Do you prepare your own taxes?

[BrautFan]

...Or do you have a professional handle that if your situation is complicated?

I have always sought the services of a CPA, myself, even if it just gives me a false sense of security.

[Everlong]

I've had a CPA do my taxes usually, because I had some pretty complicated stuff going on with estimated taxes for a variety of different companies. But now that I'm in a more stable situation I'm doing my own taxes this year for the first time ever. Eep!

[Hanley!]

Over here it all just comes out of our wages. Makes things a lot less stressful, I'd imagine.

[The Legend]

Nope

[War Daddy]

I wish I knew how. Thanks public schooling.

[DBSoT]

I am a CPA.

[JPG619]

I do it myself I normally keep everything in order so the days a get my forms from my work place I can just enter my work information and what ever tax credits I can apply for. It takes me a few hours and good to go I normally just do it the first day off I get all my papers and then send it out

[PorkChop]

Over here it all just comes out of our wages. Makes things a lot less stressful, I'd imagine.

Same here. I got a rebate a while back for about £300, all I had to do was email HMRC and they did it all for me.

[Twister]

In the UK it's taken out of our hands. Comes out of your wages before they come to us. Much easier.

[The Legend]

In America it gets taken out of your pay and then you pay again on tax day.

[DBSoT]

My one piece of advice is to learn to do you taxes without a CPA. It will make you much more aware of your spending and is better in the long term. You can still consult a CPA if you have tax questions, but don't become reliant on them. Also avoid, mom and pop Tax Accountant places. If you are going to get your taxes done, get it done right. Also, BE ORGANIZED!!! I have horror stories of people coming in with papers everywhere that have stains on them. I have even seen a man come in with documents in a zip lock bag.

[BrautFan]

I've had a CPA do my taxes usually, because I had some pretty complicated stuff going on with estimated taxes for a variety of different companies. But now that I'm in a more stable situation I'm doing my own taxes this year for the first time ever. Eep!

Yes, due to unstable situations, I unfortunately had three different jobs in 2015. The first job switch was for relocation. The second job imploded because the business closed (largely due to economic instability in the area). So.... I found myself in an awkward situation. I got another gig relatively quickly, but it is indeed a rebound gig... kind of one I don't anticipate myself staying in too, too long. Plus I have a shit load of other crap to report. So! Until things get "stable," I will indeed be using the services of a CPA. It irks me, though, I'd rather do my own. However... I have a lot of other things to finish up in a relatively short period of time.

[AkydefGoldberg]

I'd be fucked if I had to do my own taxes. Me and numbers just aren't a good mix and end up in confusion for me.

Even when I flirted with freelance work, I went back to permanent work because sorting out my own accounting just is an impossible task for me.

[The Legend]

My one piece of advice is to learn to do you taxes without a CPA. It will make you much more aware of your spending and is better in the long term. You can still consult a CPA if you have tax questions, but don't become reliant on them. Also avoid, mom and pop Tax Accountant places. If you are going to get your taxes done, get it done right. Also, BE ORGANIZED!!! I have horror stories of people coming in with papers everywhere that have stains on them. I have even seen a man come in with documents in a zip lock bag.

My issue is that I do pretty all my work through contracting situations. I tried to do my own taxes one year and paid about 200 too much more than I needed to.

[ShaneOfan]

My wife@babes does our taxes.

[BrautFan]

I read somewhere where you needed "16 hours" to complete your own taxes by yourself (depending on the forms required). That's ultimately what sent me the usual direction of just having someone else do the tax preparing. (Ain't nobody got time for that). I need ample time to act like an idiot in between being completely serious.

Ah, here's the source: https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1040a/ar03.html

[DBSoT]

My one piece of advice is to learn to do you taxes without a CPA. It will make you much more aware of your spending and is better in the long term. You can still consult a CPA if you have tax questions, but don't become reliant on them. Also avoid, mom and pop Tax Accountant places. If you are going to get your taxes done, get it done right. Also, BE ORGANIZED!!! I have horror stories of people coming in with papers everywhere that have stains on them. I have even seen a man come in with documents in a zip lock bag.

My issue is that I do pretty all my work through contracting situations. I tried to do my own taxes one year and paid about 200 too much more than I needed to.

That is understandable. I would just say, ask your CPA a ton of questions. The more you learn the better. You will become much more aware of your money. I just deter people from using mom and pop tax preparers because this is your money and it is important you get it done by the best.

[AkydefGoldberg]

So am I right in assuming that unlike over here, where the tax comes out of your wages - in the US, for everyone, you have to pay the tax yourself and sort out all the administrative side of things?

[BrautFan]

Oh, it most definitely comes out of our wages. Sometimes (we hope)... too much so, resulting in a "tax refund." But if you own anything, you WILL be owned...

[Kein]

I do my own taxes. It takes time, but I usually get money back so aaayyye~