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Tax season comes to an end in about five weeks in the United States. If you’ve not filed your taxes yet this year, are you ready?

I worked at a national tax preparation firm for a few years and while I was there I picked up some useful habits and practices that are helpful to everyone who has to do taxes. And maybe I was “poisoned” by my time there, but I actually find doing taxes somewhat fun. Then again, I’m strange in a lot of ways.

In no particular order some helpful suggestions…

File the earliest you can. Barring some postal mishap, the sooner you file, the sooner you get your refund.  Also, even if you’re unlucky enough to receive something from the IRS that’s not a refund, the sooner you get the news that something is wrong, the longer you have to solve it before the end of tax season (possibly avoiding a lot of late fees and expenses).  Striving to file in the middle of January gives enough time for tax paperwork to arrive and for getting personal receipts out of that back drawer.

Electronically file your return rather than mail it in. This is almost an extension of the previous note. E-filing is faster and more secure than a written return as well.  Unfortunately not everyone is eligible for e-filing of a return. The IRS website has current information on eligibility and where one can e-file.  (E-filing itself is free, but if you have someone else prepare your taxes they may charge you for the service of tax prep.)

It’s also very important to note that the IRS has stopped sending out the typical “tax packages.”  These packages basically had all the paperwork and instructions needed to file a paper return.  However, late in 2010 the IRS sent out a notice, particularly to individuals who filed paper returns, that such mailing were being discontinued because e-filing has become very popular.  So, if you’re waiting on that tax package but didn’t get one, don’t take that as permission to not file.

Order tax documentation from the IRS. People are always complaining how complicated and obscure the tax code is and to a fair degree people are right about that. However, many people do not realize that in addition to the actual forms needed to file, the “tax code” is freely available from the IRS either as a download or as a physical publication. For the average individual, Publication 17 is all you need. If you own rental property you’ll want a copy of Publication 527 as well. Business owners will want Publication 334 too. While it’s not the solution to every problem in life, simply educating yourself, and knowing more will definitely help. That said,

Consider hiring a tax professional. Especially if you have multiple rental properties, own a larger business or a farm or manage anything beyond a typical household. If you need something other than the 1040 or the 1040EZ to file your taxes, a tax professional is a wise investment. You wouldn’t trust yourself to do the job of your pastor, your doctor or your lawyer would you? Those professions are trained and examined and tested sometimes for years before being allowed to practice publicly. Filing taxes is a similar occupation. The tax code is complex, changes every year, and a good tax training includes always being up to date.

Don’t get refund anticipation loans. They are a high interest mess and not worth the risk. Thankfully, it seems that the RAL will quickly go the way of the dinosaur as 2012 seems to be the final year we’ll see the product.

Taxes really aren’t that simple, but they are manageable.  It just takes some effort and resources to learning about them.  So what tips did I miss?  Does anyone have any other thoughts or helpful suggestions regarding taxes?