WebBand Blog

When I was in 8th grade, I learned to complete a 1040 long form. I remember thinking, “Will I ever be able to do this by myself?” Taxes are a complex thing to do, but technology has made it easier.

The first big break came with programs like Turbo Tax. These programs walked you through your tax preparation and helped you find all your deductions. Over the years, they have become very good at it. The entire process could take as little as an hour or several days depending on how complex your return was. These programs are still available and get better with each year. Yahoo has done a nice review on two of the most popular:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/devlin/7565;_ylt=An8Edv.i6dtkMxrxpfh.yVIxLpA5

Last year, Turbo Tax came out with an online version of their software. You didn’t have to purchase and install it; you can do it in your web browser. The process is very similar and just as complete as the software version. One of the nice features is doing all your tax work and finding out what you owe or get back BEFORE paying (you only pay when you submit a return or print the forms).

Another new item this year is free taxes. Believe it or not, if you qualify, you can do and submit your taxes for free. I didn’t qualify, but I was able to get a pretty good deal (I paid a total of $9.95 this year – last year it was $39.95 for basically the same thing). Check out the information online to see if you qualify:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/devlin/7679/how-to-file-taxes-for-free

Taxes don’t have to be difficult or expensive. Remember, April 17th (tax day is a little later this year) is approaching quickly, so use the tools available and get your maximum rebate!

Here are a few more links that you might want to check out:

http://www.hrblock.com/
http://www.taxact.com/
http://turbotax.intuit.com/

Next Wednesday: St. Patrick’s Day History