--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My rule is when in doubt hire a…" description: "\"My rule is when in doubt hire a professional. You could do it just this year and then you have direction to resume doing it yourself after the consulta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/michelle-singletary-8251_doubt_my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professi_1784658.jpg" --- # My rule is when in doubt hire a professional. You could do… ![“My rule is when in doubt hire a professional. You could do it just this year and then you have direction to resume doing it yourself after the consultation. What you don't want is to do it wrong and be hit by a huge tax bill. Remember the old saying, "Don't be pennywise and pound foolish."” quote by Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/michelle-singletary-8251_doubt_my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professi_1784658.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/michelle-singletary-8251_doubt_my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professi_1784658.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/michelle-singletary-8251_doubt_my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professi_1784658.jpg) > “My rule is when in doubt hire a professional. You could do it just this year and then you have direction to resume doing it yourself after the consultation. What you don't want is to do it wrong and be hit by a huge tax bill. Remember the old saying, "Don't be pennywise and pound foolish."” [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hire experts when uncertain to avoid costly mistakes; a small investment can prevent larger financial losses later. **In simple terms:** Seek professional help to avoid big tax errors. Key Takeaway Invest in expertise to save money. Themes finance risk management decision making Mood cautious practical Type advisory practical When to use this quote - business budgeting - personal finance - tax filing Key Concepts consultation tax planning Questions to Reflect On - When is it worth paying for a professional? - What risks exist if you DIY tax work? A Different Perspective Professional advice may be expensive and not always necessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Old saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-saying/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-adair/if-you-think-it-s-expensive-to-hire-a-professional-to-do-the-job-wait/) [Red Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-adair/) > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Pelit itu payah! Hemat itu jenius!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshichi-shimada/pelit-itu-payah-hemat-itu-jenius/) Yoshichi Shimada > [“THE LOSERS ARE STILL LOSING, BUT STANLEY URIS IS FINALLY AHEAD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-losers-are-still-losing-but-stanley-uris-is-finally-ahead/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [stop now before i kill you a word to the wise from your friend PENNYWISE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/stop-now-before-i-kill-you-a-word-to-the-wise-from-your-friend/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Want a balloon?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/want-a-balloon/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“October 6, 2017 “Here I sit next to the telephone. I put my free hand on it . . . let it slide down . . . touch the holes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-6-2017-here-i-sit-next-to-the-telephone-i-put-my-free-hand-on/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“I think what was here before is still here... the thing that has shown up every twenty-seven years or so. Sometimes it comes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-think-what-was-here-before-is-still-here-the-thing-that-has-shown/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [During a color consultation, I like to reference food as a visual. Hot fudge and orange marmalade paint a clearer picture and helps prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/during-a-color-consultation-i-like-to-reference-food-as-a-visual-hot/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [All I say about severely disabled babies is that when a life is so miserable it is not worth living, then it is permissible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/all-i-say-about-severely-disabled-babies-is-that-when-a-life-is-so/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Bike lanes are clearly controversial. And one of the problems with bike lanes - and I'm generally a supporter of bike lanes - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-quinn/bike-lanes-are-clearly-controversial-and-one-of-the-problems-with/) [Christine Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-quinn/) > [My left descending septal branch artery decided to close without consultation with any of my other organs. It happened on Saint Patrick's Day, 1978.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/my-left-descending-septal-branch-artery-decided-to-close-without/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [In order to deal with the issues we're going to take a thoughtful, considered, intelligent approach to moving forward, we're going to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-notley/in-order-to-deal-with-the-issues-we-re-going-to-take-a-thoughtful/) [Rachel Notley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-notley/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-chamberlain/we-are-resolved-that-the-method-of-consultation-shall-be-the-method/) [Neville Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-chamberlain/) ## More by Michelle Singletary > [You need to know everything. You both need to be comfortable with sharing everything. If you can't you are NOT ready to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/you-need-to-know-everything-you-both-need-to-be-comfortable-with/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [We all fall - even me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/we-all-fall-even-me/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [I love teaching people how to handle their money and I've built a brand on that skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/i-love-teaching-people-how-to-handle-their-money-and-i-ve-built-a/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [You made a decision given your life circumstances and you have to be ok with that. Regrets that can't be change is just torturing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/you-made-a-decision-given-your-life-circumstances-and-you-have-to-be/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [You'll feel better when you get all that debt off your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/you-ll-feel-better-when-you-get-all-that-debt-off-your-back/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [The number of those 19 to 25 with private insurance increased from 51 to 55.8 percent, and the percentage of uninsured fell from 33.9…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/the-number-of-those-19-to-25-with-private-insurance-increased-from-51/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [Money may not be able to buy you love, but conflicts about it can certainly bankrupt your relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/money-may-not-be-able-to-buy-you-love-but-conflicts-about-it-can/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [We all only have a certain amount of money and that means yes, we have to make choices and sometimes those choices mean we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/we-all-only-have-a-certain-amount-of-money-and-that-means-yes-we-have/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [Having kids doesn't mean they would have taken care o you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/having-kids-doesn-t-mean-they-would-have-taken-care-o-you/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [I'm driving my old car until I'm on a first name basis with the low tow truck drivers!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/i-m-driving-my-old-car-until-i-m-on-a-first-name-basis-with-the-low/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [When you give people who are being financially responsible money, you are enabling them to continue a bad habit. So you are actually helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/when-you-give-people-who-are-being-financially-responsible-money-you/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [Sometimes your gut is right. And sometimes not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/sometimes-your-gut-is-right-and-sometimes-not/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [I understand why many are still poor or struggling to make just a middle-income lifestyle. I'm a fiscal conservative, but I also have compassion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/i-understand-why-many-are-still-poor-or-struggling-to-make-just-a/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [I like the idea of having a paperless society.But to be paperless means you have to be so careful with your identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/i-like-the-idea-of-having-a-paperless-society-but-to-be-paperless/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [If we aren't careful, our children will come down with 'affluenza,' a disease that causes them to confuse wants and needs. We need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/if-we-aren-t-careful-our-children-will-come-down-with-affluenza-a/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) [Explore all 81 Michelle Singletary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) ## More Consultation quotes > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [In order to deal with the issues we're going to take a thoughtful, considered, intelligent approach to moving forward, we're going to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-notley/in-order-to-deal-with-the-issues-we-re-going-to-take-a-thoughtful/) [Rachel Notley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-notley/) > [My left descending septal branch artery decided to close without consultation with any of my other organs. It happened on Saint Patrick's Day, 1978.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/my-left-descending-septal-branch-artery-decided-to-close-without/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Bike lanes are clearly controversial. And one of the problems with bike lanes - and I'm generally a supporter of bike lanes - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-quinn/bike-lanes-are-clearly-controversial-and-one-of-the-problems-with/) [Christine Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-quinn/) > [All I say about severely disabled babies is that when a life is so miserable it is not worth living, then it is permissible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/all-i-say-about-severely-disabled-babies-is-that-when-a-life-is-so/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [During a color consultation, I like to reference food as a visual. Hot fudge and orange marmalade paint a clearer picture and helps prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/during-a-color-consultation-i-like-to-reference-food-as-a-visual-hot/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-chamberlain/we-are-resolved-that-the-method-of-consultation-shall-be-the-method/) [Neville Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-chamberlain/) > [I moreover affirm that our wisdom itself, and wisest consultations, for the most part commit themselves to the conduct of chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-moreover-affirm-that-our-wisdom-itself-and-wisest-consultations-for/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I'm not being evasive but I am saying I'm not a scientist and I'm not directly involved in the consultation however the science must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-anderson/i-m-not-being-evasive-but-i-am-saying-i-m-not-a-scientist-and-i-m-not/) [John Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anderson/) > [It is only through popular consultation and exchange with the people about social and economic policies that we were going to define the strategic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-castro-espin/it-is-only-through-popular-consultation-and-exchange-with-the-people/) [Alejandro Castro Espin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-castro-espin/) > [Since the NBA purchased the New Orleans Hornets, final responsibility for significant management decisions lies with the Commissioner's Office in consultation with team chairman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stern/since-the-nba-purchased-the-new-orleans-hornets-final-responsibility/) [David Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stern/) > [I did not win and in fact I was called into the principal's office for a consultation with my parents. But that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-did-not-win-and-in-fact-i-was-called-into-the-principal-s-office/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [A consultation process is what some authority sets in motion preparatory to doing what it intended all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-waterhouse/a-consultation-process-is-what-some-authority-sets-in-motion/) [Keith Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-waterhouse/) > [ A lot will depend on who \[Donald\] Trump chooses for key cabinet positions, but even more will depend on his consultations with his key… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/a-lot-will-depend-on-who-donald-trump-chooses-for-key-cabinet/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I am impressed by the positive and insightful feedback we have received from Canadians across the country and again this morning in Brampton. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sorenson/i-am-impressed-by-the-positive-and-insightful-feedback-we-have/) [Kevin Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sorenson/) Browse all 58 Consultation quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My rule is when in doubt hire a professional. You could do it just this year and then you have direction to resume doing it yourself after the consultation. What you don't want is to do it wrong and be hit by a huge tax bill. Remember the old saying, \"Don't be pennywise and pound foolish.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Singletary" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professional-you-could-do-it-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consultation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professional-you-could-do-it-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/michelle-singletary-8251_doubt_my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professi_1784658.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/michelle-singletary-8251_doubt_my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professi_1784658.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/michelle-singletary-8251_doubt_my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professi_1784658.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My rule is when in doubt hire a professional. You could do it just this year and then you have direction to…” — Michelle Singletary", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michelle Singletary", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My rule is when in doubt...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professional-you-could-do-it-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/my-rule-is-when-in-doubt-hire-a-professional-you-could-do-it-just/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```