Free apps make doing your taxes easier than ever

A lot of people would rather do their own taxes than take them to a preparer or an accountant, and several smartphone applications can help them save money and do just that.

One of the biggest names in tax preparation -- TurboTax -- has an app that lets you quickly file taxes. Users simply take a picture of their W-2, answer a few questions and file their taxes securely from a mobile device or computer. The questions help find deductions, and specialists are available to help answer questions.

TaxAct Express is another app that lets you take a picture of your W-2 and guides you through the rest of the tax forms. This app will look at your tax situation and offer some personalized recommendations. Depending on your situation, it's free to file state and federal taxes!

There's also an official IRS app called IRS 2 Go. Once you've filed, you can check the status of your refund, and if you owe, you can make a payment through the app.