I filed my taxes today. Adding up state and federal, the total cost to file was $0. Now, I did add a $10 (audit support), just in case. But the actual filing of the taxes was free.
Recently, the free-file programs were extended to all taxpayers, not just those who are below a certain income level. I personally like the H&R Block online system.
If you have a very complex tax situation, you'd probably want to hire someone to do your taxes. But if you make under $250,000 a year, I doubt you have a complex tax situation. Filing online will take you about 2 hours as long as you have all your paperwork ready.
One thing to watch out for, is that while federal filing is free, H&R Block and others will try to charge you $30 for state filing. Don't buy it. Once you've got your 1040, just go to your state's website and input the necessary information. State forms are generally much more simple than the federal.
In summary, if you are still paying an accountant to do your taxes, you're throwing money down the toilet. Doing it yourself is a great way to save money in the current economy.
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