It’s tax time, and with this economy, people are feeling the pinch.  Job losses and company downsizes have a lot of people hoping for help.  Some will find that in a tax return.  But, how much do you spend getting your taxes done? $100?  $200?  More?

When my husband and I were self-employed, we were once charged almost $500 to have our taxes done by a professional.  And that did not include what we owed to the IRS!  We had paid our quarterly estimates and I had everything listed in great detail.  I felt that we were way over-charged, and so the next year, I turned to TurboTax.

I do have to say that in less than a year, our lives had undergone radical changes.  Among them were a big job change and a baby.  I spent less than $90 on our taxes that year, and got almost $3000 back.  Woot!

But really, in this time, who can’t use an extra grand or two?  So, if you are going to receive that back, how do you make the most of it? We all are pinching pennies, so why not pinch in the area of taxes?

Now, TurboTax and H&R Block software are not for everyone.  I’m no financial expert, but if you have several investments, properties, or are self-employed, this may not be for you.  On the other hand, if you are comfortable with where you stand, are familiar with what you (or your spouse) do, and are ready to take your taxes into your own hands, this might be what you are looking for.

I have not used H&R Block, but from what I have been able to glean from their site, they offer the option of purchasing software or doing your taxes online.  They also offer live support and audit support.  They also have different packages for different situations.  For example, if you are single and receive one W-2, you would probably be able to use the smallest package.  The more complex your situation is, the higher package you would need to use.  Which one is right for you?  You can read an overview of each package on the site to see which one you would need.

Next week, we’ll take a look at TurboTax and the pros and cons of do-it-yourself taxes.

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Amy is the wife of a youth pastor and has four girls that call her Momma. When she isn’t blogging about her thoughts or her girls, Amy spends her days happily homeschooling, counseling, and cleaning up after everyone.  Oh, and drinking lots of coffee!