We all lose receipts and never itemize as much as we could or should. What is the result? A refund of $1K instead of $2K OR WORSE, we owe taxes instead of getting a refund.
The key, whether you use software or not, is to be diligent in tracking your expenses. For the love of God, I don't care if you use a shoebox and you toss receipts in there. The point is, just do something. For the sake of this blog, let's assume you've chosen to use some kind of software.
After being a Quicken user for 4 years, I see the enormous benefit. But, Quicken may not be for you. Your first goal is to identify what software makes you feel comfortable. This is a huge point because this is software that you will be interacting with weekly (at a minimum) for the entire year. So, DO NOT choose a software just because it's $5 cheaper or because it's got a link to Google Maps and it shows your bank branches.
About.com has a recent review on 3 top Personal Financial Software products.
Using personal finance software brings your money management to a whole new level, but to take full advantage of all these programs have to offer, it's important to choose a program that fits your personal needs. Fortunately, there are several excellent programs available and they get better every year. With all the features offered in the programs listed below, there's no reason to look further for personal finance software.Here is their review: About.com
