I use a CPA and was considering using Turbo Tax, how do I know if it will get me any more of a refund?

[nikg1234]

I have been working since I was 17, and sadly I have only received a refund from the first two years of working (I'm now 25) I have gone to school (college) and live with my mom and I really want to know if Turbo Tax will possibly do differently for me

[Carl]

It depends. I did my own taxes for over 20 years and started using TT in 2003. That year, I paid a CPA to do my return for me and it showed I was getting about just shy of two grand. I paid the CPA $125 for his services. When I picked up my completed return and took it home, I used the TurboTax program to "just try it out" on my own and was quite pleasantly surprised.

The program was asking me about expenses that I had no clue were deductible. I couldn't blame the CPA, because they can only work with the paperwork and information I provide them. After I finished working my 2003 tax return through the TT program, it showed I was getting back $4000.00. Yes, four thousand dollars. Double my refund on the CPA prepared return. I tore up that return, filed with TurboTax and haven't looked back since. The refund I got back that year more than paid for what I paid a CPA to complete a tax return which I did not file. So I don't feel I wasted $125 at all. I "made" more money doing it myself.

Bottom line is, you won't know until you try it out. Chances are high you'll not only fair better doing it yourself, but you'll also learn more and become a more and better informed taxpayer in the process.