Tackle it Tuesday #7: Taxes

Have you entered my giveaway yet?

I’ve got to say, I was really surprised this year to find how many people do not prepare their own taxes. Now, let me preface this by saying that if you are someone who has things like your own business, a home, rental properties, and other complicated things, I TOTALLY understand why you would get them done, and I likely would too. However, many of the people I’ve talked to are single or married folks with one or two incomes, and not much else to complicate things. Maybe it’s the penny pincher in me (thank you Dad & Grandpa), but I just don’t like the idea of paying someone else to do something that I could do easily, and for free.

Every year since I was 18 years old, I’ve used Turbo Tax to prepare my taxes. For many people with simple returns, the online version is free, and let me tell you, SUPER easy to use. It holds you by the hand and walks you through step by step. There are even little explanations for each area if you get confused with anything. Aside from our W-2’s (I had 4 and he had 1), I was able to easily figure out how to add in my taxable stock dividend income, and deduct student loan interest paid, tuition payments, car registration payments, etc. It gives you all kinds of suggestions on common deductions that many people miss, and helps you get as much money back as possible.

I’m happy to announce that we are getting quite a little chunk of money back this year. I plan to pay the balance of one of my CC’s down to $0 with my chunk, and then who knows what we will do with the rest. Vacation perhaps? Who knows? All I know is I’m glad this tackle is DONE!