conversation: User (daily-disturbance): "So the Credit Karma tax filing system has been buggy, so I should have known better than to file with them, but I did it anyways because TurboTax charges $80 to file with a K-1 form.\n\nEvery time I logged out of Credit Karma it would change my estimated refund amount from $6k federal/$2k state to $112 federal/$228 state.  It kept overriding my K-1 information when I would log out, so I would have to go back in and uncheck a box... then re-check the box and it would recalculate to the correct value.\n\nWell, I made sure before I filed that it showed the correct amounts.  I even have the pdf it said it was submitting to the IRS with all the correct amounts on it.  But I got an email minutes later saying my federal return was accepted and I thought that was strange because I figured they would want to review a $6k refund, and when I checked, they had accepted the $112 amount, because Credit Karma submitted the incorrect information without my K-1 deduction.  State is pending at $228 instead of $2k as well.\n\nSo what can I do?  Is there any way to amend a return for a bigger refund or am I going to get penalized if I try and change it?\n\n**Edit:** To be clear, I specifically checked the pdf to make sure it was right before submitting it, and they changed it after I submitted it.  So, sidenote, 0/10 would not recommend Credit Karma Tax if you have anything more complicated than a W-2 to file."
  Self: "Here is what I am not understanding about your post: 1) When you kept seeing that your information was changing due to logging out and having to re-enter the information, why did you not contact Credit Karma before submitting your return? 2) If you're getting such a large return back why no spend 1% of your total return and get a more reliable piece of tax software?"
  Im_a_Stupid_Panda (Im_a_Stupid_Panda): "This right here.  You are getting multiple thousands of dollars back on your return.  Dig deep and pay for software that is tried and true (more often than most) so you don't have a panic attack like this.  \n\nWe went with an accountant for the first time last year and it made a WORLD of difference for us.  So much easier, just handed over all the forms/receipts I had collected over the year, and he did everything for us.  Entirely worth the little bit extra I have to pay up front to him for stress-free filing."
  NewlyMintedAdult (NewlyMintedAdult): "I'd say that whether you want an accountant depends on the complexity of your financial situation far more than it does on the size of your refund. If an accountant saves you more in time, anxiety, and reduced-taxes (presumably due to being familiar to tax credits and the like that you might not know) to make up for the several hundred dollars they are likely to charge, then use an accountant. If they don't, don't. This remains the case whether the IRS owes you a refund, you owe the IRS extra payments, or you land somewhere in the middle. "
  