If you made $54,000 or less, you can prepare and efile your federal taxes for free at the IRS website:
http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html

Otherwise, you can get TurboTax Deluxe Federal + State (doesn't include efile) for just $23 shipped:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?...g=en-US&s=1

You aren't seriously suggesting that a frum Jew use a trick to get a Costco member price when he/she is in fact not a member? Have you ever heard of the concept of yashrus?

Is it worth filing your own taxes? Even if you're making $54,000 or less, could it not be that professional accounting advice would save you more than it's cost?

You are, of course, right, and I have edited my post.

Here's a way you can get TurboTax Deluxe Federal + State AND Quicken Deluxe 2008 for just $28 with in-store pickup:
Use this coupon for 12% off.
http://www.staplescentral.com/common/email...inter-FINAL.pdf
After all the rebates, the final price will be $28.

Alternatively, you can get TaxCut Federal + State and MS Money 2008 for $30 using the same coupon.

Yes. I've been filing my own taxes for around 6 years, the first two I also had a pro do it. We both got the same numbers. If you get the software and do the interview (and not just file what you think you need to file) you'll be better off. I don't know your situation, but even if you have a W-2, a few 1099's and the education one (I think it's an 80something), you can do that all by yourself. You don't need to spend ~$200 for some pro to use a software program and do it for you.

Not necessarily. As I understand it, when you select the FreeFile option, it takes you to a choice of vendors to do the filing. So you would still be using the TaxCut or TurboTax software, albeit online. Linking to the vendors from the IRS website is how it is free.

One can also purchase tax preparation software from TaxAct.com, for even less money. I bought both the Fed'l and NY download versions for 19.95 total.