<human>:  How do I prepare a tax return?
<bot>: Start by gathering all of your documents related to your income, including any documents related to deductions or credits. 2 Next, decide if you will be filing your taxes yourself or if you will be hiring a professional tax preparer. 3 If you plan on filing yourself, make sure that you have a copy of the most recent tax forms. 4 Complete all of your tax forms, making sure to double-check that all of your information is accurate and that all applicable deductions and credits have been applied. 5 Once you have completed your tax return, double-check your calculations to make sure there are no errors.6 Finally, submit your tax return either electronically or by mail.