Robert Ebsen

I have been filing my taxes with accountants for over forty years.

Last year I experimented with three online tax services.  I wound up liking TaxAct the best.  But at the last minute I chickened out.  I went with my taxman.  Later I discovered that the online returns were similar to those reckoned by my taxman.

This year I am breaking free — I am filing online with TaxAct.

What fun it is collecting forms. I have been going to websites before the forms are mailed enter the data on TaxAct.  I love  entering the data into TaxAct and immediately seeing the changes in the estimated federal and state refunds.

I am having fun learning about taxes and forms.  Now I understand why the monies I paid for DMV car registrations do not equal their taxable value.

One of the neat things I enjoy doing is seeing how much each deduction gives me in tax refunds.  To do this, all I need to do is delete the deduction, and view the immediate change in my refund.

For example, my 2015 non-cash and cash charitable contributions saved me over a thousand dollars on my federal return.

Why will I be getting back a big refund?  It is because I prefer to let Uncle Sam hold my money as a forced savings plan.  It is the only way my wife and I can really save. It certainly helps make TaxAct a more enjoyable tool.

Why didn’t I do my own taxes years ago?  I could have saved thousands of dollars over the years.  Was I a chicken?  Yes.  But it was good I waited. I had to reach an age of comfort to do my own taxes.  I guess I am just a late bloomer.

Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen@hotmail.com