Washington: 12th-Best State for Tax Help — Dave’s Diary

Tax season is upon us -- two weeks and counting -- but because we live in Washington, help is on the way or at least readily available and affordable.  The Internal Revenue Service estimates it takes 20-plus hours for average individuals to do their own taxes. But much like State & Local Tax Rates, the accessibility, affordability and effectiveness of tax helps varies significantly from state to state.

WalletHub compared the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia in terms of seven key metrics – ranging from the number of accountants per 1,000 jobs to their average workload and hourly compensation – in order to identify the geographical sweet spots for tax assistance across the country.

While we aren’t in the top 10, we can almost see our refund from here.

• 23^rd – Accountants Per 1,000 Jobs
• 26^th – Accounting Job Openings Per Capita
• 3^rd – Affordability of Tax Help
• 29^th – Returns Filed Per Accountant
• 18^th – Refund Amount
• 51^st – Percentage of Paid Returns

For the full WalletHub Tax Help Report, please visit: http://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-tax-help/2808/