4 ms·

So why exactly are you advised not to do your own taxes or represent yourself in court even if qualified? (Not a rhetorical question; I'm curious about the answ

So why exactly are you advised not to do your own taxes or represent yourself in court even if qualified? (Not a rhetorical question; I'm curious about the answer.)

nitrogen 13y ago
The penalty for you making a mistake is higher than the penalty for your accountant/lawyer making a mistake. By "penalty" I mean negative consequences, not just explicit fines.
- rwallace 13y ago
  Okay, what sort of negative consequences? And why does having someone else make the mistakes on your behalf protect you from the consequences?
  - iends 13y ago
    I imagine it is harder to get charged with fraud when your accountant files your taxes wrong then when you do your taxes and file them wrong.
  - nitrogen 13y ago
    While representing yourself in court you can accidentally waive your fifth amendment rights.
jacalata 13y ago
I've never heard specifically, but I always assumed that you are less rational when handling your own problems than someone else's, and these fields both require pretty clear thinking.