Following the holiday season, which many would say is their favorite season, comes tax season, which many would say is their least favorite. It’s the season of scrounging together every receipt from the last year and spending money on software and services because taxes are complicated.
It doesn’t help that if you do your taxes wrong, you could be leaving money on the table or could invite the Internal Revenue Service into your home and business. But if you grab the right tools and software, you won’t have to worry about either.
In this article: HP 17BII+ Financial Calculator, H&R Block Basic and Intuit Quickbooks Gold.
The best tax tools to have come tax season are:
There are two major types of software you need to know about coming into tax season.
Acer Chromebook Spin 311 Convertible Laptop
This is a hybrid device that blends laptop and tablet functionality. It runs on Google’s operating system, so you have instant access to its suite of tools, such as Google Sheets.
Sold by Amazon
HP 17BII+ Financial Calculator
This calculator has every function you need, over 250 of them, to keep an accurate account of all your income and spending. It runs on CR2032 batteries, which are included.
Sold by Amazon
This collection includes six notebooks, and all of them are college-ruled, are 8 by 11 inches and contain 70 sheets. They’re also hole-punched, and each one is a different color, such as green and yellow.
Sold by Amazon
Bic Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencils
This collection contains 10 pencils, and each uses 0.7-millimeter lead and has a different colored clip. The ends have a small eraser nub, and the barrel is clear to easily gauge how much lead is left.
Sold by Amazon
This six-pack of erasers features adorable animals. They also have two ends covered by lids: One is a standard eraser, and the other is a little roller that picks up eraser flakes.
Sold by Amazon
This is the entry-level tax software from H&R Block, covering all the basics you might need if your income is simple and your circumstances uncomplicated. You can get a bonus 2.75% if you set your refund as an Amazon gift card.
This upgraded software covers those with multiple streams of income and those with complications, such as mortgages and investments. If you’re a small-business owner, though, you need more complex software.
This is the entry-level tax software from Intuit, one of the biggest and best names in tax software. This version comes with five federal e-files, which means your immediate family can do their taxes too.
If you run a small business and especially if you have employees, this software is here to help. It can create W-2s and 1099 tax forms as needed for those employees.
Quicken Starter Personal Finance
This starter software is meant for those just now entering the working world or living on their own. It helps you budget, schedule bills and keep track of your basic finances.
Quicken Deluxe Personal Finance
This step up from the starter software helps you track your spending in detail and gives you an opportunity to target areas of your income and expenses where you can save instead of spend.
Sold by Best Buy
Quicken Home And Business Personal Finance
This software helps you track all your money flows from the various businesses and investments you may have, on top of your home finances. It can even make invoices for you. It’s a one-year subscription.
This one-year subscription to QuickBooks gives you all the tools you need to succeed and thrive in your small business, though it’s not meant for those with employees. Up to 30 users can use it.
This upgrade to the silver package includes the ability to make and track a payroll so you can stay on top of your employees’ needs. If you need to track inventory too, go with the Platinum version instead.
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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