Isn't it surreal we have a two page form to file for income taxes that requires 88 pages of instructions and the possibilty of 39 or more additional forms?

Have you ever heard of the Life Cycle Series of publications? It is a list of 14 forms and publications your child may need from birth to childhood. How about Innocent Spouse Relief? Apparently, if your tax refund was kept by the IRS to pay off past due Federal tax, child support, or Federal non-tax debt, such as a student loan, and it was your spouse, not you, that incurred the debt, you too may file for part of the refund. Then there is the Tax Guide for Seniors. An additional 34 page publication with topics that are "of interest to older taxpayers".

No wonder all of those H&R BLock and Jackson Hewitt offices pop-up this time of year. One of my favorites is the Liberty Tax Service. Their walking billboards dressed as the Statue of Liberty certainly make me want to use their service.