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
