigorous vetting and training and testing each year in order to provide the services that we do. Instead of paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to a tax service or a CPA, I would highly recommend the VITA/TCE program to anyone whose taxes are 'in scope' for our type of program. Drop me a personal message if you want more detail.
 
A. You do them yourself and file by mail. I do them myself and file on line
B. You take them to an accountant? If so, does the accountant e-file for you or must you mail them? No
C. You use a tax prep program. If so which one? I use Turbotax and am happy with it.
I pay quarterly estimated tax using the IRS EFTPS program. I have the payments taken from my checking account.
 
Magna-Carta said:
I have never filed a tax return. The option to do so is there, and I was tempted a few times. But I have never filled one in. For the most part, in the UK, it is done by the empoyer through a Tax Code.

In the UK, the majority of people have their taxes deducted from their salary through a system called PAYE (Pay As You Earn). Employers are responsible for deducting the correct amount of tax from employees' salaries and paying them to "HM Revenue & Customs".

People in the UK who have other income or who are self-employed may need to file a tax return to ensure that they have paid the correct amount of tax. This is not required for most people who have straightforward tax affairs.
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We have tax deducted from payroll here in Canada too. But as far as I know, everyone is required to file.

It's almost impossible for the payroll deductions to be correct. Many personal variables (e.g., expenses, donations, sales of assets, number of dependents) can change at any time. Also, one's income (and therefore "tax bracket") can change from week to week. It's very complicated, and in my opinion stupid. But some people can manipulate all this to their advantage.

When I worked in Korea, they took off a percentage from each paycheck, across the board. I think it was 6%. Japan had/has a similar setup, with a higher percentage taken off. No need to file.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
A. You do them yourself and file by mail.
B. You take them to an accountant? If so, does the accountant e-file for you or must you mail them?
C. You use a tax prep program. If so which one?

Over the years I've done all three but for at least the last 10 years I've been using H & R Block Deluxe, which includes the state program. It's free to e-file the federal but the state charges $19.95 plus tax. I am so happy that I no longer have to mail my returns. I finished my taxes yesterday.
Click to expand...
I have been using online FreeTaxUSA for several years now. It is easy to use and don't charge you for certain things like others where you have to upgrade for a fee. You can get email support for free, chat support for low fee and full support for around $40. Check it out to see if this fits your needs.
 
sch404 said:
I am an enrolled agent, arguably a tax expert. I volunteer my time during tax season to work for our local VITA/TCE organization which provides free tax preparation services for seniors (people over 65) regardless of income and lower income working folks. These programs exist throughout the United States and are supported and sanctioned by the IRS. Our particular program operates out of a local senior center in Southern California and is one of the best in the region. All of our tax volunteers must undergo rigorous vetting and training and testing each year in order to provide the services that we do. Instead of paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to a tax service or a CPA, I would highly recommend the VITA/TCE program to anyone whose taxes are 'in scope' for our type of program. Drop me a personal message if you want more detail.
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I use Vita also. When I worked for the IRS, it was easy access for me having them right there. Just drop them off and picked them up later when called.
Last year, after retiring I used another Vita location. But, this year by the time I called there was only 1 location available w/appts. And, it was on the other side of town in an area that I'm not familiar with, so I opted for Liberty Tax, having to pay.

Luckily, my income was so low, I ended up not even having to file.
 
It's getting kind of expensive to get them done. I went to a local tax place when I owned the house. Recommended to me. That's now in another town in the county I live in, but I like the place so still go.

My taxes are simpler now but it's just convenient to go and get them done. I went about 3 weeks ago. Had to pay 330. But it's all done.
 
I have used various online tax programs for the last 20 years of so. I have used Credit Karmaā€˜s tax preparation product for the last 5 years. Always easy and free.
 

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