As the end of January rolls around, you should have begun to receive your tax statements from your employer, broker or bank. If not, most should arrive in a few days. As these forms begin to arrive, try and remain organized. Doing so will ensure that you have the necessary paperwork once you sit down to start preparing your tax returns.

Personally, I use TurboTax to complete my returns. While there are numerous software packages out there, I have been using them so long that it would not be worth the effort to try and learn some new program just to save a few bucks. If you have no idea how to prepare your tax return, or feel uncomfortable doing so, you should have your taxes prepared by a professional.  The reduced stress may be worth the $100 that it will cost you.

Whichever path you chose to follow staying organized is the key. As your forms arrive, open them and place them in an accordion folder. If you use a regular folder, you risk having the forms fall out or get lost. Start a checklist of what you expect to receive and what you are still missing. Once you think you have everything, you are ready to file your return.

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