I have to admit that there are projects that I plan on doing it myself and there are others that terrify me or I just don’t do well and so I hire the professionals to address. Typically from the outside looking in they probably do not make any sense. Like I have called plumbers to snake the drains, but I replaced the kitchen sink faucets. My kids were surprised I was able to do this or even knew how to do this.
But then faucets have not changed much since I had last done it, so the knowledge was there.
But what surprises me is when I meet business owners that do their own income taxes. Especially since the owners have been told by bankers and underwriters that they are preparing them incorrectly. Once informed that they need help to get it done properly if they want a loan, or renewal.
They then go elsewhere and try again. If they are a professional, why not hire another professional to do what they are not capable of doing well. My staff and I typically have 24 hours or so of tax update CPE every year to keep up with the ever changing tax code. How can a novice keep up, when professionals have difficulties keeping well informed?
It is a good thing that the IRS is so far behind and understaffed. Because some errors may be considered fraud and there is no relief for fraud.