NWR - Taxes

mana8503

Usually my mom's friend does my taxes since she does my parents' taxes.  But the last couple of years, I give her my stuff in January/ early Feb and it's not done until April 14th.  I can't handle that, I'm aways early on things and I want my refund before I go on my cruise in March if possible.  FI gets his done free on post, but I don't want to pay to get mine done.

SO, I want to attempt to do my taxes on my own via turbo tax.  I'm SCARED to DEATH, so any helpful sugguestions and tips would be greatly appreciated! 

paprika28

I love the h&r block website. Not only do they give you an estimator, but it's usually free to file federal taxes. I got 800 more this year than I was expecting.

mana8503

Yea I heard on the radio H&R Block was doing free fed if it was the easy form... Wow 800 more?!  That's nice!

dibsontop

I'm using TurboTax for the first time this year (used to use H&R Block).  What I like about both of them is that they will ask you all sorts of questions to see what you qualify for.  If' you're not sure, you can still go through all of the prompts and it was tell you if you qualify or not.

Since we just bought our house in August, this is the first year we'll be itemizing.  Of course, that means we have to wait a few more weeks before the IRS will accept them, but oh well.

dibsontop

Oh, and the 1040EZ is free with TurboTax online but if you need one of the other forms search online for discounts.

AAA, State Farm, and Bank of America all offer discounts (some you don't even need to be a member for).

gkishbauch

I definitely wouldn't be scared of TurboTax.  I've used them the past 3 years in a row, and like previous posters said, they prompt you for everything, so I've found it to be pretty user-friendly.  Plus, you don't have to pay anything until you actually file, so if you decide it's not for you, there's no real penalty per se. That said, the only complicated parts of my taxes to date have been filing multiple states in one year (lots of moving around lol), so I've never itemized with TurboTax, but for what I've used them for it's turned out well.

mana8503

Dibs - I wanted to try on my own this year since I knew it would be easier than next year (no house vs house). 

GKish - I have 1 paycheck that had PA state taxes taken out then the rest was MD.  So I think that's the only "hard" part to it.  I think I'll try it and if I get overwhelmed I could ask my mom's friend.  I know she'll help me, just don't know when she'd get back to me haha.

[Deleted User]

Do you itemize?  How many jobs did you have last year?  Did you work for yourself?

gkishbauch

Haha I hear you - I get anxious when things get put off like that, too  Good luck!

dibsontop

Also, I usually do my federal online but do the state seperately.  Both H&R Block and TurboTax charge a large amount to file state and for me, it's not worth it.

Filing MD taxes the year I moved from PA was so difficult.  I was used to PA's state tax filing which was so simple (for my situation).  MD is very complicated.  I hope it's easier this year since all of our income was only in MD.

Bean32

I've used TurboTax for a few years now and love it. I bought a house last year an TurboTax was great at prompting me through everything with that. It even goes through and calculates if you'll get more itemizing vs. not. I also had 2 years with jobs in multiple states. While that takes more time, especially with the state taxes, it's not difficult.

My favorite part of TurboTax? It saves your info from year to year, so once you do it once, it takes a fraction of the time to do it the next year.

amy727

I've been doing my federal taxes on Turbo Tax for a few years and haven't had a problem.  I did my state taxes online this year for the first time and it was easy.  My local taxes need to be mailed in because I use the Philly wage tax (I think that's what its called), to offset my local taxes. 

You can always use the free version online and try it out.  You can do it and it will tell you what you get back/need to pay.  If you feel that it is wrong then you can take it somewhere. 

You may want to have someone help you with just the state and local portion of your taxes.  That way you get your federal return and will have to pay less. 

mana8503

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_nwr-taxes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:105Discussion:acb48f3c-f3a3-41b1-9727-556f9836f0fePost:f97de75a-7fae-42e0-97d9-2c31486ed4a3">Re: NWR - Taxes</a>:
[QUOTE]Do you itemize?  How many jobs did you have last year?  Did you work for yourself?
Posted by NCV2[/QUOTE]

No itemize
1 job
I don't work for myself

mana8503

This is my first time in MD.  I know in PA they sent me a booklet for state taxes... they even did it this year.  I guess because I paid once (I forgot to change over before the new year started). 

I think I just need to try it and go from there.  If I get too lost I might try H&R Block - how much do they usually charge?

paprika28

I've never followed through online to find out how much it is, I usually just go up until right before I'm gonna file, print it out and bring it to the oxford branch. I love the lady that does it- she's such an old broad. Dead serious. Oxygen tank, sarcastic... i love her. It costs me $320, but I usually get the piece of mind insurance, and the RAC. (This way, we'll have my money by the 18th.) Plus, they efile everything, (State, local and federal) and pay the state that I owed.

happywithhim715

Mana- I just did mine on Tuesday night via Turbo Tax. Like the commerical says "Its a GPS for taxes" ha ha... No seriously every year I just gave my stuff to my dad and he did them via turbo tax. This year I did my hubbys and mine... I steps you through each part... SO SIMPLE.

mana8503

OK - i've decided if I'm not the biggest bum ever to try it tonight while FI is at class.  If I get it done by the 10th I should have the refund by 28th from what Amy posted on Good Morning. 

ooodsie

Turbo Tax is easy if you don't have anything insane going on like 1099's, schedule C's, etc.   Even with those it's not bad.   Things like getting married or buying a house are prompts that you answer yes/no to and it walks you through it.  Nothing to be afraid of.