J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2006: For Preparing Your ... (ISBN 0471735949)

Taxpayer's Reference Guide:
Your Income Tax for 2006, by J.K. Lasser There are two reasons to read this book. 1) You are preparing a paper return and wish to learn more that what is printed in the IRS "Forms and Instructions". 2) You want to read and learn more than what you get from a tax preparer or computer program. Since your economic activities have tax consequences you should read or browse the relevant sections of this book as it applies to you. Some ignore the tax consequences until its too late. Since most people don't have tax lawyers, and may not be able to get advice on a telephone, or even from the Internet, you need to reference this book as needed. Do not be afraid of the size of this book as most people will not need all chapters. Part 1 covers the "Filing Basics" and status. Part 2 covers "Reporting Your Income" for wages, salary, other compensation; fringe benefits, dividend and interest income, property sales, property exchanges, retirement and annuity income, IRAs, rents and royalties, loss restrictions, other income. Part 3 covers "Claiming Deductions" for adjusted gross income, standard or itemized deductions, charitable and interest deductions, medical expenses, personal exemptions. Part 4 tells how to compute your taxes, and tax credits. Part 5 tells about "Tax Planning" and should be read by everyone. Part 6, "Business Tax Planning" is important for the self-employed. Part 7 tells about filing your return and the aftermath. Chapter 47 tells how to file a refund claim or an amended return. (The easiest way to fill in a 1040X is to fill in the new 1040 and then copy the information to the 1040X.) Chapter 48 discusses the possibility of an IRS tax audit so you may be informed and prepared. Page 715 tells about "Suing the IRS for Unauthorized Collection"! To learn about the history of US tax policy you'll need another book. Sidney Ratner's "American Taxation" is out of print, but you may be able to find another book. Class and sectional differences make politics, and politics make the tax code. Today's income taxes fall more heavily on wage earners compared to the 1862, 1893, and 1916 income tax codes.

JK Lasser Taxes:
Book is well written and comprehensive. It catagorizes the tax laws and give easy to understand examples.

Good reference but . . .:
. . . it still takes too much time to do my own taxes. Who wants to spend all that time reading Greek? Tax laws just change way too much! Besides, I was an Education major not Business. I found an alternative option online called ProFaxTax after spending a lot ot time doing Google searches. I'll probably still keep buying the book for reference purposes and to ask intelligent questions of the people at ProFaxTax, but I won't be doing my taxes myself anymore.

Shipping SUCKS!!!!!!!!:
I ordered this two months ago. Got an extension on 2006 filing because AMAZON said it wouldn't ship until yesterday April 29 (yeah right) Now today Amazon says it will not ship until May 19. WHAT IS GOING ON AMAZON?!?!?!

Preparing Your 2005 Tax Return (J.K. Lasser):
Although I am not an accountant, the book is very informative, detailed and seems very complete. It has been a great asset to me as I prepare my 2005 taxes.