Face it, according to an IRS report, nearly two-thirds of Americans find tax laws complex enough to seek out a professional tax preparer for help with their returns. Remember, however, that the word “professional” means only that the preparer is paid. The level of proficiency can vary. There are thousands of “professionals” who work for massive corporations that teach a week of classes to their preparers for the honor of sitting in a shopping mall kiosk from January through April. In this Information Technology Age, you can probably get as much help for less money buying a cheap tax software program for your PC. If your taxes begin to go beyond the basic W-2 form and a single employer, however, it might be easier to engage the service of someone like Jo-Anne Modance who has dealt with tax codes for nearly two decades, and gets to know her customers as their financial situations change from year to year. She will be at the same location well after the April 15 deadline, and she will answer her phone with the same warm greeting, be it April, August, or November.