Even though we’re well into the new year, perhaps the biggest financial problem from 2022 is still rearing its ugly head: high inflation. To make matters worse, tax experts are warning people to prepare for lower tax refunds this year—or potentially prepare to pay in—as COVID benefits expire and revert to their pre-pandemic levels.

With tax time fast approaching, you’re likely wrangling W2s, rounding up receipts, and digging into all the documents you collected and filed away over the last year. It can be a lot to keep track of, and since you do it once a year and then only think about it next tax season, you probably need to become an expert. Sure, guided tools or programs make the burden easier to bear, but it's no wonder many Americans hire someone to take it off their plate.