Money well spent

This year, for the first time, we turned our taxes over to an accountant. We’ve always gotten by just fine with me and TurboTax (or equivalent – we switched to TaxCut a couple of years ago when TurboTax decided to include what was essentially spyware in their package), and it was hard to let go. But with Mike being self-employed, plus the move (which meant real estate transactions plus two state returns), I felt like it was getting a bit over my head, and I knew I’d be too conservative with the business deductions because I wasn’t really sure which ones we should be taking. So, we took the plunge, and we’re so glad we did. We’re still paying a gigantic tax bill (that happens when you’re self-employed and don’t do estimated quarterly tax, ouch), but it’s significantly less gigantic than it would have been had we been left to our own devices. Bravo for professional help!

P.S.: I don't think it would have saved us money if we'd still been in our previous situation, so don't take this as a blanket recommendation!