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Former H&R Block preparer here. Their new client bonus was $25 last year but the base fee for even a simple return started at $149 plus extra for each form. If you have investments, HSA, or itemize, you're looking at $250+ easy. Liberty Tax gave $50 Amazon cards but charged even more. Most bonuses are marketing gimmicks. You're better off finding a reputable local CPA or EA (Enrolled Agent) who charges a flat reasonable fee. Ask specifically if they have experience with your tax situation (investments, rental property, whatever applies to you).
Thanks for the insider perspective! What credentials should I be looking for when choosing someone? Is there a big difference between a CPA and an EA when it comes to regular tax prep?
For most individual returns, both CPAs and EAs are qualified, but there are differences. CPAs have broader accounting education and can handle financial planning beyond taxes. EAs specifically focus on taxation and representation before the IRS. Both have to pass rigorous exams and maintain continuing education. What's most important is finding someone with experience in your specific situation. Ask how many similar returns they've prepared and what their process is for staying current with tax law changes. Also inquire about their availability throughout the year - you want someone who's accessible if you have questions or receive IRS notices, not just during tax season.
Don't chase bonuses. I fell for that with Liberty Tax last year - got a $75 gift card but ended up paying almost $300 for a return that should've cost $150. Look at total cost not just the bonus. Plus, the preparer was clearly new and missed some credits I was eligible for. Had to get it amended.
This is another reason why I'll always check my Return & Analysis section in tax software now. Found out the hard way that you can see all the forms that have been reported to the IRS with your SSN before you file. Would have saved me a similar headache last year!
Wait, there's a way to see what forms have been sent to the IRS under your SSN before you file? How do you access that? That would be super helpful.
Not all tax software has this feature, but many do now. In TurboTax, there's a "Tax Data Verification" section where you can import forms the IRS has received. H&R Block has something similar called "Tax Identity Shield" where you can review reported forms. The most comprehensive way is to create an account on the IRS website and request a "Wage and Income Transcript" which shows all information returns (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) reported to the IRS. The only downside is that current year information might not be fully updated until summer, so it's most helpful for catching things you missed the previous year.
The same thing happened to me but with a 1099-MISC for some freelance work. I amended through TurboTax and it was accepted in about 12 weeks. Here's my advice - pay the estimated additional tax when you file the amendment. Don't wait for the IRS to bill you, because the interest keeps accumulating.
After trying several options over the years, I think FreeTaxUSA is seriously underrated. Used it last year after switching from TurboTax (which was getting too expensive for what it offers). FreeTaxUSA handles everything the expensive software does including self-employment, investments, and itemized deductions. Federal filing is free and state is only like $15. Interface isn't as pretty as TurboTax but it gets the job done.
Does FreeTaxUSA handle investment sales with basis reporting? That's where I got stuck with another budget option last year and had to upgrade.
Yes, FreeTaxUSA handles investment sales with basis reporting really well. I had about 20 stock transactions last year with various purchase dates and it handled everything smoothly without making me upgrade. The interface for entering the information is straightforward - you can either enter transactions manually or import a spreadsheet if your broker provides one. Much better than my experience with other budget options that either couldn't handle investments or required upgrading to a premium tier.
One important thing nobody's mentioned - if your income is under $73,000, you might qualify for IRS Free File which gives you access to premium tax software completely free. Check the IRS website before paying for anything! The software companies hide these free versions on their own websites but they're required to offer them through the IRS Free File program.
I tried Free File last year and it was confusing because there were multiple options. How do you know which one to pick?
Don't forget state tax returns! Different states have different retention requirements. For example, California has a 4-year statute of limitations instead of the IRS's 3 years. If you've moved between states, you might need to check the rules for each state you've filed in.
Oh snap, I didn't even think about state returns! I've lived in three different states over the last decade (moved for work a couple times). Does that mean I need to look up each state's rules?
Yes, you should check each state's rules where you've filed. The statute of limitations varies - California is 4 years, New York is 3 years, and some others have different timeframes. If you want to keep things simple without researching each state, just keep everything for 7 years. That covers the longest standard statute across all states and the federal extension for substantial underreporting. But if you're really tight on space, it's worth looking up the specific states where you filed.
I learned a neat trick from my accountant - take pictures of all tax docs with my phone and save them to a dedicated Google Drive folder each year. Then I have a reminder set for 7 years later to delete that year's folder if I want. Easy system and doesn't take up any physical space!
Is that secure enough though? I'm worried about tax docs in the cloud. Wouldn't a local hard drive be safer?
Ellie Lopez
Just to throw another option into the mix - we use SmartVault with CCH Axcess and have a pretty good workflow for this. We upload the 8879 to a special folder that only becomes visible to the client after we mark their invoice as paid in our system. It's not as automated as some of the options mentioned here, but it works reliably. The downside is you need someone to actually check the payment status and then manually move the document, but we have a staff member who does this as part of their morning routine. Takes about 30 minutes for our whole client base.
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Chad Winthrope
ā¢Do you use the standard SmartVault folders or did you have to set up a custom structure? I've been looking at SmartVault but wasn't sure how flexible it is.
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Ellie Lopez
ā¢We created a custom folder structure. The basic setup is: - Main client folder (always accessible) - Tax documents subfolder (always accessible for uploading) - Completed returns subfolder (becomes visible after payment) - 8879 forms subfolder (becomes visible after payment) You can absolutely customize it however you want. We also have different permission templates for business vs individual clients since the workflow is a bit different. The permission management is pretty granular - you can control access at the folder level and change it based on certain triggers or manual status changes.
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Paige Cantoni
Has anyone tried FileYourTaxes Pro? A colleague mentioned they have this feature but I can't find much about it online.
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Kylo Ren
ā¢I looked into it last year. They do have a feature that's similar but it's much more basic. You can't really "lock" the 8879 to the invoice - it just gives you a status dashboard where you can see if clients have paid and if they've signed the 8879. You still have to manually coordinate the two actions. Their client portal is also really dated compared to most modern options. Wouldn't recommend it personally.
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