Where Can You Get Answers To Your Tax Questions?
Where Can You Get Answers To Your Tax Questions?
Taxes are an unfortunate part of our lives. But our tax money finances so many parts of our government, taxes are here to stay. It would be nice if taxes were cut and dried, easy to understand and easy to pay. But, generally speaking, that’s not the case. Many of us have tax questions. We need to know where to turn when we aren’t sure what we’re doing when we file our taxes. While it may be tempting to ask your co-worker, your neighbor, or your mother, the information or advice you get from them may not be accurate – unless they’re a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Tax Preparer. But there are other, more reliable sources of information available.
Easiest Tax Questions
For your easiest tax questions, you can usually find the answer by reading the materials published by the Internal Revenue Service. Their publications can be found online, or can be requested by mail, or found at post offices, libraries, and other locations.
The Internal Revenue Service maintains a detailed site online. There, you can find and print all tax forms, along with the instruction booklets. (If you don’t want to print them out, since many are very long, you can read them online.) The most common tax questions are answered in the answer base on their site. Check there first for the answer to your tax question.
More Complex Tax Questions
For questions affecting your taxes that are more tricky to answer, you can ask a certified tax professional. They are trained to prepare taxes and keep up-to-date on the changes in the tax code from year to year. Many times they will hold events where they answer anyones tax questions for free. Consider calling a local tax professional or two to ask when such an event is planned.
Tax Questions Before Taking Action
Some financial decisions will greatly affect your taxes. If you have a complicated question, like the effect of certain actions – buying or selling property, investments, dividends, etc., it might be best answered by a Certified Public Accountant experienced in tax preparation. Things that have to do with capital gains, which education credits to claim when, etc., are much more personal and may require an in depth look at your own situation.
Special Services
If you fit some specific groups, there are events available where tax preparers will help with your taxes for free or very low cost. Some of the groups that are often targeted for these special services are the elderly and recent immigrants who need help because of a lack of English ability. These events are publicized regularly from the beginning of a new year until tax day.
Going To The Tax Man
The Internal Revenue Service has a toll-free number that you can call to talk to I.R.S. Representatives who are specifically paid to answer tax questions. It is an option – though it is less useful on complex tax questions. If you call them, it is a good idea to also check with another source of information, like the suggestions above.
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