How do you deal with taxes?

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Every year I get sideswiped by a different than expected tax bill, and every year I promise myself that next year will be different. Last year it was "tax in hand" where the IR surprisingly double your tax bill to pay for next year in advance.

My wife insists it's the Asperger's and wants me to get a proper job, something I would hate, and which would involve a significant pay cut.

Does anyone else have issues with taxes, and do you have any strategies?

Hire an accountant?

I use the free online tax filing service by H&R block, but I've never earned enough to have to pay taxes; maybe it isn't free for those with tax liability. It seems very thorough at finding all the deductions for which one qualifies.

My husband and I go to H&R Block.

We have filed with Block for the past 10 years or so and always get a refund of several grand. But then we have kids and they cut taxes at my husbands work.

in my neck of the woods there is no h & r block or anything like that, but there is a tax accountant in the county seat who has done my taxes for the past several years.

H & R Block

It sounds like you should have been making quarterly payments all this time. I'm amazed you got off with no penalties or interest.

TurboTax Online worked pretty smoothly for me.
I don't know how it is for more complex financial situations though.

Haven't paid taxes in a couple of years now. But, when I did I always filed it myself. Then in the 1990s I started using tax software to do it, and then online software. The most recent I used was TaxACT Online Free Federal Edition! It worked fantastic and saved me a lot of money. When I did my taxes myself, I was always very conservative and paid the maximum tax. When I started doing it electronically, the software found me so many deductions that I paid little or no taxes. I seriously doubt that a professional tax preparer would save me any additional money.

my taxes are so complicated that I dare not avoid the professional tax accountant.

I hire an accountant. They save me more than they cost.

How do I deal with taxes?

First, I declare at least 2 deductions from my paycheck. Then, I hire a CPA to calculate my taxes.

I always get something back.

Oh there are penalties and interest galore :O. I have just hired a new accountant so maybe next year will be different. Thanks for all the advice. I'll look into quarterly payments.

H&R Block online. My taxes aren't too complicated and I took accounting classes in high school. I could probably get more back that I do, but I always get something, and I'm just happy to be done with it for another year.

Aside from sales tax on things at stores I don't due to having no taxable income.

I not only do my own taxes but the taxes of my mum and grandma as well. I do it in all honesty. I don't like to cheat because that will only get you into a lot of unnecessary trouble.