Friday, May 9, 2008

Online Tax Return

Most of us don’t look forward to tax time, unless of course your filing is relatively uncomplicated and you’re going to get a huge return. Unfortunately this isn’t the case for anyone who has a significant income, assets, expenses, investments, children, etc. Not everyone can afford to have their taxes done professionally, so they opt to visit their local H&R Block or file an online tax return instead. There are many advantages to filing taxes online; you don’t have to make an appointment, you don’t have to wait in line, you can do it on your own time in the comfort of your home, and it will most likely cost less than paying someone to do it for you. You also have a bit more control over the situation by doing your taxes yourself. You can take your time and make sure you have included everything.

If you decide to file an online tax return, visit sites like www.turbotax.com or www.hrblock.com where you can enter your information and do your taxes at your own pace. Amazon at www.amazon.com sells different tax preparation software programs that can save you the fees associated with online filing services. Doing your own taxes really isn’t that difficult if you have all the necessary documents and are somewhat organized. Most of the tax software programs used by online tax return preparation services, and that sold outright use basically the same formatting and follow the guidelines mandated by the Internal Revenue Service on the appropriate forms. Once an entry is made the program takes the user to the next step depending on the information entered, so that all pertinent information is included. There are also many opportunities to ask questions about a certain step at any time and to get answers to other tax-related inquiries as you complete the process.

To file an online tax return you will need in addition to all the necessary documentation, a credit card to pay the fees at the time of filing, which vary according to the type of filing features you are requesting. If you need assistance while computing your taxes, just send a quick email or phone the customer service center with your question. You may find that filing an online tax return is less stressful than other methods, because you can stop to find something that you may be missing, and go back and pick up where you left off. The software is very user friendly and even the most intimidated should have no problem filing an online tax return.