Taxes!
1. Don't go to H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt or Liberty Tax. If your return is actually complicated, you should have a real accountant (enrolled agent, CPA, lawyer). If it's as simple as most people's returns (W-2 income, maybe 1099s, a mortgage, child care, student loans) then you should be doing it yourself using one of the excellent online filing applications.
2. Absolutely do not get an "instant refund" or "refund anticipation loans." They are predatory loans with fees and interest representing an annual percentage rate of 50-500%.
You now not only paying H&R Block an obscene amount of money to do a few simple data entry tasks, now you're paying them an even more obscene amount of money to give you your own money! You lent the government your money interest-free during the year when your employer collected payroll taxes from you. Your refund is YOUR money! You deserve ALL of it!
Instead, file and wait the 8 or so days that it'll take for the IRS to deposit your refund into your checking or savings account.
In general, the effective annual percentage rate (APR) for a RAL can range from about 50% (for a $10,000 RAL) to nearly 500% (for a $300 RAL). If a $40 add-on fee is charged and included in the calculation, the effective APRs range from about 85% to nearly 1,300%. An average RAL of $3,300 carries an APR of 72%.
National Consumer Law Center (PDF)
(More refs: Kiplinger
Tax Girl and an excellent report by the Community Reinvestment Association of North Carolina (PDF) )3. FREE FILE!
New York state free file options:
I've used Taxslayer and I-Can EFile (not free NY options:
)The IRS will also help you find a company to free file or efile with. I've used TaxAct (one of the paid versions)
for about eight years. Pennsylvania's direct efile site is pretty easy, and free!
Free Tax Help Available Nationwide
R-2010-15, Jan. 29, 2010
WASHINGTON - Nearly 12,000 free tax preparation sites will be open nationwide this year as the Internal Revenue Service continues to expand its partnerships with nonprofit and community organizations performing vital tax preparation services for low-income and elderly taxpayers.
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program offers free tax help to people who earn less than $49,000. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program offers free tax help to taxpayers who are 60 and older.
I'm happy to rant about this if you'd like me to continue :-) Everyone should have a basic understanding of what their paystubs say, how payroll taxes work, W-4s and their annual income taxes. This should not be a big mystery or intimidating.
If you don't have a bank account to direct deposit your refund into, you should (unless you're trying to stay off grid, of course). This helps you build credit history and legitimacy. There are several good area banks that help contribute to a healthy local economy by keeping investment here, including First Niagara, Northwest, Lake Shore, and Five Star. (Thanks to @dcoffee for this link)
Another option is the Buffalo Coop Credit Union if you're a member of one of the participating coops, such as the Lexington Coop.Hope this helps!
I'm not going to a tax place. I just wish there was an easy way to do NYS, I heard that there was a way not to fill out the form and have them figure out the money for you but haven't figured that out yet. Once I'm ready I'll check out your links.