Tax Tip: Preparing Your Taxes — Should You Go It Alone?
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — It’s the first question many taxpayers ask every year. Should I do my own taxes or get help?
Kathy Pickering with H&R Block says it often comes down to personal preference.
“I am physically capable of changing my oil, but I will never do it. Some prefer to have the expertise and convenience of knowing that it’s going to get done right,” she says about deciding whether or not professional tax help is necessary.
Tax preparer Janice Hayman makes the case for hiring a tax pro.
“Many people think, ‘Oh I just have a little bit of interest and dividends,’ but even that could prove to be complex,” Hayman says, advising that you make sure the person you hire is qualified.
“You can be assured if they are licensed, if they are an enrolled agent or a certified public accountant, or registered tax preparer, they now have a certain criteria of a certain number of hours of education we must take every year,” she says.
Get a reference from someone you trust, Hayman adds.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio