The bright side of tax season: you know you're in the home stretch when you get to the San Diego's state income tax form! I'd rather clean two ovens, stand in line at the DMV for a couple of hours and talk to a telemarketer for an hour, all in a single day, than wade through the process of the yearly tax return! Although I was the resident accountant for a resort for years, there's nothing quite like an IRS tax booklet to make you feel as though you've gone to that fearful place that bad people go after leaving this life!

I truly admire the tax accountants who can whiz through all that IRS non-standard English in just a short while. Of course, they have to attend seminars and workshops throughout the year in order to accomplish this dreaded task with accuracy and nary a ruffled feather. I start breathing again when we get to the state income tax forms of San Diego. When you get to that, you know you're in the home stretch!

Whereas gathering all the necessary documentation with which to fill out the rheems of forms and schedules doesn't have to be a nightmare – if you conscientiously file these papers throughout the year – the problem lies in knowing which line number, worksheet or schedule is appropriate to each document. I daresay this is what keeps professional tax preparers in business.

It's somewhat puzzling that, whether you use a face-to-face tax service, or opt for online software, it's the California state income tax forms that cost you money. As long as your taxes are either simple or your income is not too high, you can file your Federal tax return for free. The state income tax forms are simple, yet that's what you'll pay for before leaving the tax filing nightmare behind you. Odd.

Perhaps there's a law that stipulates that there must be some free e-filing options for the Federal portion, but individual states aren't required to adhere to those laws. In any case, it doesn't seem right that, after paying taxes all year long, you must pay to get a refund, or pay a fee to pay them! Maybe you're supposed to feel so relieved at getting through the mire of the IRS tax forms, paying a fee to file your state income tax forms is a form of comic relief.

Being the skeptical sort, I always feel it's necessary to be conversant in all of these caveats before I go to the pro. So I read all of the unhelpful IRS publications that might apply to my situation, before my tax preparation appointment. Taxes can make anyone paranoid about making even a $5 mistake. Your return might be rejected, raising eyebrows and inciting the IRS to get out their magnifying glass. Do you have all of the necessary documents? Who knows? You can't blame the tax professional for omissions of relevant information you do not supply.

Naturally, once your Federal filing is complete, you're eager to get the whole task done. Get on with the state income tax return forms in San Diego and get the show on the road. Funny, but it would almost be fun to fill out your own state income tax forms. It's just a matter of plugging in numbers from line this and that from your 1040 whatever form. That is, unless you made a mistake! Just go with the pros and forget the minor boost you might get from doing your own state tax return. It's not worth it.