When to Ditch TurboTax: George Dimov, CPA Reveals Why Hiring a Pro Beats DIY

by Brianna Kamienski / ⠀Experts / August 13, 2025

Tax season can be a complex and often emotionally challenging ordeal. Many factors contribute to this, including fears about making mistakes or even the dread of sitting down to do them. Not only can it be time-consuming, but there are a lot of documents and information you need to have at hand. More often than not, people wind up feeling overwhelmed doing their taxes. Doing it yourself can be complicated, take time, and cost a lot of emotional energy. With the risk of audits always looming overhead and end of year planning on the horizon, we sat down with CPA George Dimov to discuss the ins and outs of when you should attempt to file on your own, or seek out a professional.

Q: When should people seek out a tax professional? Why not do it yourself?

A: There is a time and place for everything, and do-it-yourself software does have a target market. It is often an appropriate option for taxpayers with a very high degree of price sensitivity who have simple tax situations that do not require planning or strategy.

Q: What risks are there in doing your taxes on your own?

A: Many clients do not want to make a mistake that causes an audit and don’t want to go at it alone. They want somebody who’s experienced. Of course, you can ask Chat-GPT, Gemini, or Perplexity what to do in an audit, but they’re not going to give you the inside scoop.

Q: Why do many people contact tax professionals like yourself?

A: In many cases, a client may be technically knowledgeable and savvy enough to use a do-it-yourself tax preparation software. However, they might not want to spend the time gathering all their files and making sure nothing is missing. They may also not be comfortable reviewing their returns & tax strategy alone. Many taxpayers just want to get the job done correctly. Using a professional can be better when it saves time and adds the assurance of professional review.

Q: How do tax professionals handle situations that software can’t handle now?

A: Many people’s tax returns exceed the ability of such software. Some forms are not included in DIY software, such as 5471s, foreign disclosures, 3520-A forms for foreign estates and trusts, 3520s for foreign gifts, or other complex foreign or domestic tax credits. Other common unsupported complexities include Crypto reconciliations, inheritance-related issues, complex stock basis matters, complex K-1s, etc. These are not supported by TurboTax or H&R Block, so you will need a third-party professional to handle them for you.

Q: What should people do with a looming deadline to file their taxes?

A: There are deadlines and dates that only your accountant will know, and do-it-yourselfers will miss. Taxpayers are often shocked at the seemingly-random deadlines, deductions, or credits that they have missed. This is why working with an accountant is far better than doing it yourself, especially for people who own a business, have complex situations, or have tax planning needs. For Dimov, tax planning is a collaborative, ongoing process that depends on several factors, including risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and personal taste. Because of this, using a professional is an important personal financial strategy, not only because one needs to remain cautious regarding how they prepare their filing, but how they handle proactive planning. After all, we regularly see five and six figure savings with proper tax strategy, even for middle-class families.

About The Author

Brianna Kamienski

Brianna Kamienski is a highly-educated marketing writer with 4 degrees from Syracuse University. With a comprehensive understanding of communication theory, she's able to craft meaningful work that conveys what clients want to say to their clients. Brianna is the proud mother of two boys, Chase and Cooper.

When to Ditch TurboTax: George Dimov, CPA Reveals Why Hiring a Pro Beats DIY

Q: When should people seek out a tax professional? Why not do it yourself?

Q: What risks are there in doing your taxes on your own?

Q: Why do many people contact tax professionals like yourself?

Q: How do tax professionals handle situations that software can’t handle now?

Q: What should people do with a looming deadline to file their taxes?

Related Posts

You Might Also Like...

About The Author

Get Funded Faster!

Proven Pitch Deck