by Max Berry If your business has reached the point where doing your own taxes is too big a task, you might want to consider taking them to a retail tax service. Here’s a look at what some of the leading tax prep services can—and can’t—offer you this tax season. Cost and Convenience It’s hard to beat retail tax prep services for convenience, but convenience isn’t worth much without peace of mind. Thankfully, it is an industry standard for these services to offer some form of free...

By Christopher Freeburn Being self-employed is a dream for many people. Who doesn't want to be his or her own boss? Of course, the downside of being the boss is the all responsibilities that come with the job. Unfortunately, calculating and paying taxes are part of those responsibilities. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you are considered self-employed "if you are in business for yourself, or carry on a trade or business as a sole proprietor or an independent contractor."...

What a small business should look for in a professional tax preparer By Reed Richardson Despite the seeming ubiquity of tax-prep software like TurboTax, using a paid professional remains the most popular form of tax preparation-roughly six in ten Americans are expected to use a local accounting firm or a nationwide franchise like H&R Block to prepare their individual tax returns this year. That number is even higher for businesses. For most, the choice to use a tax preparer is one based on...