3 additional tax services your accountant can help you with

If you are coming up to tax season, and once again stressing that you make sure everything has been filed on time, you are paying the right amount and no more or less, you have probably considered using a tax accountant to help you prepare and file your returns. However, even for those who do not want to engage a full time accountant, there are several, potentially surprising, ways that tax accountants can help you meet your legal obligations and make the most of your financial situation. 

This is is true for everyone, not just the vastly wealthy, and in fact some of the ways your accountant can help are much more suited to smaller financial estates. Accountants can do much more than just run your yearly finances, and many work in much more flexible arrangements than they are typically perceived to. So, if you are looking to make the most of your tax, here are three additional services you might want to approach an accountant for.

Helping your DIY

While it may seem counter intuitive, many accountants will offer you the resources to be able to complete and file your taxes by yourself. At the most basic level this could include a simple checklist and links to the forms, but could also include downloadable guides to help you navigate the most complex of tax structures. Most will advertise these resources on their websites, but a quick call to the local office may reveal some surprising gems to help you get through tax season. 

Tax preparation for property owners

Whether you own multiple investment properties, a second home, or just rent out your old flat, you will be subject to different sets of tax laws and requirements, some of which you might not even have know about. If you have property, you should always seek out the additional services of a tax accountant, even if you plan on filling out and filing the bulk of your return yourself. Tax accountants understand the additional tax preparation required for property, and will help you generate the most effective and efficient financial plan possible.

Dotting the i's and crossing the t's 

If you do your return yourself, or have received a bill for tax that you do not think you owe, you may want to see if your local accountant offers a double check service, where you pay a cheaper fee than if they did the paper work, but allows them to catch any potential pitfalls or serious errors you might have missed.