Finding Tax Help

Learn to decipher Uncle Sam's double-talk and make error-free filings

By W. Eric Martin, Keyboard pounder & synonym selecter, TwoWriters.net

Few things are harder to understand than the massive U.S. tax code — and nothing is less forgiving than its enforcement agency, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). With no room for errors, you may find that you want help deciphering the code and completing all of the required federal and state tax forms.

By educating yourself about the tax code, you can:

Avoid errors on your tax filings and reduce your chance of being audited.
Save money by finding deductions and credits you might have missed.
Finish doing your taxes faster, which in turn will get you your refund faster.

Learn the terminology

You have to be able to talk the talk.
Try: The IRS maintains a basic glossary of tax terms, but for more specialized terms you can explore First Command's tax glossary or the fabulously extensive glossary on SMBiz.com (A-M or N-Z). SMBiz.com also maintains a comprehensive list of business and IRS abbreviations.

Use tax software

The numerous tax packages available for individual and business use not only provide current tax forms, they also explain some of the provisions of the tax code.
Try: Tax software packages appropriate for small businesses include TurboTax, TaxExact, Taxsoftware.com, Drake Software, and H&R Block's TaxCut. TurboTax, for example, includes pop-up boxes on almost every page that describe detailed situations and offer examples.

Turn to the source

The IRS tries to make tax time less painful for tax filers by offering assistance on its Web site.
Try: To start with, the IRS offers an online tax workshop, in both audio and text format, that covers a wide range of topics. The IRS also lists small business tax workshops available in your state; check your state's page monthly for new listings.

Study up on one subject

Sometimes you just need to know more about one tricky topic, which makes your best bet an encyclopedic site that offers tons of detail.
Try: Taxtopics.net lists approximately 200 topics, such as theft losses, partnerships, installment sales, and depreciation and depletion, and each topic leads to multiple sites for information. AllBusiness answers questions on many specific tax questions, including pass through taxes, the tax consequences of selling your business, and -- gulp -- how to prepare for an audit.

Get professional help

If your business is complicated or you simply don't have the time or energy to do your taxes justice, hire a tax consultant or an accountant.
Try: Search for a certified tax consultant on the National Association of Tax Consultants (NATC) Web site. Find a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) by searching CPA Directory or a Web site appealingly called Good Accountants.

Follow the tax news

Tax regulations are tough to read because they're aimed at accountants. Tax issues are often more clearly explained in newspapers and magazines by journalists writing for the layperson.
Try: Stateline.org lists summaries and links of tax-related news in papers from every state in the nation. Tax Watch features regular updates on the effects of tax legislation.