Typically I have mine filed in early February, but between being out for surgery/recovery, coming back and trying to catch up basically was out 4 weeks of the last 8-9 or so......I just bothered with them last night.
The last 13 years or so, I've used a CPA, not because mine are difficult but out of habit. My ex-wife and I at one point refinanced the house to a 15 year note in both names (was just in mine when purchased since we weren't married yet) so we used a CPA so that my refund was paying for her business expenses. So I just kept using him after the divorce, $150 here is my stuff, done. Not using them this year as he was bought out by another firm and they want $250 to file.
Entered everything into TaxAct last night (who I used to use)........$170. ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY berkeleyING DOLLARS!!! I didn't go ahead file yet as I was hoping to find something cheaper, but I haven't been able to find anything. Well, I'm not re-entering everything to save $10 anyway.
I'm ineligible for any of the free/reduced fee filing options because of income.
It also seems like they are taxing RSU sales harder starting in 2023? My 2023 and now my 2024 federal refunds are dramatically lower and I now owe state income taxes when I never did before.
I haven't done my own the last three years, but prior years we used TurboTax and it wasn't those kinds of costs. More like half that.
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:
I haven't done my own the last three years, but prior years we used TurboTax and it wasn't those kinds of costs. More like half that.
One of my buddies told me Turbo Tax was $160 for him this year.
Apparently having an HSA and RSU sales makes them "not simple" so it increases the costs.
I mean, you can always download the forms, print them out, and fill it in with a pen if you really want to...
TurboTax was like $60 when I was buying it in the late 90s, and there's been a lot of inflation since then.
z31maniac said:
It also seems like they are taxing RSU sales harder starting in 2023? My 2023 and now my 2024 federal refunds are dramatically lower and I now owe state income taxes when I never did before.
I use H&R Tax cut, deluxe edition that covers regular income including RSU's etc is ~$60 and includes free Federal e-File. With state e-File added my wife and I total cost is ~$80/year
As for RSU's check default withholding, my company defaults to a min every year and people who don't change get burned -- you can make the argument whether it makes sense to withold more for taxes or pay later but it's good to have the option at least.
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:
I mean, you can always download the forms, print them out, and fill it in with a pen if you really want to...
TurboTax was like $60 when I was buying it in the late 90s, and there's been a lot of inflation since then.
The last time I filed my own with TaxAct was maybe 2011 or 2012 and it was only $45 and that included keeping your last few years on file to include that information on the next year since they count a refund as income.
NY Nick
SuperDork
3/22/25 6:33 p.m.
We use https://www.1040now.net/mobile/partner.html
it looks like the website was made in 1992 but it is cheap (I think it was $17 or $20) and we have found it reliable.
I am sure the website is just 1040now.net but I pasted the link from my phone, that's why there is extra stuff.
I have been using. https://www.freetaxusa.com/ for the last few years. Federal is free and state is $15.
I'm lazy, only have one W2 and not enough deductions or donations to be worth itemizing anymore thanks to the increase in the Standard Deduction... so I download the PDFs from the IRS website, fill out the forms, print them out and mail them in the old fashioned way. It takes me about 15 minutes to do my Federal taxes. I don't get enough of a return to be worth the price of any of the online systems. I haven't received a refund worth much of anything since 2016, so I usually roll it over to the next year.
While typing this, I decided to go ahead and do my Federal taxes. This year, my refund is $2. I'm find with that. No reason to give the Govt an interest-free loan. Next year I might even owe a small amount, which would be even better.
For better or worse, I live in PA and it's already an online system through the State. Same with my Local taxes.
You can file free on the IRS website, even if your income is too high, you just have to do some of the math yourself. Choose IRS Free File, then Fillable Forms.
dps214
SuperDork
3/22/25 7:51 p.m.
Freetaxusa, and lots of states have a free online self file option these days. Fill in all the state info on FTU to make sure it all matches, submit through the state system, then remove state from FTU and file federal for free. Or just pay them the $15 for state filing if you're lazy or your state doesn't have a self file system.
moxnix said:
I have been using. https://www.freetaxusa.com/ for the last few years. Federal is free and state is $15.
Federal is only free if your AGI is under $84k/yr.
moxnix said:
I have been using. https://www.freetaxusa.com/ for the last few years. Federal is free and state is $15.
I was about to link to this. I've been doing taxes since I was 14, and in college and up until I had kids would help 3-5 people a year as I just kind of find it fun to maximize what we don't give of our earnings but reading arcane goverment publications. I've used freetaxusa for over 10 years and it's super easy. the last few years have gotten a more updated look, that also tries to upsell you a bit more. Just always look for the "continue without support" option in small print at the bottom.
z31maniac said:
Federal is only free if your AGI is under $84k/yr.
Um, I know google tells you that but it's not true. I've been filing for years with a higher AGI (and some years with stock sales), and never had to pay to file my federal.
bbbbRASS said:
z31maniac said:
Federal is only free if your AGI is under $84k/yr.
Um, I know google tells you that but it's not true. I've been filing for years with a higher AGI (and some years with stock sales), and never had to pay to file my federal.
Confirm - our AGI is higher than that and we don't pay for fed. Been using them for almost a decade. We didn't the year we bought our house and wanted things squeaky clean so we payed through the nose for H&R blockhead who offered to audit the year or two prior. No trouble found.
Works pretty well.
I use Free Fillable Forms on the IRS website. It's basically the same as printing the forms out and filling them out yourself but the math is mostly automatic. If your taxes are simple, it's pretty easy. If you screw something up, you get an email from the IRS on what needs to be corrected.
karplus2 said:
I use Free Fillable Forms on the IRS website. It's basically the same as printing the forms out and filling them out yourself but the math is mostly automatic. If your taxes are simple, it's pretty easy. If you screw something up, you get an email from the IRS on what needs to be corrected.
Ditto. I got tired last year of paying someone to do my taxes. I have income from royalties, a salary, coop disbursements and a partial share in an LLC. I was able to make it all work even with the weird coop stuff. You just follow the instructions. No charge at all.
P3PPY
UltraDork
3/22/25 11:43 p.m.
We use small biz from Turbo Tax becuse of self-employment and I think it's like $80 and you get a free state filing, too? You can use it with multiple accounts so we share it with some in-laws.
CPA for the company and TurboTax for me and filing for extensions and I am at about 3k to get tax time taken care of.
z31maniac said:
moxnix said:
I have been using. https://www.freetaxusa.com/ for the last few years. Federal is free and state is $15.
Federal is only free if your AGI is under $84k/yr.
I just used the link and completed our (fairly simple) personal taxes using the link above. (edit: Combined AGI is above the stated limit referenced above and there was no rejection or fee imposed).
It was awesome and total spend was $15 to file fed and state electronically.
I'm only a tiny bit concerned since I have not yet gotten the SMS receipt confirmations yet... hopefully that'll come through shortly.
Edit to add: federal return confirmed
Another vote for freetaxusa.com
Used it three years in a row, $15 total cost, and it's easy to use. Good enough for me.
Yet another vote for freetaxusa.com. I think mine were $34 this year for federal, state, and that includes some basic help if we're audited.
Keith Tanner said:
karplus2 said:
I use Free Fillable Forms on the IRS website. It's basically the same as printing the forms out and filling them out yourself but the math is mostly automatic. If your taxes are simple, it's pretty easy. If you screw something up, you get an email from the IRS on what needs to be corrected.
Ditto. I got tired last year of paying someone to do my taxes. I have income from royalties, a salary, coop disbursements and a partial share in an LLC. I was able to make it all work even with the weird coop stuff. You just follow the instructions. No charge at all.
Yeah, I'm going to go back through TaxAct since all the numbers are already done and then just plug them in and save myself the money.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone.
