Americans: How do you file your taxes?

[Lacius]

Tax season is pretty much upon us, and I was curious how other people file their taxes. Personally, I can't stand it that the United States doesn't have return-free filing, and I'll never pay a company to do my taxes just so they can use my money to lobby politicians to intentionally keep taxes complicated.

If you make under $72,000, there are several options for filing your taxes for free:
https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

 

[godreborn]

Turbo tax. I installed 2020's for my parents' computer a couple weeks ago.

 

[Lacius]

Turbo tax. I installed 2020's for my parents' computer a couple weeks ago.

I did the same for my parents today, and it was totally 100% completely absolutely not pirated.

 

[zeroultima6]

Turbo Tax all the way, i wish some people learn how to file their own taxes, pretty easy to do

 

[FAST6191]

I have been in the US when tax season rolls around. Seems like a nightmare.

UK wise then despite being self employed, with expenses and more besides... actually took really long this year compared to previous years. A whole 20 minutes on a government provided portal. I keep my accounts on gnucash throughout the year (it has some US options) so just generate a income-expenses-whatever series of statements and plug the numbers in.


Anyway I don't know if it is lobbyist complexity efforts that sees the US have the nightmare it does but instead some rule that says the government can't compete with private enterprise.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Use Turbo Tax as well, even if Intuit is a predatory POS company that tries to trick people who are eligible for free filing to pay for their shitty service. But they're one of the few "decent" services that makes it easy to enter self employed info, so it's just what I stick with.

 

[Mythical]

I just use turbo tax tbh

 

[Lacius]

I have been in the US when tax season rolls around. Seems like a nightmare.

UK wise then despite being self employed, with expenses and more besides... actually took really long this year compared to previous years. A whole 20 minutes on a government provided portal. I keep my accounts on gnucash throughout the year (it has some US options) so just generate a income-expenses-whatever series of statements and plug the numbers in.


Anyway I don't know if it is lobbyist complexity efforts that sees the US have the nightmare it does but instead some rule that says the government can't compete with private enterprise.

The United States could easily institute return-free filing, and the infrastructure already exists to do so. In fact, presidents of both parties have proposed it, but because of the lobbying efforts from TurboTax and others, it hasn't happened. TurboTax also regularly lobbies against things that would make filing easier, like a unified IRS website that would let one file their taxes for free, etc.

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Use Turbo Tax as well, even if Intuit is a predatory POS company that tries to trick people who are eligible for free filing to pay for their shitty service. But they're one of the few "decent" services that makes it easy to enter self employed info, so it's just what I stick with.

Yep, another reason they won't get a dime from me.

 

[NNate]

Been using turbotax for a long time. I'm used to its quirks and don't want to learn another software. I've heard good things about H&R Block software though

 

[The Catboy]

Normally TurboTax, but since I got married and have like 9 different things that need to be filed, I might have it professionally done

 

[Wolfy]

Been using CreditKarma for years now, hasn't led me astray yet( though I still don't wanna think about messing it up).

 

[sonyabyrd]

Hi! This question has not been relevant to me for a long time. A few years ago, I used to deal with this topic on my own, but half a year ago, I discovered an alternative that saves me a lot of time and nerves, given that I am a doctor and do not have them.

 

[SG854]

Tax season is pretty much upon us, and I was curious how other people file their taxes. Personally, I can't stand it that the United States doesn't have return-free filing, and I'll never pay a company to do my taxes just so they can use my money to lobby politicians to intentionally keep taxes complicated.

If you make under $72,000, there are several options for filing your taxes for free:
https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

I use to use turbo tax until they got greedy and stopped free file this year. And those assholes are sneaky.

The other so called free version isn't free and make you pay at the end. You had to in the past find the free file through secret links.

 

[The Catboy]

Normally TurboTax, but since I got married and have like 9 different things that need to be filed, I might have it professionally done

You just kept using TurboTax

 

[Xzi]

I use the HRBlock free file option. My taxes are usually pretty straightforward.

 

[shanonchif]

Hi! This question has not been relevant to me for a long time. A few years ago, I used to deal with this topic on my own, but half a year ago, I discovered an alternative that saves me a lot of time and nerves, given that I am a doctor and do not have them.

Hi

 

[sherillstillie7]

Ehm, that's a tough question. Sometimes I do it myself, as I think it's not normal to let someone else do it for you, as they will see all your revenue and all the good you own. However, since the pandemic started, I became so freaking lazy that I just didn't want to spend time on that, so I paid some accountants to do that. Now, I have my personal accountant who does it for me. But, before doing that, I use https://www.payrollindex.com/take-home-pay-calculator/ to see how much money I would still have after paying all the taxes.