by Breanne Harbison

Created on: March 23, 2010

It's that time of year again, folks.  The time when our calculators are dusted off, our receipts from purchases gone by are neatly laid out and questions like “Is my dog considered a dependent?” begin to cross our minds.  Yes, it's tax season and while you still have just over three weeks to get your tax return prepared and off to the IRS you, like myself, might just be ready to get it over with already.

So, what’s the best way to get this accomplished easily, quickly, and as economically as possible? Surprisingly enough there are some online options that take most of the pain away, guiding you through the process, automatically checking for any errors in your filing and even allowing you to file electronically. Gotta love technology, right?

More than likely you have already heard of the companies such as H&R Block, Turbo Tax, and Jackson Hewitt, but did you know that they offer online tax preparation services?  You can prepare and file your Federal and State income taxes without have to leave the comforts of your home. You can even request assistance from a Tax expert if you get stumped or have questions.  The handy wizards at all three of these tax preparation sites walk you through inputting the proper information, ask you questions to find out which deductions apply and even check your return to make sure there are no mistakes.

If you are looking for a little more assistance in finding just the right deductions, or you have a more complicated return to file you can choose the deluxe option which starts at around $21.50. However, if you’re just filing a simple 1040EZ the basic filing option, which is free, will work just fine.

Filing a State Income Tax return? Well, you can do that at the end of your Federal filing, but it’s going to cost you to use the online services, around $27.50 to be exact.  

So unless you’re a glutton for punishment and standing in long lines at the post office on April 15th with sweat on your brow, praying that the return that you hand wrote and poured over for two months gets post marked in time, really gets your blood pumping, then the online Tax preparation tools from H&R Block, Turbo Tax, or Jackson Hewitt are really a lifesaver. Thankfully, the days of trying to understand tax jargon, ever changing laws, and what is an acceptable deduction have been washed away with the introduction of these handy websites that make filing your taxes a real 'no brainer'.

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