I Got 99 Problems, But My Taxes Ain’t One of Them

A few years ago I pulled on my big girl pants and did something I swore I’d never do. My taxes. All by myself. It was liberating to finally conquer my fear of numbers, which stemmed from a terribly embarrassing incident in Grade 4 involving a boy I had a crush on, sweaty armpits, and the times tables, but I digress. Because of that small boost in confidence using TurboTax to guide me, I was emboldened to do even more. I’ve since taken on my own bookkeeping for my business, and I’ve mastered the management of a budget. I am now a card-carrying number cruncher, and with that said, I am done. No seriously, I’m totally over it.

Like a lot of things I’ve conquered in life—jumping out of a plane, swimming with sharks, being married, and doing my taxes—I can happily say I never want to do any of those things again. Sometimes, it’s enough to know that you can conquer your fears, you just don’t have to keep doing it until the end of time.

This, of course, does not mean I’m not filing my taxes. I’m simply going to let TurboTax do all of it for me this year, because 2021, to put it mildly, was complicated. And 2022, bless its miserable little heart, is already working hard to outshine it.

Most Canadians, I suspect, feel the same as I do. Between ongoing uncertainty, homeschooling, working from home, and scraping the bottom of the barrel for new binge watches, we’re all feeling a little worse for wear.

@candacesaid

Cleaning up mold is waaaay more fun with a little Celine. #celinedionchallenge #divorcedwomen #familylaw

♬ It’s All Coming Back To Me Now – Céline Dion

In 2018, when I first wanted to get a handle on my tax situation, I used the  TurboTax Assist & Review Self-Employed package. This provided me just the right amount of control I needed to understand my business, with real experts on standby to answer my questions and share a line by line review, so I was sure I was not missing out on any credits or deductions that applied to me. For the last three years, TurboTax Assist & Review has helped me find deductions I may not have found on my own, and given me peace of mind that I was filing everything correctly.

Like an astounding 60% of Canadians, I started a side hustle in 2021. Between that new role, my unexpected home rebuild, my CEBA loan, and running What She Said Talk weekly, I’m feeling a teensy stretched thin. That’s why I’ve decided that TurboTax Full Service Self-Employed is my best option.

Here’s how it works:

Set It Up

* Sign up and complete your profile. (The good news is if you’re already a TurboTax superfan, your      profile is already set up.)

* Next, grant TurboTax authorization with the CRA so your tax expert can pull your basic tax information, and simply follow up with you for additional details based on your unique needs.

* TurboTax then gets your documents directly from the CRA.

You Hustle or Relax, TurboTax Will Get It Done

* While you focus on today’s Wordle or on making your side hustle the main hustle, your tax expert will start working on your return.

* Rest assured, your TurboTax expert is there to ensure you get every credit & deduction owed to you.

* When it’s time to file, TurboTax will notify you when your return is ready for a joint review.

TurboTax Prepares Your Tax Return, Walks You Through It, and Files For You

* Your tax expert will review your tax return over the phone (or via one way video) at a time that suits you. Meaning you can see your tax expert and they share screen too… all while in your PJs (they don’t see you)!

* Once you’re done reviewing everything with your expert, and all your questions are answered, your tax return is filed online to the CRA by your tax expert.

* You  get a notification when it’s been submitted.

* All the process is expert back guaranteed, so you know you are getting the best possible outcome. And, if anything comes up, your expert has your back with “Audit Defence” at NO extra cost – which means you get expert help and support in case of an audit.

Now Here’s The Best Part

* Although the deadline to file your taxes may be June 15th, with TurboTax Live Full Service, you can take advantage of year-round tax advice from industry experts, fine-tuned to your tax situation.    

* TurboTaxAudit Defence puts a tax expert in your corner, who will represent you, defend you, and handle all correspondence with the CRA on your behalf. You get this service as a part of your purchase, so you can rest assured that TurboTax always has your back, even after they’re done with your tax return.

I’m not totally off the hook for taxes this year since I do need to introduce my youngest daughter to *types in sarcasm font* the magical world of income taxes. But by starting her tax journey early using intuitive products from TurboTax, she’ll be far better prepared for when things get complicated down the line. As an added bonus, all TurboTax product options are free for anyone 25 and younger, until March 31, 2022. TurboTax directs you to the right version based on your tax situation and you can even upgrade to TurboTax Live Assist & Review or Full Service at no extra cost.

For those of us that are 26 and counting, TurboTax has us covered no matter what our tax situation is. TurboTax will ask you simple questions about you and your tax situation to help you determine the best product for you.

Next year, if 2022 behaves itself, I may go back to Assist & Review, but for this year, I’m gifting myself freedom. Freedom from doing my taxes, freedom from hours spent sorting through it all, and freedom to watch Ted Lasso again. I am upscaling my tax experience this year by using TurboTax Full Service Self-Employed. Which TurboTax product will you use?

Disclosure: I was compensated by TurboTax Canada to share my tax story. All opinions expressed within are mine alone

---