argh taxes

[Zoe Girl]

So I have not got all my federal taxes together, yeah I know how late it is. I know that there is a consequence for not filing but I get a refund so there is not a penalty. However I have to pay state every year and missed some, again no one to blame but myself since I know how to call and work things out. I just get really busy. Considering it took every cent I had to move I didn't really have money yet to pay these off, but I could have paid with federal refund, in any case it is urgent now.

I am considering hiring someone to do these taxes, work out the payment to the state and just get it done. Obviously I am having a hard time getting this done. The quotes I have are around $200-300 but they are assuming 2 years federal. I have one year federal and 2 -3 years state. Meanwhile I will have the funds on the 17th when I get my deposit back from my former rental. So should I try to get to this myself over the next week or just hire someone? Are these reasonably rates for tax professionals (not wal mart set-ups, I can study and do that myself)? How much stress reduction should I account for in knowing someone professional did this with my mess? How much do I focus on how much I handle as compared to how much I feel I screw up? Sigh, I am not sure this grownup thing is working for me.

[sweetana3]

You MISSED filing 2-3 years of State taxes? SIGH.

The price is probably right in the ballpark. However, just how hard are yours to do? No home owned, No itemized, maybe some education credits. Personally, I would go with a professional this year because I do not think you will get it done (since you are still talking about doing it and not getting it done)and you need the federal funds.
JUST DO IT.

How about starting in January next year gathering whatever you need and filing as soon as you get your W-2 and any interest statements? Stop this needless procrastination.

Sorry for the rant but I worked for the IRS for 31 years and had to deal with many people who just did not get their stuff done and ended up in real hardship because of it.

[Zoe Girl]

if it helps I am not arguing with them, I understand it is my deal. I just had this stupid delay waiting for a refund in order to pay and then large car repairs most years. So I have found if I am just owning up to it and paying it without arguing that goes better. I have been through foreclosure, bankruptcy related to foreclosure, threatened with being sued by ex, trying to rent a place with said foreclosure, taking care of student loans and paying on a chapter 13 bankruptcy. I am just tired, this all came from the economy tanking (I have had no credit card or car loan debt in a very long time). I have been dealing with all of this for years now. Years ago I paid ahead on my 2nd mortgage, filed taxes in January, and had no optional debt.

Things are changing, I have a raise, I can afford life, and so I need to change my mind out of crisis mode now and get back to how I handled things before. Maybe hiring someone helping will help me switch gears since I have been able to handle other things better over the last year.

[bae]

Sitting down with TurboTax for a short bit really isn't that hard.

If you don't have anything especially complicated going on in your financial life (taxwise) it should be very little work.