MegaTRon

So, its almost that time of the year and I want to maximize my refund. Has anyone used turbo tax before but then went to an expert the following year? Will there be a big difference to use an expert over turbo tax?

ironsheik84

I have a CPA I go to that charges a little more than H&R Block, but he's gotten me a higher tax return over the last two years legitamently. I don't have the number on me, but I can PM it to you later.

His office is at George Bush and Midway.

Gernby

I don't see how a person could do better than TurboTax, since TurboTax is going to ask all the questions that need to be asked. I can't see a live person asking YOU all the same questions, and he certainly isn't going to know the answers himself. The only benefit to hiring a "professional" is that it's quick and easy. It takes me lots of hours to go through everything in TurboTax. Of course, I wind up paying practically nothing in taxes. I think I paid something like 7% of my gross income last year.

ironsheik84

I've never used Turbo Tax so I can't vouch for it.

I can say he knows what deductions I qualify for and how much I can claim so it's a plus for me.

turbosix

turbotax f@#king sucks.

if you go to a professional that knows what they're doing you'll definitely get more back.

LMB2000

I use turbotax, and file on a 1080ez.. i cant itemize because i own nothing (besides the sea ray cabin cruiser my ex wife squanders the child support on)... if you dont own a home, or dont make millions of dollars, use turbotax...

FuknS2K

i think it all depends on how complicated your taxes are. if you own your own business and have a lot of other schedules and forms to fill out im sure it'll be worth it to go to a local professional. otherwise, if you're like me, where you just have to enter a few numbers turbotax will do just fine. i believe if you make less than $56k (may of changed) a year you can do the online filing and not pay a dime.

LMB2000

You can make more than 56K and not pay. If you want it to import the previous year's data, that is when it wants you to pay...

DFWs2k

x2

I have done quite a few of my friend's taxes, and one who took her taxes to a professional, ended up getting a few hundred extra back. She has a kid, and we went through every part of turbo tax. I would imagine that "tax professionals" know something about their profession, and know what numbers can be fudged to give a better return and not get in trouble.

Gernby

How can you say he knows what deductions you qualify for? Does he spend 6 hours asking you seemingly random questions about thing you would NEVER think were tax related? Do those questions change every year? If not, then I promise you that he has NO idea what you qualify for, and neither do you!

Here's a totally fictitious example of the type of question stream that comes from TurboTax.

TurboTax: Do you own a home?
Me: Yes
TurboTax: Did you make any upgrades to your home in 2011?
Me: Yes
TurboTax: Check all that apply.
Me: Planted a tree, and replaced my cloths dryer
TurboTax: Is the Tree a Bamboo, and is the dryer an Energy Star Compliant Natural Gas unit?
Me: No on the Bamboo and Yes on the Energy Star gas dryer
TurboTax: Congrats, you get a $50 tax credit for the dryer. Next year, plant bamboo so you can get another $75 environmental tax credit.


*************

Honestly, I don't know how long human CPAs will be doing taxes. I don't think any CPA would be able to replicate the ever-changing "drill-down" questionaire that is required every year to find every deduction. TurboTax is truly MOST valuable to people with LOTS of complicated deductions! My adjusted taxable income (after deductions) has been a small fraction of my gross income for years. There is NO WAY I would have known to tell a CPA about my particular "things" that he would need to know in order to achieve the same results.