Where to Get Tax Advice
SOFTWARE
TurboTax and Kiplinger TaxCut are best; spring for the $30-$40 deluxe versions. These are fine for most Form 1040 filers, but note: They may not be able to handle special situations.
PRINTED GUIDES
For about $15 each, titles such as J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax, Taxes for Dummies, and the The Ernst & Young Tax Guide are good value. They're easy to use, though you still have to do all the math yourself.
ONLINE
For help preparing your return, use www.securetax.com. For $14.95, it will send the return to the IRS. To get access to accountants, who will charge $75 to $100, use www.taxlogic.com. These sites say they're secure. But if you're uncomfortable putting personal tax data on the Web, they aren't for you.
THE IRS
Its Web site (www.irs.ustreas.gov) is slow but useful for forms and publications. IRS help lines at least answer the phones this year.
Return to main story
| 
