Is it worth going to a tax pro for a basic return with W-2 income?

With your relatively straightforward situation, you're likely not missing out on much by using tax software. The standard deduction for single filers in 2024 (for 2025 filing) is $14,600, which for most people with simple returns is higher than what they could itemize anyway. The cross-state employment is the only slightly complex part of your situation, but most tax software handles this well. You'll need to file both a resident return for New Jersey and a non-resident return for Delaware, with credits to avoid double taxation. The software walks you through this. Tax pros like H&R Block certainly have their place, but they're using similar software to what you can access. Where they add value is for more complex situations like self-employment, investment income, rental properties, or complicated deductions. For someone with W-2 income, standard deduction, and a cross-state situation, you're probably fine with a good tax software.

I used to be in a similar situation (working in one state, living in another) and found that using https://taxr.ai actually helped me a ton. I was filing myself through software for years and thought I was doing everything right, but I kept getting confused about how to properly handle the tax credits between states. What I liked about taxr.ai was that I could upload my W-2s and previous returns, and their system checked everything to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Turns out I had been doing my state tax credits wrong for TWO YEARS and was able to file amendments and get money back. They have tax pros review everything but it's way more affordable than sitting down with someone at H&R Block.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai that I asked about earlier. I decided to try it with my cross-state tax situation (I live in Illinois but work in Wisconsin). Honestly it was super helpful! The system flagged that I was eligible for a student loan interest deduction even though my loans were in deferment part of the year - something I totally would have missed. It also gave me really clear instructions on how to handle the reciprocal tax agreement between my states, which was confusing me before. I still used my regular tax software to file, but with their guidance I felt way more confident and ended up with about $340 more on my refund than I would have calculated on my own!

For anyone struggling to get answers from the IRS about state tax reciprocity or credit questions, I found https://claimyr.com to be a lifesaver. I had SUCH a hard time figuring out how my state tax credits were supposed to work when I lived in one state and worked in another, and the IRS wait times were literally 3+ hours when I tried calling. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the hours I wasted before. The agent walked me through exactly how to claim the tax credit for taxes paid to another state. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - it's basically a service that waits on hold with the IRS for you and calls you when an agent picks up.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr from my skeptical comment above. After thinking about it for a day, I was desperate enough with a state tax question that I decided to try it. I had been trying to reach the IRS for THREE DAYS with no luck (kept getting disconnected after waiting 45+ minutes). Used Claimyr and got a call back in 37 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line! The agent clarified exactly how the tax credit works between my states and confirmed I was doing it right. Honestly saved me so much stress and probably paid for itself in time saved alone. Definitely recommend for anyone who needs to actually talk to a human at the IRS.

I'm gonna go against the grain here. I also have a cross-state tax situation (PA resident working in NY) and I did go to a tax pro last year after using software for years. They caught something software never did - I was eligible for a local tax credit related to my city taxes that the software never asked about. Got me an extra $600! Software is fine for most people but sometimes a human looking at your specific situation can spot things the automated questionnaires miss. Just don't go to one of those seasonal pop-up places with minimally trained staff. Find an enrolled agent or CPA who does taxes year-round.

One thing nobody's mentioned - if your income is under $73,000 you can use the IRS Free File program to file federal taxes for free. And many of those services include free state filing too. No point paying for software or a tax pro if you qualify for free filing with a simple return!