Bev honestly; thank-you very much for pointing those out as well...both very valid points and things we might not have thought of...Mark and I only have about another 20-30 years before we retire...time that I agree could go by more quickly than we can realize...

About the H&R Block though...many people here prefer to pay someone to do their taxes for them because our tax laws can be so confusing that if we DON'T have someone else do them; not only could we miss out on some tax deductions that help reduce the amount taken from us; but sometimes we end up owing more than we might be able to afford at the time, and so paying H&R Block or another similar company to do our taxes can be a major relief; especially since they guarantee their work so strongly that they will go with you to the IRS should you be told you are being audited...