If you're an independent contractor who works for lots of different companies, juggling tons of W-9 Request for Taxpayer ID forms throughout the year is a necessary pain. W9 Form (free, universal) puts the forms instantly at your fingertips, letting you fill out, sign, and send a fresh W-9 in PDF format anytime you need one, right from your iOS device.

It's easy to lose receipts when you're out and about, which can be a nightmare for those who track purchases for tax deductions. The magic of Shoeboxed Receipt Tracker (free, universal) is that it lets you fire and forget. Just snap a photo of your receipt and it uploads to your account, where it later pops up with store info, amount spent, and other details.

For those times when you just want a quick-and-dirty rundown on what kind of tax refund you'll be looking at, Taxcaster (free, universal) gives you a handy forecast without all of the hassle. The accessible interface makes punching in the crucial data and tweaking sliders a breeze, and the end result will give you peace of mind well before you go through it for real.

It takes a lot of dedication and patience to accurately track your mileage manually, but thankfully it only takes a few quick seconds to keep on top of this arduous process with Track My Mileage (free, universal). This simple app saves time with a neat auto-calculate function and reusable destinations, and it remembers your mileage once you punch it in. No math!

While it does still cost money to e-file your federal and state taxes, TurboTax 2012 (Free, iPad) streamlines the process on iPad and gives you a head start before you have to pay the piper. Cool features like the ability to snap photos of your W-2 form and file your taxes right from your tablet makes this time-tested tax program a smart pick.

Do you like to donate your good condition, but unwanted used goods to charity on an annual basis? Don't feel bad about wanting to write it off on your taxes. For frequent charity donors, iDonatedIt ($2.99, Universal) helps you track everything you pass along and assess its fair market value so you can punch that info in come tax time.

Once you pull the trigger and file your taxes, the waiting game begins. If you're impatient over when you'll see your state or federal refund checks from the government, then MyTaxRefund (Free, Universal) is a godsend. This cool app lets you check in on the status of your refunds after they're filed, and the best part is that you don't have to be a TurboTax customer to use it.

As a perfect companion app to working with a tax professional, H&R Block (Free, Universal) excels in a few key areas. Beyond helping you locate your local H&R Block office and set up an appointment, it lets you upload tax documents and start punching in numbers to get preliminary estimates. Once you file, it also lets you check in to see the status of your refund.