{"id":64684,"date":"2017-01-11T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-01-11T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resource-center.hrblock.com\/?p=64684"},"modified":"2024-09-12T14:46:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T19:46:44","slug":"when-to-get-pro-tax-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrbcomlnp.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/filing\/tax-preparation-and-services\/when-to-get-pro-tax-help\/","title":{"rendered":"When to get professional tax help and when to do your own taxes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>About 60 percent of taxpayers use a professional tax service while the other 40 percent do their own taxes, mostly using DIY software or programs. For some taxpayers, deciding how to file is easy \u2013 preparing their own return or getting help from a professional is as clear to them as being a cat or dog person. But for other taxpayers, the decision is not so straightforward and the best method might change year to year. Here are five ways to know when getting professional tax help might be better than the DIY route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"When to get professional tax help and when to do your own taxes | H&amp;R Block Newsroom\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Hdk46BeFzdo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-complexity-do-not-try-this-at-home\">Complexity: do not try this at home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When a tax situation is more complex, the personal attention from a professional tax preparer could save taxpayers some time and trouble. Owning a business, having investments or rental property, or needing to file multiple state returns all signal a more complex return. While&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-software\/\">reputable DIY tax software<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/online-tax-filing\/\">online tax-filing programs<\/a>&nbsp;offer products designed to handle these situations, the personal attention from a professional could not just give the taxpayer extra peace of mind that their return is accurate, but could also help the taxpayer with tax planning to minimize tax obligations and maximize tax benefits in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-changes-lather-rinse-repeat-not-going-to-work-anymore\">Changes: lather-rinse-repeat not going to work anymore<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Life changes can also affect a tax situation without a taxpayer even realizing it. Graduating, getting married or divorced, having a child, moving, getting a new job or losing a job could all impact the taxpayer\u2019s return and their refund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a taxpayer experiences a life change, it might be a good year to file with a tax professional. Using a tax professional to file their return will allow them to learn about the tax benefits they may or may not qualify for anymore and other tax strategies to minimize their tax liability and maximize their refund. Then, next year, if they haven\u2019t had any more life changes and they feel more comfortable in their tax situation, they could opt to go back to doing their own taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-convenience-life-s-too-short\">Convenience: life\u2019s too short<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2014\/04\/15\/on-tax-day-americans-views-of-taxes-and-the-irs\/\">One in three taxpayers like or even love doing their taxes<\/a>. But taxpayers who fall in with the majority who don\u2019t like it and the quarter of the population that hates doing their taxes might consider washing their hands of it and leaving it in the hands of a tax professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, taxpayers who don\u2019t have time to prepare their own returns could also consider using a professional tax preparer. The average taxpayer spends 13 hours on their taxes, so a tax professional can save them a lot of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-calibration-amend-now-or-forever-hold-your-peace\">Calibration: amend now or forever hold your peace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even the seasoned DIYer might consider using a tax professional every third year. The reason? The IRS allows taxpayers to file or amend tax returns from the previous three years to claim a missed refund. Once that three-year window closes, the taxpayer can\u2019t claim a missed refund even if they discover a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The IRS can also audit returns from the previous three years and the previous six years if they find a serious error. Checking in with a tax professional periodically can help DIYers identify and correct errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-compliance-catching-up-is-hard-to-do\">Compliance: catching up is hard to do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the IRS, 43 percent of taxpayers have to interact with the IRS outside of filing a tax return. If that is responding to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/newsroom\/irs\/audits-and-tax-notices\/taxpayers-twice-as-likely-to-get-irs-audit-like-notices\/\">an audit or notice<\/a>, catching up on back taxes or making&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-payment-center\/\">a payment agreement<\/a>, a taxpayer should consider getting a qualified tax expert to help them. Credentialed tax professionals such as enrolled agents can help taxpayers understand the issue, organize the documents needed to respond and represent the taxpayer before the IRS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With so many options to file \u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/online-tax-filing\/\">online<\/a>, with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-software\/\">downloadable software<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/mobile-apps\/\">via a mobile app<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-offices\/\">in an office<\/a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;even a combination of those options&nbsp;\u2013 taxpayers can be confident that they\u2019ll find the way that works for them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About 60 percent of taxpayers use a professional tax service while the other 40 percent do their own taxes, mostly using DIY software or programs. For some taxpayers, deciding how to file is easy \u2013 preparing their own return or getting help from a professional is as clear to them as being a cat or [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":406,"featured_media":27219,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,125],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tax-preparation-and-services","category-filing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>When to get professional tax help and when to do your own taxes | H&amp;R Block<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hrbcomlnp.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/filing\/tax-preparation-and-services\/when-to-get-pro-tax-help\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When to get professional tax help and when to do your own taxes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"About 60 percent of taxpayers use a professional tax service while the other 40 percent do their own taxes, mostly using DIY software or programs. 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