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Is it Better to File My Taxes Online or With a Tax Professional?

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    I'm wondering if it's more beneficial for me to file my taxes online or with a tax professional. Are tax professionals better at finding certain deductions that I might be eligible for or do the tax websites do a pretty good job of making sure I can get all the deductions I'm eligible to get? I am just trying to figure out if I should pay the money to pay a professional to do my taxes or do them myself for free through one of the tax websites.
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    I think it depends on the type of taxes you file and how much you will be deducting. Filing online is really easy for people who don't have many deductions and paperwork, but I bet that it may be more beneficial to see a tax professional if your filing is more complex.
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    I usually go to a tax professional, but that's because I want to make sure that I do everything correctly and not mess anything up.
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    Richard1022 Wrote: I'm wondering if it's more beneficial for me to file my taxes online or with a tax professional. Are tax professionals better at finding certain deductions that I might be eligible for or do the tax websites do a pretty good job of making sure I can get all the deductions I'm eligible to get? I am just trying to figure out if I should pay the money to pay a professional to do my taxes or do them myself for free through one of the tax websites.
    What type of paperwork are you filing? If you are filing just a W2 and that's it, I would do that myself. Save yourself the $100 bucks or so it will cost a tax pro to file it for you. That filing is very easy and straight forward. But if you are self-employed (1099 form(s)) or if you have several other forms to fill out like real estate, stocks, investments, etc., it might be beneficial to have a pro at least sit down and walk you through the process. I think its worth it to see it done right, at least once. And maybe the next year you can do it more easily yourself too.
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    I think its a cottage industry. But you gotta do what you gotta do to make the most of it. I have never hired anyone before, but I might this year. I just can't keep up with all the changes.
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    J.K.Logic Wrote:What type of paperwork are you filing? If you are filing just a W2 and that's it, I would do that myself. Save yourself the $100 bucks or so it will cost a tax pro to file it for you. That filing is very easy and straight forward. But if you are self-employed (1099 form(s)) or if you have several other forms to fill out like real estate, stocks, investments, etc., it might be beneficial to have a pro at least sit down and walk you through the process. I think its worth it to see it done right, at least once. And maybe the next year you can do it more easily yourself too.
    I fill out a 1099, but I'm very lucky because I have a good friend who is a tax professional. He charges me a heck of a lot less than I would have to pay if I had to go somewhere else. I agree that anyone with a 1099 or more complex taxes see a professional just to make sure they don't miss anything. If you're filing one of the EZ forms, then I think it's just fine to file them for free online.