Should I do my own taxes?

[Ayana Morali]

Hey all, historically I've done my own taxes using Turbo Tax. However, I'm concerned I might not be getting the most out of my return. I'm trying to figure out if I should spend the time to really dig in and do all the research or hire someone. The plus side of hiring someone is presumably they're an expert, but the downside (as I've heard in the podcasts) is they might not know everything that is best for your specific situation and might not be super motivated to get you every last penny like you might be.

My taxes are not the most complicated compared to some here but also not the most simple..

- I own 2 investment properties (one in NJ, one in NY - both condos), one of which I completely renovated in 2020.

- I live in California and currently rent (though I'd like to buy a house hack in 2021 here). I have a W-2 job.

- I also do a small amount of freelance work on the side as added income.

Curious what folks here think...

[Matthew McNeil]

I did my own taxes for a few years, but it seemed I was getting in over my head so I hire a professional. I asked her to review my previous years returns. Sure enough, she found things I'd completely missed because I just didn't understand; even though I'd been using Turbo Tax. I'm glad I hired a professional.