So many people are going with online software or websites that allow you to do your taxes on your own. These services are easy to use and do a good job for what they offer, but the real question is, are you getting the most out of your income tax or do you even know what you qualify for? You’re almost going in blind unless you know all about deductions and things you might qualify for. I put this guide together to show you what you are missing by not going with a professional.
More Deductions
It’s a stone cold fact that a professional will be able to look at your profile and tell you what kind of extra deductions you might qualify for. There are race specific, work related, and travel deductions that a lot of people overlook when they are using software. The software isn’t a human being and can’t recall previous experiences where someone got a deduction because of this or that. It can only gauge what you will receive by what you input only. A professional will ask the kinds of questions software could never be taught to ask.
Customer Service
You have a team that is totally dedicated to you. It’s nice to have someone you can call and ask questions. Learning what is going on in the tax preparation process will help you understand what kinds of tax breaks that you qualify for, so that in the future you might be able to do your own taxes and still get a great refund. Plus, you will be able to sit back and relax, knowing that your taxes are being done by a professional that will take care of everything.
Audits
The last thing you want to do is use one of them software’s to do your taxes and the next thing you know, the IRS is coming at you with an audit. An audit can be a scary thing if you have never experienced one. Even people that have, most likely would never like to experience on again. Most tax preparation companies have an audit protection service that puts them in the driver’s seat if an audit is ever to occur. The process will be entirely handled by their support team and they will report back to you. Some of the software comes with audit protection too but it’s kind of scary ordering anything offline these days.
Hiring a professional takes away all the risk and chances of mistakes that you could make if you were to prepare your taxes yourself. I know it’s cheaper to go the software route but the amount of money you could get back on your taxes by using a professional should cover the difference.