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I started paying taxes 12 years ago, with my first internship at the Chicago Tribune. My parents’ accountant took care of me. Since then, my wages became steadier, growing from internships to full-time jobs. After moving out to college and graduating, I used software programs to help me file federal and state taxes. I could do it anytime (without an appointment) and avoided accountant fees on a relatively simple tax return. My logic was, “I had to gather my forms anyway, so why not add a few more hours filling out the forms myself?”

Fast forward to 2011: for the first time, I’m filing while married. Do we file jointly? Separately? Also, my income situation got complicated, with four sources of income in this year alone, as I worked part-time jobs in graduate school. Only one of my income sources is a “normal” job that issues a W-2 form. On the spending side, I face new challenges, too: student loan bills, a FSA for healthcare, and donations to new charities. It’s enough to make a newlywed/ new graduate/ new employee go bonkers.

Now, I’m strongly considering hiring an accountant to ask me the right questions, figure out the deductions, and deliver me a completed tax document. But how to find the good accountant? I plan to use the usual criteria: word of mouth, industry certifications, and diligent Googling. But I have one more tactic: choosing on price and asking for the evidence. I plan on asking candidates to justify their fees, give me details on their services, and maybe even estimating my return and comparing the estimate to the accountants’ figure. Too often, we don’t ask for discounts on these big opportunities to save money.

Think it’s too early to bone up on taxes? Never! Check out Economy 101: Tax Credits and Tax Deductions at Practical Money Skills.

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