Are Tax Returns Difficult to Fill Out?

If you are dreading the upcoming tax season because of the complex forms that are involved, you are not alone. Many people find the early part of the year up to the April 15^th deadline to be a cause for concern as they struggle with the historically difficult chore of preparing their tax return. There are several ways to deal with this problem and you should consider all your options before digging into a heavy session of complicated math, extended worksheets, and going through a shoebox full of receipts.

One popular option for making tax time much easier is to file using an easier form than the traditional 1040. The 1040EZ and 1040A have been created by the IRS to making completing taxes much easier than going through the longer 1040. However, there are some requirements to be able to use one of these simpler forms and not everyone will qualify. The 1040EZ is the simplest, but if you have dependents, made more than $100,000, are 65 years of age or older, or are blind, you will not be able to use this form. The 1040A is very closely related to the 1040EZ and is also very easy, but you will only be able to take a standard deduction in either case. The 1040A is commonly used by individuals that have IRA contributions of capital gains that need to be reported. The problem with both easier forms is the standard deduction requirement. For many people, they will receive a higher return by itemizing their deductions, but this means using the more complicated 1040 form.

If you are forced to use the 1040 or want to use it to get a better return, there are a couple things you can do to make tax time less of a burden. The best thing to do is to be organized throughout the year. Creating a spreadsheet to document all of your expenses that could be deductible will help to speed up the time it takes to go through the form. In addition, keeping your receipts in an orderly manner will make them easier to dig through when you sit down to file. Another tip is to use specialized computer programs that will automatically complete all of the math, eliminating the possibility that a small math mistake could cause a delay for your return.

While using simpler forms or a computer can help to take the difficulty out of tax returns, they cannot take the place of using a tax professional with experience in preparing tax returns. In terms of simplicity, this is clearly the best option as all it requires is a single visit where you will bring all of your income and expenses paperwork and receipts and the expert will be able to effectively and efficiently calculate your taxes and file them for you. Contrary to popular belief, the tax professionals are not expensive at all and the time saved from not having to go through the complicated forms will more than merit the small fees that they charge for the service.

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