We’ve laid out 6 last minute tax tips to help you streamline your tax preparation and keep more money in your pocket.

1.  Prepare and Organize

Take  time and gather all of your necessary paperwork, forms, receipts and checklists.

Even though TurboTax ask you questions to determine if your eligible for tax savings, anything that deals with your income, your donations, your deductions, your receipts – anything at all – will help you save time if it’s collected before you begin preparing your tax return.

If you’re filling out your tax paperwork on your own with paper and pen, make sure you double and triple check all of your financial entries, your income declaration, and your math. One of the great things about tax software like TurboTax is that the math is calculated for you and you don’t need to know tax laws.

2.  Correct Spelling, Numbers, and Everything!

You could list out the top twenty errors simply by being reminded about spelling your name correctly, your dependents names, your employers, your social security number, employer’s numbers, addresses…the list goes on and on.  TurboTax can help you eliminate some of these errors with the ability to import your W-2 information from your payroll provider and financial institution.

Here’s the key to preparing your taxes- don’t rush, make sure you spell everything correctly, don’t skip anything, and double check your answers.

This also includes correct account numbers, bank routing numbers, and credit card numbers if you request a direct deposit refund or if you owe more and you’re paying with a credit card.

3.  Know Your Dependents

Ok, this one seems to be obvious, but it always creeps up on the IRS top ten tax filing mistakes leader board. Its vital to get this information right.

Next to filling in your name and social security number correctly, the government absolutely needs to know if you have any dependents you will claim.

It’s important to know who your dependents are and double check that they qualify as such. It’s important because if your dependents are left off your tax forms, you’re missing out on valuable tax credits and deductions. Also, adding a dependent that someone else is claiming is not allowed.  Only one person can claim a dependent.

4.  E-file and Direct Deposit

If you want to avoid  tax errors and get your tax refund as quickly as possible, ditch the paper and pencil and go online and e-file with direct deposit.  You will avoid mathematical errors and the IRS estimates that 9 out of 10 taxpayers will receive their tax refund within 21 days when e-file is combined with direct deposit.

5.  Get Help

If you are preparing your taxes in the 11th hour of April 15th and you still have tax questions, you can ask TurboTax tax experts your question while you prepare your taxes, free.

6.  One Final Reminder

If you’re signing electronically, make sure to correctly type in last year’s AGI (when you’re prompted).

My guess is that people are so joyful and exuberant as they complete the last section of data on their tax forms that they may forget this information, as they’re jumping through the air in slow motion as the party poppers pop and confetti rains down.

Using TurboTax and these last minute tax tips, will help you easily file your taxes before the tax deadline and save money.

Good luck!

TurboTax CPA Select connects you online to a qualified CPA without having to leave the comfort of your home. Intuit TurboTax has long been the leader in do-it-yourself online tax preparation, now, we’re offering a ‘do-it-for-me’ solution for individuals and small business owners who want a credentialed and highly qualified CPA to prepare their return.

Have a CPA prepare your return in just three easy steps:
1.       Go online to Intuit TurboTax CPA Select to find and choose a qualified CPA. Choose from a national network of CPAs, based on background information and experience, as well as user-submitted reviews and feedback. All of the CPAs are qualified and pre-screened.
2.       Agree on clear, upfront pricing. Receive an estimate of how much the preparation of your taxes will cost and choose to accept or reject the offer, and/or receive a full breakdown of charges.
3.       Securely upload tax documents anytime, from anywhere. Easily upload your prior year return along with any documents for the current year’s taxes – 1099s, W2s, etc – and the CPA will begin working on your tax return.

With TurboTax CPA Select, you can be located anywhere in the country and collaborate with the CPA doing your taxes using a secure online connection, with options to also connect via phone, video, text or email. TurboTax CPA Select offers convenience with guaranteed satisfaction and your maximum refund possible from a state-certified CPA, with fixed pricing that does not change.

TurboTax offers a wide range of tax preparation services to meet your needs. No matter what you choose, our experts are by your side, every step of the way so you can be confident you’re getting every penny you deserve.

Tax Form Checklist

When filing taxes, it is important to make sure that you have all the documents that you need. The good news is that for simple tax filers there isn’t a whole lot that you need. If your taxes are relatively simple to prepare, here are the documents that you should gather in order to be properly prepared:

• W-2: Gather up any W-2 forms. This is the form your employer issues to you in order to let you know how much you made during the year. This form also includes how much money was withheld in taxes, as well as any amount of money withheld for other purposes.

• 1099: You might have 1099 forms if you did work on the side. Also, there are different versions of the 1099 form for interest earnings, dividend earnings, and other sources of income that you need to report.

• Other income information: Don’t forget about other income you might receive, such as alimony.

• 1098: If you have been paying mortgage interest, this is the form that shows the amount of mortgage interest you paid and can deduct.  It may also show property taxes you paid and can deduct.

• 1098-E: Details your tax deductible student loan interest payments paid over $600.  If you paid less than $600 you may not receive a 1098-T, but don’t forget your interest.  You can still deduct it.

• 1098-T:  Details tax deductible eligible education costs you paid for higher education.

• Supporting information for tax credits: If you are eligible for tax credits, you will need to get information from supporting documents. Whether it’s a credit for installing solar panels, or information needed to claim a dependent care credit, you will need to refer to related documents. For example, you need the tax ID number for facilities that provide dependent care.

• Social Security numbers for family members: In order to file your taxes, you need your social security number. You also need the correct social security numbers for your spouse, as well as for anyone you are claiming as a dependent.  This information is necessary if you want to take the Earned Income Tax Credit and other available tax credits for dependents.

• Contribution information: Don’t forget information about retirement plan contributions that may be deductible.  Also, if your state offers you a tax benefit for contributing to a 529 plan, you’ll want that for your state taxes (it doesn’t apply for your federal taxes).

• Receipts: Charitable contributions require receipts. If you are itemizing and want to deduct charitable contributions, or if you have other tax deductible expenses, you need proper receipts to fill out information when preparing your tax return.  You don’t have to include these receipts with you tax return, but you need to keep them for your records to prove your donations or other expenses.

The basic rule of thumb for documentation is: If you claim it on your tax return, get the documentation to back it up.

If you follow this checklist and prepare your taxes using TurboTax, preparing your tax return will be even easier.

Amended Tax Return

But what if we were wrong? What if we missed a form? What’s the procedure for that? In that case we may need to amend our tax returns.  For anyone who thinks that may have to do that, here is some information to help it be as painless as possible.

How Do I Amend My Tax Returns?

First off, make sure you need to amend your return . If you’ve made minor math errors, the IRS states that the service center will be able to handle that without requiring a 1040x. However if you need to change your filing status, credits, tax deductions, or income, then you do need to amend your tax return.

You’ll need to fill out a 1040x Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, print and sign it, and then mail it in since you can not e-file it. It takes about 8-12 weeks for the IRS to process it after they have received the amended tax return.

If you’re amending a tax return and are expecting a bigger tax refund, the IRS advises that you wait for the original tax refund check to come in before sending in your 1040x (you may cash the check you received). If you need help with amending your tax returns, TurboTax can guide your through the process.

But wait, don’t hit the amend button so fast!  There is another situation where you do not have to file an amendment.  Did you already e-file your tax return and just receive a K-1 or 1099?  If you did, but your tax return was rejected by the IRS you may not be happy about the IRS rejection, but you should be happy to know, you don’t need to amend your tax return.  All you need to do is fix your tax return and resend it.  And if you used TurboTax, there’s more good news. TurboTax will guide you through fixing your tax return.

Thoughts on Amending Tax Returns

I’d love to hear about you and how you did with taxes. How many of you had to amend a tax return? How did the process go for you?

Think: bite-sized chunks

To alleviate the anxiety and stress of filing your taxes, get started TODAY! Start by organizing your paperwork, establishing a filing system, reviewing all your documents, and then e-file! It’s really as simple as that.

Skip the tax store

Let’s face it – it’s getting a little late in the season to hire a pro or make an appointment at a tax store.  And the thing is, especially if your taxes are simple (ie: you claim the standard deduction, as 60% of filers do), you don’t need to pay someone to file your taxes! Last year, taxpayers with a 1040 A/EZ spent some $2.5 billion in preparer fees—a total waste of money! Save yourself several hundred dollars, and file on time with the help of a software program – likeTurboTax. After all, it’s what many pros use behind closed doors—at your expense.

Take advantage of all the breaks you’re entitled to

One of the more valuable tax credits just so happens to be one of the many credits that Americans forget to claim: the Earned Income Credit.  For tax year 2010, the maximum credit for a household with three or more children is a whopping $5,666.  Claim it if you’re eligible; after all, a credit reduces your taxes dollar for dollar.

Make contributions to your IRA

One of the best ways to save for retirement and reduce your tax liability is with an IRA.  The maximum contribution limits for 2010 is $5000 for those under the age 50; $6000 for those age 50 and over.  In most cases, you have until April 18^th to make these contributions (even if you’re planning on filing for an extension).

That’s why we have more than 100,000 unedited customer reviews right on our web site so you can see for yourself what people like you have to say about using TurboTax.

We want you to know that TurboTax can handle your unique tax situation, whether you just bought a home, had baby or retired.

We also want you to know that TurboTax is easy, accurate and a lot less expensive than going to a tax storefront or paid preparer.

You can find out what first time users have say, like Carrie from New Jersey:

“This is the first time I’ve done my own taxes and I found this to be extremely simple, user friendly, affordable and organized. I’ll never pay someone to do my taxes for me again. We’re second year homeowners and I thought doing our taxes would be complicated and confusing, but with this easy, but simple program, it was a breeze.”

Or get the details from someone who switched to TurboTax from a national tax storefront, like Tom from Virginia:

“After a bad experience with H&R Block, I turned to TurboTax for help. I have been using it for 5 years now and am in love! TurboTax is super easy to use and helps me maximize my refund. E-file is great. I get my refund direct deposited into my bank account in about 2 weeks. TurboTax is awesome. Truly awesome.”

Click here for more TurboTax customer reviews.

This year, SnapTax is available for all states AND for both iPhone and Android mobile phones.  SnapTax is all about making it simple to file your taxes.  Just shoot, snap, file and you’re done.  So easy, it’s like magic! Here’s a snappy video to help illustrate.

SnapTax uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to snap a photo of a W-2 and transfer data to the tax return. Very cool! Answer some basic questions, check the return for accuracy and tap “File Now” when your ready to electronically file your return. There’s a running tally of the refund, or taxes owed, every step of the way. Your tax information is literally at your fingertips.

You can download SnapTax for free in the Apple App Store and Android Market and pay an introductory price of $14.99 when you are ready to e-file your return. The price includes federal and state preparation and e-filing.

Last year, SnapTax was limited to CA residents with an iPhone only and quickly achieved a 4 star rating in the Apple App Store. Feedback from customers was great. Avery Ryder, a 21-year-old college student and the first person to file a return using the app shared his reaction. “It captured all of my information perfectly and the import worked great … surprisingly great because I didn’t have to re-enter anything”, Ryder said.

This year, SnapTax is available to millions of taxpayers in all states. Designed for those with a simple return (1040EZ), SnapTax will quickly and easily walk them through the process. Sounds like something you may want to check out for yourself? There are some qualifications to help you decide is will work for you. Check out the Apple App Store or Andoid Market or go to www.SnapTax.com. So what are you waiting for…Snap to it!

There is a better way. Although hardly anyone does it, savvy consumers who prepare for tax season early breeze through April without breaking a sweat. Here are some simple steps to take in that direction.

Determine Which Deductions You Can Take

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If you itemize deductions, you likely have any number of opportunities to write things off throughout the year. If you happen to be an independent contractor, the list of potential deductions is even longer. Unfortunately, far too many taxpayers wait until late in tax season to even determine which deductions they can lawfully take. Waiting until the last minute produces one of two scenarios:

• A frantic few days or weeks during which the search for deductions takes much longer and is more complicated than it ever needed to be, or
• The amount of time and hassle involved dissuades you from taking any deductions at all (or taking fewer than you qualified for)

Clearly, neither of these is desirable from the standpoint of minimizing stress or maximizing tax deductions. The superior solution is determining several months ahead of time exactly which expenses may be written off. Study up with some free articles on the subject or use tax preparation software to get a comprehensive understanding that will equip you for our next step.

Start Writing Things Off Now

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Of course, it’s not enough to merely know what you can write off. Actually writing things off is a process all its own, and one that is also best completed sooner than later. For one thing, all applicable receipts, bills of sale or other paperwork pertinent to deductible expenses must be kept and recorded. Furthermore, just keeping the receipts is not always sufficient. If ever you get audited (not an impossibility), the IRS will come looking for them and expect you to substantiate why they were deducted.

That’s why it helps immensely to mark receipts with your initials and the reason for writing that purchase off. You can also use software programs like Mint.com, Quicken and Microsoft Excel to track deductible expenses in a streamlined fashion. This way, if the IRS comes calling, you can point not only to a stack of organized receipts (more on that below), but also a structured, computerized record of each deduction you claimed.

Get Organized Today

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A vital cornerstone of early tax season preparation is a well-organized record keeping system. Whether it’s a filing cabinet, a box or a drawer, you must have some means of making critical tax documentation accessible and meaningful. When the day arrives that retrieving tax paperwork causes you to groan or complain, the current system needs to go. While you will invariably customize your system to your own needs, ensure that it contains the following sections at a bare minimum:

• A section for copies of previous tax returns
• A section for receipts of deductible expenses (divided by year)
• A section for any written correspondence between you and tax professionals

The system will take an afternoon or two to set up, but once established, will pay dividends each and every year when pulling up tax documents is an effortless chore instead of a frantic, hair-pulling debacle.

Make Donations Ahead of Time

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End of year “tax planning” often triggers flurries of rushed charitable donations as people strive to trim their tax bills at the last minute. This, too, is made needlessly difficult by poor timing. As with any other itemized deduction, charitable donations must be substantiated with receipts and other validating paperwork. By waiting until the end of a year, you run the risk of needing to chase down volunteer workers and charity administrators (who are contending with all the other last-minute donors) for the paperwork you need.

The slightest obstacle or delay on the charity’s end could render your donation totally unusable for the current tax year. Don’t fall into this trap. Instead, decide in advance to which charities you want to donate and make the donation(s) in time to calmly gather the needed paperwork.

File Early

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Finally, the way to tie it all together is by actually filing your tax return early. The official deadline is April 15, but it may be preferable to file well before that date. In fact, you can file the previous year’s tax return starting on January 1 of the next year. However, this can only be done if you have identified your deductions, gathered the appropriate documentation and established some type of order in your record keeping. Absent these steps, it will be difficult or even impossible to file early.

Tax software is the fastest growing choice of U.S. taxpayers, growing at a double digit pace for the past 10 years.  Last year, more than 36 million people used tax software.  Professionally prepared returns have been flat or down slightly.

There are several reasons why taxpayers are making the switch to do-it-yourself tax software in record numbers:

• In a tough economy, people are looking to pay less and get more for their money. TurboTax costs, on average, about $60 for a federal and state return compared to about $180 for storefront preparation.

• Not only do people have less money to spend, they have less time to spend on doing their taxes. The average time to prepare a return using TurboTax is about 2 hours, and you can do it on your own schedule – whether it’s after the kids are in bed or while you’re watching late-night TV. People who make the switch to tax software do so because they’re done with the long lines, repeat visits and delayed appointments that are often the hallmark of a tax storefront experience.

• No one wants to leave money on the table. More than half of TurboTax customers find they can claim deductions and credits they didn’t even know they were entitled to. That means a bigger refund.  And a fatter wallet.

• The word is out. Tax software is really easy to use. TurboTax guides taxpayers through their return step-by-step, using plain English. No math. No guessing which deductions and credits you deserve.

But you don’t have to believe us. You can read reviews from people who’ve actually made the switch and decide for yourself:  http://reviews.turbotax.intuit.com/.

But the hotter trend is that more people are e-filing from do-it-yourself tax software and online tax prep web sites. Last year, 32 million returns were e-filed from home computers, up almost 20 percent from the previous year’s record of 27 million.

Phew, that’s a lot of numbers! But the gist is this – more people than ever are e-filing. And it’s no wonder. If you e-file, you get your refund back fast – in about 8 days vs. 4-6 weeks if you file by paper. Plus, you get confirmation that your return has been received by the IRS and get this, e-filed returns are much more accurate than returns prepared manually.

As e-filing has taken off, so has the number of taxpayers who have the IRS direct deposit their refund into their bank account. It’s an easy, fast and secure way to get your refund. And when you consider that last year, the average refund topped $2,700, who wouldn’t want their money asap?

This year, the IRS is enabling you to use some or all of your refund to buy U.S. Savings Bonds. Now you can e-file and have your refund deposited in up to 3 different accounts – checking, savings, IRA, Savings Bond or other account.

Last year, TurboTax eliminated separate federal e-filing fees from our desktop products, enabling customers to e-file up to 5 federal returns, the limit set by the IRS, and to prepare and print an unlimited number of returns. TurboTax Online has always included federal e-filing at no cost.

If you haven’t tried e-filing, this is the year. It’s easy, fast and secure and the best way to get your money back in your pocket.