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Because what they don't do is make sure you get all the deductions you are entitled to receive. Like it or not, tax law is complex. This is where a good CPA i

Because what they don't do is make sure you get all the deductions you are entitled to receive. Like it or not, tax law is complex. This is where a good CPA is worth whatever they might charge to do the work.

tombert 3y ago
I did actually get a human to do my taxes for me this year. It wasn't even that much more expensive, though I think I don't generally do anything too crazy deduction-wise.
Avamander 3y ago
It doesn't have to be complex though, like it or not.
- robomartin 3y ago
  Agreed. Yet, tax law is complex. And we are not going to simplify it any time soon. We can't even build a damn high speed train, let's not pretend this country can get anything of note done these days. So, yeah, reality-vs-fantasy?
jedberg 3y ago
Most people (87%) take the standard deduction anyway because it's better than their itemized deductions. All those people could just take the bill from the IRS (that would include the standard deduction). The could also put up a website where you spend five minutes inputing the most common deductions they don't know about. It's not that hard, most filers situations aren't that complex.
- robomartin 3y ago
  Yeah, no. Not that simple. One of the most valuable things I got from doing my taxes through CPA's for decades boils down to a single word: Education. Tax laws are complex and they are not going to change any time soon. As I said in another comment, we can't even build a damn high speed train --which is simple when compared to changing tax laws. So, let's not pretend the idea of simplifying tax laws is anything other than a fantasy. The education I received through the years guided me towards understanding what one can do to use the legal tools available to all of us to reduce our tax obligations. I emphasize "legal" because people somehow have equated paying less taxes to some nefarious thing. If the law says you can take deduction A by doing B. Well, do B and get deduction A. If you don't, you are leaving your money on the table out of pure ignorance. The probability of and IRS easy file system providing this level of service to taxpayers is less than zero. I have never regretted paying a CPA to advise me and prepare my taxes. It's worth every penny.

tombert 3y ago

I did actually get a human to do my taxes for me this year. It wasn't even that much more expensive, though I think I don't generally do anything too crazy deduction-wise.

Avamander 3y ago

It doesn't have to be complex though, like it or not.

robomartin 3y ago
Agreed. Yet, tax law is complex. And we are not going to simplify it any time soon. We can't even build a damn high speed train, let's not pretend this country can get anything of note done these days. So, yeah, reality-vs-fantasy?

jedberg 3y ago

Most people (87%) take the standard deduction anyway because it's better than their itemized deductions. All those people could just take the bill from the IRS (that would include the standard deduction). The could also put up a website where you spend five minutes inputing the most common deductions they don't know about. It's not that hard, most filers situations aren't that complex.

robomartin 3y ago
Yeah, no. Not that simple. One of the most valuable things I got from doing my taxes through CPA's for decades boils down to a single word: Education. Tax laws are complex and they are not going to change any time soon. As I said in another comment, we can't even build a damn high speed train --which is simple when compared to changing tax laws. So, let's not pretend the idea of simplifying tax laws is anything other than a fantasy. The education I received through the years guided me towards understanding what one can do to use the legal tools available to all of us to reduce our tax obligations. I emphasize "legal" because people somehow have equated paying less taxes to some nefarious thing. If the law says you can take deduction A by doing B. Well, do B and get deduction A. If you don't, you are leaving your money on the table out of pure ignorance. The probability of and IRS easy file system providing this level of service to taxpayers is less than zero. I have never regretted paying a CPA to advise me and prepare my taxes. It's worth every penny.