How much do you pay to prepare your taxes?

[jIM_Ohio]

I am curious what people here pay to have their taxes prepared? The cost of preparing the return is what I am after.

HR block suggests their average client pays $180 according to what their hiring manager told me.

[maat55]

I've used a CPA for years. Recent years have cost 400.00. I'm doing it myself this year.

[momof1in150]

We use TurboTax and it has cost about $75 to do state and federal. This might be the last year that I can do my own because as a REALTOR I work for myself and have a bunch of deductions. We will see how this year goes before I make that decision.

[jIM_Ohio]

I use Turbo Tax and answered the question as around $50. If anyone pays more than $150, I am curious if the return was anything special?

[Jazzmint98]

I also use TurboTax for both my federal and state returns. I get a discount through TRowe Price. I think it was around $60-70 last year. I went to H & R Block for years when I was married, but it got too expensive (over $200). It is much better for me to use Turbo since it walks you through each step and is much less expensive, IMO.

[JinCO]

I used a CPA 2 years ago and it was around $1000. We had to file in 6 states that year. I used turbo tax last year. I'm not sure what we are going to do this year.

[Snave]

We go to a CPA and it is around $450. Wouldn't do it anyother way.

[MonkeyMama]

A CPA does my taxes. (ME!)

The minimum we charge is $300, for a basic return. Many of our clients pay thousands (complex returns).

I get the feeling from past discussions on this board that tax returns are more expensive in California. Heck, you probably pay far more for the state tax return than the Fed. The Fed is simpler, by a mile.

[Angio333]

I use an independent accountant. I called H&R Block, but they wouldn't give me the price until AFTER they did my tazes so I took my business elsewhere.

[kork13]

I've done it a few ways.... In the last 3 years though, I've had a family friend (who works for H&R) willing to do them for me (free), and then last year our base arranged (somehow or other) for some tax preparers to come in and walk us through doing them... again, free.

If I didn't have a free option available that I trust, I'd probably just do turbotax or something similar, at whatever the cost.... I've had a mistake come up once, and don't ever want that madness to be repeated....

[cptacek]

I would do them, but the rules for farms changes every year, so we want someone up on all the laws to look at them. If we didn't have a business, I would do them myself.

[StressLess]

I answered 0, because the price for Tax Act deluxe with the state return is closer to 0 than 50. And the software lets me do my mother's return at no extra cost.

The most my mother paid was over $300 when she wanted to try H&R Block. It wasn't a terribly different year for her than any other, but they charged by how many forms and schedules AND by how many lines had to be filled out on each form or schedule. And, we caught mistakes before my mother signed, and had to go back several times. Ridiculous!

[FrugalFish]

Our taxes are pretty straight forward, so I do them. I don't bother with Tax software.

[disneysteve]

As I indicated on your blog, I pay $125, but my accountant is my cousin and he and his brother now run the accounting firm that my father and his father started many years ago, so I'm not paying full fees.

We have our personal return and I also have self-employment income from my ebay sales and side work I do as a doctor (surveys, speaking engagements, etc.) so it is a little more involved than just a straightforward personal return.

[simpleyme]

we have always used the same person to do our taxes
I cannot quite remember but its seems like it was 225 last year

we have a business,regular employment, rentals

[Pitman]

One year I foolishly was conned into paying close to $150 to get my taxes next day. The return was considerable, but it sill was a mistake on my part. Last year I paid around $50 for my taxes. Next year I plan on doing it myself or through turbo tax, I've heard nothing but good things about that program.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Pitman

One year I foolishly was conned into paying close to $150 to get my taxes next day. The return was considerable, but it sill was a mistake on my part.

Just to be clear, Jim is asking about the cost to have the tax return prepared, not any fee paid to obtain a refund loan, which I believe is what you are referring to. As you learned, those are a huge rip-off. With electronic filing, it only takes 2 weeks to get your refund anyway. Paying 150% or more interest on a loan just to have your money instantly is so not worth it.

[PrincessPerky]

I put 50, but really it was less than that, for both federal and state, and it was the fee for them to do the mailing and have it direct deposited...We could have printed them out and mailed it in for the price of a stamp...but I know myself, it would ave sat till the last minute.

[KatieNK]

I go a place that they do it for free for us po' folks

[GREENBACK]

I used to go to H&R but my taxes were more complicated then. I remember paying in the $500 range but I think it was based on what they saved you or any return or something. Anyway, I figured out how to do it myself and saved on the fee but may have lost out a little on the deductions. I'm still ahead.