The growing popularity of accounting software for small business owners trying to keep track of everything for tax season can be attributed to the increasing ease with which the software can be used.

Take, for example, QuickBooks Premier 2005. With its Accountant's Review feature and a business owner's paper documents in hand, a user can create a balance sheet and a profit-and-loss statement, and then tell the program to create an accountant's copy.

This separate electronic copy of the entire business can then be burned to a CD or sent to an accountant by e-mail. It includes everything that is needed for the accountant to complete the taxes, but also allows the business owner to keep using QuickBooks to run his or her day-to-day business.

QuickBooks Premier isn't all that cheap -- it comes in various flavors ranging in price from $199 to $3,500. But it is a nice solution for businesses that want to save accountant fees, but don't want to submit your annual taxes without an accountant's review.

-- David Radin