Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Importance of Getting Tax Filing Help

By Kenneth Friarson

If you are not sure how to file a tax return, it is very important to get the necessary tax filing help. Most people need help when it comes to preparing taxes and filing taxes. Most of them take their W-2 or 1099 tax documents to their local H&R Block office and have them prepare their tax returns. Tax codes are well known to be complex for ordinary people.

Although it is perfectly acceptable to have someone else prepare your tax return and give you tax filing help, it is also good to know how to do it yourself. That way, a taxpayer can make sure that his or her tax return is prepared properly an nothing is left out that can reduce tax bills. The more tax credits and tax deductions you can claim from the IRS, the less taxes you have to pay.

Although tax preparers are equipped to give tax filing help and correctly input all the tax information on tax returns, it is up to each taxpayer to give them the most accurate information about himself/herself. Taxpayers know about themselves much better than tax preparers know about them so if the taxpayers withhold some information that are vital for claiming tax credits or tax deductions, the tax preparers will not know.

Some taxpayers are brave and do not want any tax filing help. They would rather save the money that they would pay a tax preparation service and do it themselves. Taxpayers can save anything from less than $100 to over hundreds of dollars in tax preparation fees if they do it themselves. It can be worth it but taxpayers must make sure that there are no mistakes that could be avoided.

If a taxpayer does not get any tax filing help and end up making mistakes in his or her tax return, he or she will need to correct the mistakes. This can be done by filing an amended tax return. To avoid having to re-file a tax return or to file an amended return, it is easier to get the help and do it right the first time.

Another way to prepare a tax return is to make good use of a tax prep software. A tax software usually has a built in tax filing help section. A taxpayer can just answer simple questions about himself or herself and let the tax software do all the necessary calculations. This is a very easy way to prepare tax returns and also file electronically.

In general, it is best to get the tax filing help you need before you file your tax return. You can avoid the headache of having to file an amended return by making sure that everything is reported and claimed correctly the first time. There are many organizations that offer tax filing help for free. - 15275

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