But how old are you? Younger than 25?

I let someone else do them for free... there is this nonprofit org. that sets up a booth in the local mall that allows people to bring in their paperwork and they do your taxes for your for free. I had them done several weeks ago and got my return around the first of March. Looking forward to that extra $300 around the first of May now

I did ours every year up until this one. I'm a cheap SOB so I wasn't about to hire someone else to do something I could do.

But, this year I caved.

I started letting a tax service do mine several years ago after the wife started with her expensive little "home based business" things.

Found that I could save a lot more money by letting an expert crunch the numbers and let me use some of my wifes unused deductions. Besides, if you pay someone to do your taxes, it'* a tax deduction next year, and if there is any problem with the feds, they take the heat not me.

I hear ya on that note. My time is better spent doing the things that make my taxes so complicated!

Multiple investment properties, owning a company and selling real estate (on top of our day jobs) tend to complicate the ol' 1040.

Depending on what tax form you need to file it can be better for a certified person to do it.
If only state tax forms had a 1040EZ like form, I skip nearly all of the state form because there'* nothing to fill out for me!

I do my own every year. I got back $3,000 this year.

Last year I got $4200 back.

Have you started a new job this year or re-done your W-4'*? If so, you may have claimed too many exemptions on the W-4. OR, if you have two jobs you may not have had enough pulled out. You usually want to claim 0 or 1 for exemptions if you want a refund at the end of the year. The more exemptions you claim the smaller your refund (or bigger balance due) but the larger your paychecks are. Your age really doesn't play a factor unless you're a full time student and your parents claim you as a dependent. The only huge thing that makes a difference in the age of 25 is the earned income tax credit.

Also, about the tax preparer being responsible if there are any errors is not entirely true. IF for example you claim deductions for expenses the taxpayer is responsible for proving those expenses, not the tax preparation office. They can input that you had spent that $$ and claim it as a deduction, however, they should always warn you that you need to retain receipts as proof of that money spent. If you lie to your tax preparer and give THEM false information, you're going to be held liable.

i do my own taxes too. i do every year, except for year before last when my friends mom did them for me (saved me about $300) but i cant justify the cost to have someone else do them,