Taxes

Donor-advised funds are perfect for those who give regularly to charities but not enough to take advantage of itemizing their deductions. These funds allow you to group many year's worth of donations into one year to optimize your tax deductions.

While there are a few scenarios that allow you to skip filing a return, it's usually a good idea to file even if you don't have to. Filing allows you to receive a refund, if you over paid your taxes and makes you eligible for any assistance you may qualify for.

H&R Block and TurboTax are both leaders in the tax prep industry and for good reason. Both offer online filing and live tax assistance -- for about the same price. So which is better for you?

Credit Karma Tax offers a free way to file both your federal and state taxes. It includes business income and audit defense which are not features you will see in most free file plans.

H&R Block has been doing taxes since 1955 and has 60,000 tax pros with an average of 10 years of experience. With their many service levels from complete DIY to online assist to fully in-person with a tax pro, you can be sure you are getting exactly what you need without overpaying.

There are two types of dividends - ordinary and qualified. Ordinary dividends are taxed like income. Qualified dividends are taxed as long term capital gains. The rate you pay for long term capital gains depends on your income but will be between 0 and 20%.

While TaxAct doesn't have all the bells and whistles of other tax software out there it is generally cheaper to file with them. If you don't need extras, such as one on one support or audit assistance you may want to consider TaxAct. They offer a free version for simple returns and several other levels of service depending on how complicated your taxes are.

Which tax software to choose depends on your specific situation. If you have a simple return in only one state you can likely get your taxes done for free with TurboTax or Credit Karma. But if things are more complicated or you want live help from a tax expert then you'll want an upgraded package as you can find with H&R Block.

For a W-2 employee, April 15th is the day your tax return (and any money you owe) is due to the IRS. However, if you have non-W-2 income you actually owe taxes quarterly but still only file a return once per year.

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Reaching a live person at the IRS can be tough, but it can be done. If you are having trouble, try calling your local office. The wait times might be shorter and you can make an appointment to meet with an advocate. Also, calling after 5 pm on Friday may be your shortest wait time.

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