I’m sure you’ve heard at some point in your life “I’m not good with numbers.” It’s a feeling that can be particularly intimidating if you’re attempting to file your own taxes. Most people are so nervous about doing their taxes because they have no idea what they are doing, but with the proper guidance, it is really quite simple.

Trying to do your taxes on your own may seem like a smart way to save money, but in reality you’ll probably end up paying much more than if you had just hired a tax accountant. Tax accountants are not only experts when it comes to preparing and filing taxes; they also know how to get the most deductions and credits available.

Here are ten things you should never say to your tax accountant:

Here is a list of some things you should never say to your tax accountant:

1. What are we going to do about my taxes this year?

2. Why don’t I just give you a check for the amount in question and you can take care of everything?

3. I’m not sure what my company paid for these tickets or if it was deducted from my paycheck or what…

4. Well, I’m not really sure how much I spent on this, but it was probably around $1,000.

5. Your company seems to be paying you pretty well! Can I get your rates?

6. So, what are we going to do with all the money they owe me? Maybe we could open a savings account?

7. Do you want to go out for drinks after this meeting?

8. I think that first line item is wrong. It looks like I only bought $500 worth of stuff at the liquor store and not $10,000…

9. Can you just file an extension so we have more time? My wife and I have been planning this trip to St Maarten for months and we’re leaving Friday…

10. What else are you working on right now? Do you think you’ll

Here are some things you should never say to your tax accountant.

1. “Wow! I can’t believe how much you know about the Scrumpetax Code.”

2. “I know our last meeting was a little uncomfortable but I’m ready to open up now.”

3. “Thanks so much for not telling my wife, my pastor, or the IRS about all this cash I’ve been hiding.”

4. “I certainly have nothing to hide, why would you even ask?”

5. “If you could just charge me a little less, that would be great.”

6. “No problem if it takes a week or two, I’m in no hurry.”

7. “This seems kind of high for just doing some returns, let alone actually doing any taxes.”

8. “Give me a call when you get it done and we’ll go out for margaritas!”

9. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it myself.”

10. (This one’s a biggie!) “What? You’re kidding! You didn’t see that one coming?”**

Never say to your tax accountant, “If you can’t make it simpler, I’ll find someone who can.” Even if you mean it, it’s not a good idea. I don’t want to come across as arrogant, but in my opinion, no one else will be able to make things simple enough for you. I’ve worked with other accountants before and they were not able to take the confusion out of my taxes.

I’ve had my own share of frustration working with other tax professionals in the past. There were times when I felt like they thought they knew everything and that I didn’t know anything. As a result, I didn’t feel comfortable challenging them. The end result was that my taxes weren’t as simple as they could have been. You’re lucky enough to have found an accountant who does a great job of making things simple for you, so don’t throw that away by telling him or her how stupid he or she is!

I’m going to list some common phrases tax accountants hear from their clients that are better left unsaid. You should never say any of these things to your tax accountant:

1) This is too complicated for me to understand. If you think the paperwork your accountant gives you is too complicated, then ask

1. What’s a tax accountant?

2. Can you get me out of this?

3. I know I’m being audited but I don’t have anything to hide.

4. Why didn’t the IRS make the rules clear?

5. The IRS is always picking on me.

6. Nobody tells me what I owe, so how can you?

7. I heard you can settle for pennies on the dollar.

8. My neighbor said he doesn’t have to pay taxes and neither should I!

9. I don’t know what my adjusted gross income is or how to calculate it and there is no one who will explain it to me in plain English!

10. You’re an accountant, right? Can you help me with my taxes?”

“I’m just going to give you a ballpark estimate. Really it’s just a rough approximation. It’s not an official audit, so I don’t need to be that accurate.”

No. No it isn’t. It’s an estimate based on your best understanding of the facts and circumstances. The only thing that makes it unofficial is that you didn’t do it in front of an IRS agent. A good accountant will treat this as an opportunity to impress you with his professionalism and commitment to accuracy; a bad one will see it as an opportunity to cut corners and make things up.

Treat it like a real audit from the beginning, even if there are no witnesses, by following these steps:1) Prepare for the meeting by taking notes about the relevant information, including details about each deduction, credit or income item;2) As soon as you walk in the door, lay out all your supporting documentation—receipts for expenses, W-2s for income and so on—and give him as much time with each piece of paper as he needs;3) If he asks you any questions about anything on your list of documentation (for example, how you calculated a certain deduction), be ready to tell him exactly where in your records the answer can