Filing Your Taxes for Free and Finding Free Tax Return Help

According to the 2011-2012 National Society of Accountants (NSA) survey on tax preparation fees, the average tax preparation fee for an itemized Form 1040 with Schedule A and a state tax return was $233 for the 2011 tax season. For non-itemizing taxpayers, the average cost for Form 1040 with Schedule A and a state tax [...]

Do the Amish Pay Taxes?

The tax deadline is upon us—this year it is actually April 18th instead of the infamous April 15th—and I wanted to take this opportunity to shed some light on a very controversial topic: the Amish and taxes. There are several reasons why this topic is so controversial, and two that I would like to address. [...]

H&R Block At Home Premium Federal Tax Return Giveaway

Hello Frugal Confessions Readers! I am happy to announce that I have H&R Block Premium Federal Product codes to give away for five readers to file their federal taxes for free! These are valued at $55 each (a federal tax premium return costs $49.95, plus there is a few dollars extra included for sales tax). [...]

The Value on Our Home Decreased by 3.9% in One Day…and I’m Smiling?

I was surprised to get a letter in the mail several months ago from the Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) stating that the 2010 appraised value on our home was 7% higher than our appraisal in 2009. It just didn’t make sense; the country has been in a recession over the last year and I [...]

My Date with Suze Orman, and her Advice in These Hard Financial Times

One of my greatest dreams was realized last week when I got to see Suze Orman live, for free, at the Texas Conference for Women!! (This only comes second to meeting Kenny G…yes, I am a Kenny G fan, and probably one of the only ones younger than 40, as evidenced by the other audience [...]

Evading Tax—Legally

It’s not just a coincidence that it is called the Tax Code; embedded in federal and state regulation books that have killed more trees than any wildfire are thousands of complicated, far-reaching, and sometimes sneaky ways in which to tax your money. There’s the cigarette tax, gasoline tax, hotel occupancy tax, airplane ticket tax among [...]