Do your own taxes or hire a tax professional
弄清楚如何自己纳税似乎很复杂, 但聘请专业人士的替代方案可能会很昂贵. Here's some help deciding.
当涉及到税务准备时，知道你的选择是很好的. Efile.com states that in 2020 (for 2019 taxes), 超过7100万纳税人准备并提交了纳税申报表. The IRS offers several tax season tips and ideas to get you started. 许多美国人选择向税务专业人士寻求帮助. 是自己申请还是寻求帮助取决于你的情况、时间和预算. 这里有一些问题可以帮助你做出决定.
1. How complex is your financial situation?
当你不需要填写复杂的表格时，报税是最简单的. For example, if you take the standard deduction 而且你的收入来源很直接，你可以自己纳税. 低成本的软件也可以指导你如何做你自己的税.
请注意，软件可以指导你填写纳税申报表，但它不能提供建议. 随着你财务状况的复杂性增加, including questions about income, capital gains and more, 你可能想通过寻求税务专家的帮助来减少不确定性(和你需要的时间), especially so you don't miss out on possible deductions.
经验丰富的报税员可以帮助回答这些问题，并帮助你列出或申报所有的东西. 要求标准扣除额可能并不总是最适合你的经济状况.
2. How much time do you have?
自己报税会帮你省钱，但你可能也要考虑一下你的时间值多少钱. Completing a Form 1040 当你必须处理记录保存或国家备案时，其他形式可能会很耗时.
无论你是自己准备还是把税租出去，你都可以通过以下方式来帮助减轻压力 preparing early and planning ahead.
3. How much are you willing to spend?
自己报税是有成本的——你的时间, 你可能使用的任何软件和你可能犯的错误最终都可能导致费用和罚款. Popular tax software or online programs typically cost $25 to $120, plus a bit more for state filing, depending on the type of return. 如果你调整后的总收入低于72,000美元，你可以使用 IRS' Free File to prepare and file your taxes at no cost.
聘请税务专家可以减轻你投入时间的负担，但这仍然是有成本的. According to Investopedia, the average fee for hiring a tax professional 是146 - 457美元，取决于所做的工作类型.
How to choose a tax preparer
有几个品质来寻找任何 financial professional. The IRS has provided tips to help you select a tax preparer.
Ask anyone you hire how they will protect your data, especially if they file an electronic return. 同时，调查一下他们是否可以并且愿意在国税局审计的情况下代表你. 记住:即使他们在你的报税表上签字并帮助审计, 一般来说，责任最终由纳税人承担, not the professional.
Tip: Are you among the 74% of Americans who get a tax refund? Here are smart ways to put that money to use. Be sure to look over other articles State Farm® offers to assist you with your budget planning.
