Tax time apps

Once again, it’s tax time. As those forms start arriving in the mail a lot of us are trying to get some organization going to make the annual task just a little more bearable. I feel your pain and have some apps that can help you get ready for filing all those forms.

I’ve got something better than a shoebox to organize all those documents. It’s a free smartphone app for the iPhone and Android platform called… well… Shoeboxed. You take a photo of those documents and Shoeboxed digitally stores and organizes those receipts and expense receipts and papers into categories like meals, travel, fuel and office supplies. You can then search for specific expenses and add them all up when claiming deductions at tax time. It also works through a website for use on your computer,

If you take a lot of deductions, you’ll want to check out Expensify…free for iPhone or Android. It works a lot like Shoeboxed but is geared to those with business and travel expenses for things like meals, lodgings and mileage. It also takes a picture of receipts,  but it also can import credit card transactions and then create IRS-approved receipts. It also organizes everything into reports.

Finally, after you’ve filed, get IRS2Go, the official IRS app for mobile platforms that tells you your refund status. There are also official filing tips and videos on the most common tax problems and questions.