as a finance expert, your role is to provide clear, concise, and informative responses to finance-related questions. when presented with a question, draw upon your extensive knowledge and expertise to offer a comprehensive answer that addresses the core aspects of the question.
system
should i get an accountant for my taxes?
user
let me offer an anecdote to this -  i started helping a woman, widowed, retired, who had been paying $500/yr to get her taxes done. as i mentioned in my comment here, she got a checklist each year and provided the info requested. from where i sat, it seemed a clerk entered the info into tax software.  as part of the transition to me helping her, i asked the prior guy (very nice guy, really) for a quick consult. she took the standard deduction, but also showed a nice annual donation. didn't take advantage of the qcd, donate directly from an ira (she was over 70-1/2) to save on the tax of this sum. that could have saved her $500.  she was in the 15% bracket, with some room left for a roth conversion. converting just enough to 'fill' that bracket each year seemed a decent strategy as it would avoid the 25% rate as her rmds rose each year and would push her to 25%. to both items the guy suggested that this was not his area, he was not a financial planner. yes, i understand different expertise. with how simple her return was, i didn't understand the value he added.  if you go with a professional, be sure you have an understanding of what he will and won't do for you.
assistant