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.
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.