I try to mess around with tax refunding calculation

United States
February 4, 2013 5:35pm CST
A co - worker of mine telling me that if my tax is simple enough, I should try to do it myself. She advised me to use that website average1040.com, and follow the instruction step by step to fill out the 1040 form. Today after work, I took out the W - 2 form, and start to mess around with it. Step by step, and I didn't know whether I miss any step or not, but I click on the "continue" button after I fill out all the required boxes. At the end, the refund from both federal and state wasn't so bad at all. But I hesitate to e - file this 1040 form, since I don't know if I did anything wrong, or miss anything else there. For safe bet, I rather bring it to the professional accountant to do it over again. But it was a fun experience though. I would compare the actual tax return done by the professional accountant to my own work, if there is not much difference, I would try to do it on my own next year. Does anyone file their tax return yet?
2 responses
911Ricki
@911Ricki (13588)
• Canada
8 Feb 13
I absolutely hate tax session, but I don't have $100 to pay someone to do it. I usually get my Dad to do it for me. Last year my Dad did it, and was obviously wrong said I owd $60,000. They will notify you rather quickly if you do something wrong.
La de Boheme
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
5 Feb 13
I file my federal and state taxes online every year. If you make under $57,000/yr., you file for free. See recommended IRS sites: http://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/jsp/index.jsp It's up to you if you want to pay a professional accountant to double-check your forms, but it sounds redundant to me. If you followed the instructions and filled in the correct numbers, than you should be good to go. You can always go back and double-check everything before you hit Submit. I had a friend who was leery about doing it online and ended up doing the same thing -- taking it to an accountant. And you know what the accountant did? He got on the computer and did the same damn thing she could have done for free.