That is a hard question, most easily summarized by knowing if you itemize. Now, if you have even the slightest question or concern, it is certainly worth the money and piece of mind to hire an actual accountant. We mean a person you speak with and who knows who you are and not one of the fast tax preparation places that are so popular.
However, if you do itemize or think you might be able to then it is an excellent idea to have an accountant. An accountant can tell you which things you can take as valid deductions. Which things you definitely cannot, and even which things you should avoid doing. They can save you a ton of money, especially if you take the time to interview accountants and find one really interested in working for you.
That is why we always recommend interviewing several accountants until you find one that resonates with you. Whom you can make a part of your life for many years to come, and who you are completely comfortable with and can trust is following the rules to the letter. You do not want someone who lets you get away with sketchy things to save you more money, as later down the road you could get in a lot of trouble for that. It is much more important they not tell you what you want to hear but tell you the letter of the law when it comes to all tax matters.
Now, if you do not itemize and are certain you will not need to and all you have is a W-2 there are classes available and help available online to help you file your own taxes. We suggest this route over the big box tax preparation. However, if you are not entirely certain then it is best to have someone double check things for you.
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