Well I still do not have all of the documents I need to completely file my taxes. I started inputting what I have so I could see an estimate of the final picture. My tax situation is greatly different from previous years because I lost my job last year and still have not found suitable full time employment.
My W2 lists a really low figure compared to past months since I did not receive paychecks from September to December of last year. I ended up giving the same amount at church as I was giving before I lost my job but the tax software is saying I cannot claim it because I donated too much based on my income.
I received less in interest from my savings accounts because I was taking money out of them instead of putting money in, since I needed that money to live on a daily basis.
I am going to use two different tax programs and compare to see which one gives me a more pleasing result before I end up filing. I am looking for free tax preparation software this year because the program I used last year appears to be trying to charge me this year!
Have you started your taxes as yet? Do you expect to pay or will you get a refund?
Comparing tax programs is an excellent idea. I’m so used to using the same one each year, that would be out of my comfort zone, lol.
I expect a good refund because we have foster children…I’m unaware if there has been changes to the child tax credit. I will probably end up using the return to upgrade our house. We’ve decided to stay in the same on and work on paying off the mortgage instead of buying a new one. So, to make it more comfortable, we will invest in upgrades.
Well that is the beauty of personal finance….you do what works for YOU. I have always ended up using the same software every year even after doing the comparison. This year I am changing because it is no longer free for me.