The I.R.S. has a directory of tax professionals, including certified public accountants, lawyers and enrolled agents, who are federally licensed tax preparers.
Fees for professional tax preparation vary widely, by location and by the complexity of the return. The National Association of Tax Professionals found in its 2018 fee study that the average cost for an individual return was about $217.
People who want in-person assistance but can’t afford to pay a professional may be able to find free local help through programs like AARP Foundation Tax-Aide and the federal government’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.
Last year, the AARP program helped with the filing of more than 2.5 million returns.
Tax-Aide sites offer no-cost free return preparation from I.R.S.-certified volunteers who specialize in helping older and low- to moderate-income filers. Some locations accept walk-ins but others require an appointment, so it’s best to check by calling after you find a location online, said Lynnette Lee-Villanueva, vice president of AARP Foundation Tax-Aide.
If you’re planning on calling the I.R.S. help line with questions, the I.R.S. notes that wait times will only increase as the deadline approaches. Call volume is highest early in the week, so wait times are likely to be especially long on April 15 because it falls on a Monday, said Eric Smith, an agency spokesman.
People tracking refunds, he said, are encouraged to use the I.R.S.’s “Where’s my refund?” tool, available online or via a mobile app.
Here are some questions and answers about tax filing season:
What if my tax refund was smaller than I expected?
A small refund is generally a good thing because it means you accurately estimated the amount of tax you were supposed to pay during the year. But if you prefer to use a refund as a sort of forced savings plan, you can have more money withheld from your paycheck during the year by filing an adjusted Form W-4 with your employer. The fewer “allowances” you claim on the form, the more tax is withheld from your paycheck, potentially leading to a bigger refund next spring.
