Season's Greetings (Tax Season, That Is!)

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas (or whatever else you celebrated this December) and a Happy New Year. Now it's time to start thinking about taxes, if you haven't already. Bankrate.com has an online tax guide with daily tax tips, information and this section on tax software.

I've recently examined two of the major tax software providers, H&R Block and TurboTax. H&R Block has an estimator program that gives you a ballpark figure of how much you owe or the size of your interest-free loan to the IRS--whoops, I mean your refund. TurboTax has a feature where you can try out the online version of the software for free (without entering any credit card information). You only have to pay if you want to file your completed return through them. But otherwise, it is a full version. They have several tax programs geared towards investors, business owners, or people who just need the basic software, as does H&R Block. The packages from both companies vary in price, starting at $9.95 for H&R Block and $14.95 for TurboTax (with additional charges for state e-filing for both companies).

Depending on your income (AGI of $52,000 or less) or military service, however, you may be able to file for free through the Free File Alliance. The qualification criteria should be released Jan. 16, according to the IRS. You can go here to see if you qualify: Free File Home - Your Link to Free Online Filing (irs.gov)

On a lighter note, bribes, stolen property, illegal drug sales, and other ill-gotten gains are still taxable income.