Third party offers choice

For those who have a little extra money, there is a way to avoid long hours of figuring out forms and deductions.

Third parties, such as accountants, are more than happy to take on the task of filing a customer's taxes -- for a price.

Larry Ritchey, a certified public accountant at Ritchey Cox and Associates PC, 315 S. Allen St., said that although his clientele runs the gamut, most clients are people who have investments or businesses.

And having an accountant file your tax forms does have advantages, Ritchey said.

"If you have a complex return, you'd be assured it's handled properly," he said.

Customers don't have to worry about mistakes or getting their forms in on time, he added, because the accountant does all of the work.

Bryan Farley (junior-biology) said he most likely would not use an accountant unless he had some dependents or expenses he could write off. His father currently does his taxes, he said.

"I guess you could say he's my accountant," Farley said.

Accountants also have electronic filing available to them that an individual taxpayer does not have access to, said Donna Hargrave, a spokesperson for the Internal Revenue Service.

Although Hargrave did not comment on the advantages or disadvantages of using a third-party preparer, she said she would caution taxpayers to research an accountant before using one.

"If they say they want to have your refund sent to their address instead of yours, you should probably be suspicious," she said.

For those who require special help from an outside source or can't afford to hire an accountant, volunteer help is available, Hargrave said.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs are available in many communities, according to the Internal Revenue's World Wide Web site at www.irs.gov.

At the sites, IRS-trained volunteers prepare basic tax returns free of charge for those of low to moderate income, individuals with disabilities, non-English speaking taxpayers and those aged 60 and older, according to the Web site.

To find the closest volunteer site, taxpayers can call (215) 597-6710 in Philadelphia, (412) 644-6504 in Pittsburgh or toll-free (800) 829-1040, according to the Web site.