Taxes - Those That Go to a Professional Cpa

[jj16]

I've never had to take my taxes to a CPA before now because they were dirt simple. With the deductions I don't feel so comfortable doing my own this year.

When I take them to the CPA is it cheaper if you make photocopies of your receipts?

I also rarely do paper checks (probably should have for proof) did I mess up by not doing this?

Finally, do you separate under different categories and if so what categories do you use?

Thanks

jj16

 

[DebbieJ]

My CPA never asked to see my receipts. I just had to give her a report of my expenses. I used Microsoft Money so all I had to do was print out a list of my expenses by category and she figured it out. She would ask questions if anything was unclear.Now we do them ourselves with Turbo Tax as DH no longer has his business.

 

[Jewel]

Judy,
I used Turbo tax. I still do my own taxes for my llc (different program) and PC. P3 keeps track of everything if you remember to enter it :blushing: Then Turbo Tax is super simple! Walks you thru everything! I had a professional do mine for years when I had my salon and then we found out he filed them wrong 4 years in a row! Big mess w IRS, so now I do it myself. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jennie4PC]

we used a tax person last yr and we will go back to turbo tax. Much cheaper, we got the same back with a tax consultant when we did turbo tax

 

[babywings76]

My DH wants us to have a friend that we go to church with who is an accountant do our taxes. We've always just done Turbo Tax and did just fine. But now DH thinks that there's just too many new rules and with my business it's getting harder and more confusing. I feel weird having this other man do our taxes, I don't know why. It's like hiring your minister to come clean your toilet. I just am embarrassed to show him my business receipts and how much I spend on stuff.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

I've used two different accountants. For both people, I came in with my list of expenses and they figured out what category they went into for deductions. I left the first guy b/c it seemed he put things in diff. categories each year and didn't really understand our biz (plus he screwed up the SS#s on my friend's return). Last year I went to a woman. In her office for less than an hour and left with my returns. She said she'd bill me. More than a month later a bill for $300 came. Stupid me had not asked her what she charged. A friend referred her. I got a great deal on Turbo Tax this year at Costco (coupon for $10 off good until the 17th). Since I have to spend all of the time pulling the #s together I figure I can plug them into the software and look at last year's return if I have any questions. I was just reading something about using a tax preparer. I may use someone every few years to catch up on any changes to the tax code. The best advice I think I got was to not claim a loss on your biz for several years in a row b/c then the IRS will view it as a hobby.

 

[cookingwith_tara]

We used to go to a tax preparer BUT then switched to an accountant. The accountant seems to know a lot more as far as deductions for businesses that the tax preparer didn't even ask about or mention. In all the years that I've been in direct sales (8) the first 3 was with a tax preparer and we ended up having to pay in. Since I've been going to the accountant we've always got money back. The highest was close $3,000 :thumbup: and we do NOT have children. It's always been $98 until the one year I switched companies and came over to PC. And that was because I had to have an extra form showing the close out of the one business. I recommend an accountant over a tax preparer. JMHO