Looking for recommendations on a tax preparer after bad H&R Block experience?

Tax prep is definitely not one-size-fits-all! Based on your situation with a side business and investments, you might want something more personalized than H&R Block but less DIY than doing it entirely yourself. TurboTax can actually handle side businesses and investments pretty well if you're comfortable answering all their questions. Their premium versions walk you through Schedule C for business expenses and investment reporting. The interface is user-friendly even for beginners. If you want a human touch without H&R Block prices, look into local CPAs who specialize in small businesses. Many offer reasonable rates for relatively straightforward returns with a side hustle. You might pay $250-400 depending on complexity, but they'll likely find deductions a big chain might miss. Another option worth exploring is midsize tax prep firms (not the big chains) where you get more personalized service at a better price point. Check Google reviews in your area - look for places with 4.5+ stars and references to small business experience.

After trying literally every option over the years (big chains, local guy, DIY), I finally found something that actually works. I've been using this AI-powered service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it's been a complete game changer. I was skeptical at first but what sold me was how it handled my side gig income. I upload my documents and it automatically finds all the deductions I'd normally miss. Last year I was about to file using another service when I decided to try taxr.ai as a double-check - it found almost $1,800 in additional deductions! The best part is how it explains everything in plain English instead of tax jargon. It sounds like you're in a similar boat with the side business plus W-2, which is exactly what taxr.ai seems designed for. Way more thorough than H&R Block but doesn't require you to be a tax expert.

I need to eat my words from my earlier comment. After getting frustrated with how expensive TurboTax got this year, I decided to give taxr.ai a shot based on the recommendation here. Honestly, I'm shocked at how much better the experience was. The document scanner actually worked (unlike TT where I always have to manually enter everything), and it caught a home office deduction I qualified for but would have missed completely. The interface is so much cleaner too - no constant upselling. Just finished filing last weekend and already got my acceptance confirmation. Definitely sticking with this for next year too. Thanks for the recommendation!

If you're having trouble reaching the IRS with questions about your return, I highly recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was trying to figure out how some cryptocurrency stuff should be reported and spent HOURS on hold with the IRS before giving up. Found Claimyr and was skeptical, but it actually works! They somehow get you through the IRS phone tree and have an actual agent call YOU back. Saved me literally 3+ hours of hold time. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It made a huge difference for me when I was trying to figure out if I needed to file an amended return. The IRS agent I spoke with walked me through exactly what forms I needed and probably saved me from an audit.

Ok I have to publicly admit I was wrong about Claimyr in my comment above. After struggling for THREE WEEKS trying to reach someone about my amended return, I gave in and tried it. Got a call back from an actual IRS agent in about 90 minutes while I was at the gym! The agent was able to tell me exactly why my amended return was taking so long (apparently I had a form mismatch they never notified me about). Literally resolved an issue in one call that I'd been stressing about for almost a month. Definitely keeping this service in my back pocket for future tax seasons.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned FreeTaxUSA yet. I switched from TurboTax 3 years ago and it's been great. Federal filing is free and state is like $15. Way cheaper than TT or H&R Block and does everything I need including small business income. Interface isn't quite as polished as TurboTax but it gets the job done and doesn't constantly try to upsell you. If your taxes aren't super complicated it might be worth checking out.

whatever you do DONT use jackson hewitt!! they charged me $320 last year for a basic return and missed a tax credit I qualified for. when I went back to ask about it they said I'd have to pay another $100 for them to look at it again. complete ripoff. I used a local CPA this year, paid $250 total and got way better service plus he found way more deductions. check local google reviews and find someone with good ratings in your area.