I am filing my income tax return for the first time. Help? :0

[dwightcharles 12]

Good Evening.

So I was given my W2 by my supervisor the other week and I knew that I will be up for something.

I will be filing my income tax return for the first time and I have no single clue what it is about and what it is for. I know that I might get a refund but other than that, I have zero knowledge about filing on my own.

My question is, my mom knows this guy who does taxes. He is not like a tax expert or anything. He is just a family friend who happens to know how to file taxes when that time of the month comes for other people. Of course, you pay him money.

OK. lol Heres my real question. Is it better to have him file my income tax return or is it better if I just use TurboTax or any of the E-filing sites? Would it be much cheaper if I go with TurboTax?

I remember, he did my sister's income tax return last year and my sister got like $200 refund and she ended up paying him $70!? is that too much to pay someone?

I really wanna do TurboTax but I am scared cuz I dont know how hard or how easy it is to do it on my own.

Thank you guys. Hope you can help.

And oh, just wanna say thank you to everyone who responded to my previous post. Thank you soooo much.

[carton025 38]

I can only tell you what I do each year. I live in the state of Georgia and go to the Georgia Department of Revenue website and search the tax servies listed there to determine who will let me file my state and federal returns for free. I just have to keep in mind that each tax servie bases the ability to file free tax returns on my income for the tax year. So, you should search the "department of revenue" website for the state you live in to find out which online tax services will let you file your state return for free. Just about every online tax service will let you file a federal return for free. However, keep in mind that most, if not all, tax servies base the free servies on how much money you made last year. For example, if you made less than the maximum you should be able to file your return(s) for free.

Using an online tax service is very easy. It is menu driven, so please do not be afraid. Once you find an online tax service that will allow you to file your returns for free practice filling out the form(s) more than once to learn the process and how it is done. Like I tell you it is not difficult. There is absolutely no way I would pay someone to do something I will spend a lot of time helping the person fill out the tax returns.

Best of luck!

[Coleman21 6]

Are you a permanent resident/ do you have a green card? If you are a non-resident alien, you have to file differently from citizens or permanent residents, so just double checking.

And if you became a permanent resident last year, you have a dual status because you were a non-resident alien at first and a resident alien in the end. If you are married to a US citizen, and want to file as a resident alien for the entire 2013 tax year, you have to file jointly with your spouse. If not you won't be considered as a resident alien for the 2013 and you'd have to file differently from regular tax filers.