Maximize your tax deductions and credits for a bigger tax refund. Includes expert tax help & advice to find IRS tax deductions and credits, potentially saving you big money. Life Events guidance helps you deal with marriage, buying a home, inheritance, stock options, home equity loans, and other topics that impact your tax return. Includes both Federal and State tax returns with free income tax filing.Best Features:
Includes software for preparation of both Federal & State tax returns
Donation Assistant provides certified values for more than 700 commonly-donated items
Maximum Refund Pledge guarantees you'll get your largest refund, or we'll pay for your software
Unlimited Support via phone or email at no additional cost.
100% Accuracy Guaranteed
Customer Reviews: Excellent Well Priced Product By FashonistaExtrordinaire I have always used the more expensive products but for the 2009 tax year, I tried Taxact. I have a fairly complicated return and Taxact worked perfectly, (and just as well as the other much more expensive product). But, the reason I am writing this review, is because I have written them 2 emails this week, about the delayed filing due to the IRS having to program the final tax laws into the 2010 system. Taxact answered my questions within a few hours and answered them with well written, on point, excellent and thorough responses. Incredible! They have made me a fan for life.OK if You Don't Trust any Tax Software 100% By C. Hartel I started off doing taxes by hand with the help of an Excel spreadsheet, moved to TurboTax for a few years and have been using TaxAct for the past 5 or 6 years. Overall TaxAct has worked ok for me, but only because I'm pretty familiar with the process, including the standard forms, and I'm double-checking everything.
Several years ago I had to file an unusual form that TaxAct didn't handle correctly; I would have overpaid by hundreds of dollars if I hadn't caught the problem myself. This year it kept wanting to treat my vehicle tax deduction from the federal form as a foreign tax payment on the state form (Calif). It kept giving a yellow alert until I finally had to zero-out the entry directly on the state form. After I expressed interest in making estimated tax payments for 2010 it kept wanting to help me do that - even after I realized I didn't need to. There was no way to go back and say "No" and have it remember. If I had printed my returns without going into the custom print options I would have gotten many pages of irrelevant forms that I didn't need to file.
TaxAct is inexpensive and does the job if you stay on top of it. If your taxes are at all complex and you're not familiar with IRS forms and instructions - and don't want to take the time to read them - I would recommend trying another program or hiring someone like an enrolled agent to do your taxes for you.Excellent product at cheap price By bk I have been using taxact for 3 years now and I found it very easy to use and cheap. Ultimate bundle comes with one state and a free efile, $8 for additional state efile. The help features exceed expectations. User interface has option of going by forms or questionnaire. The software has all the possible forms/features for most complex returns, unlike other tax softwares. On a side note, softwares dont maximize or minimize your tax returns they just do the calculations, dont pay extra money to be duped. The Best-Selling TaxACT 2009 Ultimate Bundle for Desktop then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Tax Act (Jewel Case) For the 1999 tax year, Microsoft came out with a fantastic federal income tax file-on-line package.Best Features:
Windows 95, Macintosh, Windows Me, Linux, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Unix, Windows 98
Customer Reviews: Covers the basics By A Customer For the 1999 tax year, Microsoft came out with a fantasticfederal income tax file-on-line package. The cost [was low].
Strangely, I don't see a 2000 version. The learning company's Tax software is an adequate substitute. It is a menu driven, step by step federal filing process. It does a great job of calculating your figures whether you file 1040EZ or 1040 with multiple income, multiple W-2 and deductions.
Truth be told, the software itself rates 2 or 3 stars for functionality, but the price made me bump it to 4. The menu system is somewhat annoying, -almost- trapping you on their hamster wheel walk throughs... but hey - at 1/4 the cost of Turbo Tax, I can't complain too much. It works fine and I didn't have to use a calculator.
Very easy to use and understand By Michael Kramer I purchased this program in hopes of getting an inexpensive tax preparation program that would get me the biggest return possible. I was tired of going to tax prep places and paying an outrageous fee for something that I could do on my own. I was very pleased with this program! The format is very straight-forward, and thorough. It takes you through an interview process that calculates your return at the top of the screen as you progress. I found no glitches or download problems with this program whatsoever. Also, being a single father, Tax Act helped me get the biggest return I have ever received! Tax Act also emails you when the IRS has received and is reviewing your return. I will certainly be using this program to do my 2001 yr taxes. Kudos to The Learning Company for such a fine product. It will save you a lot of money in tax preparation, and, as in my case, will help you get the best return possible.Simple - Great Price By crafty lab I bought this software last year and thought it was pretty good. As someone else mentioned navigation through the software is an area that can be a little annoying, but it is not very hard to use. For the average person (I cannot speak of those with extremely complicated returns) it is more than adequate and much cheaper than taking your taxes to someone to do. The Best-Selling Tax Act (Jewel Case) then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
Platforms: Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 95
Format: Download
Customer Reviews: 2001 TurboTax By Pat I swear by the TurboTax products. No other way to do taxes. TurboTax makes it so easy. The Best-Selling Quicken TurboTax Deluxe: Federal Return 2001 Tax Year then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Guidance for all your personal tax situations. Federal forms. Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal taxes in one complete program.Best Features:
Step-by-step guidance
Double checks for errors
Easy for first-time users
Customer Reviews: Download and installation were very easy. Looks similar to last year's By James F. Strasma I'm normally very wary of buying software without a CD to allow reinstallation, a holdover from the copy-protection wars when vendors tried not to let us install anything more than one time on one PC, even if the hard drive later failed.
The H&R Block At Home 2011 software download was a delight, compared to former days and other programs. Like other digital products purchased through Amazon, Amazon remembers what I've purchased, and makes it easy to get it again if necessary. The entire installation process, including starting the program, checking for upgrades (none yet) and entering my key code took only a few minutes via cable broadband. It also quickly and easily read in my data from last year, and offered helpful YouTube videos on changes this year. I now have to wait until the next update expected on January 12 before entering dependents and income.
I've used H&R's tax programs for several years, and been very happy except for having to file a correction last year due to the program initially missing the fact that I'd paid property taxes on my home. (I reported that bug, so don't expect it to be a problem again, but will be sure to check again once I have all my tax forms to enter.) As I pretty much know what I'm doing tax-wise, and my state already offers a simple Web-based way to file my state income tax, this basic verson is all I need. If you want more handholding or a state program too, there are other more advanced versions available, and you'll be offered those if the program thinks you might need them.
I'll update this around the end of January, once I have all the needed 1099s etc. and have filed. But for now, this is a very pleasant, inexpensive and ecological way to quickly and accurately take care of a nasty unavoidable annual chore.
Recommended.
Update: OK, I filed electronically tonight. I had previously gotten right up to the point of filing, but held off for the update that came out in late February, just in case it fixed anything important. I also reconfirmed a few entries and corrected one I'd guessed wrong about before, now that I had the official document in hand. Perhaps as a result of the changes, the program no longer remembered my last year's AGI value or our PINS, so I had to override those as I submitted this evening. Fortunately, I always write those down as I print out the final form, so had them handy. Since I amended last year's return later, I was glad to see this year's program told me to still use the AGI value from my initial return, rather than the amended one.
Still recommended.Links to videos are obsolete By H. Pham I just downloaded and installed H&R Block At Home Basic 2011. The software works fine as in previous years. However, the videos that are supposed to explain tax law changes (for example: "What's new for 2011") are 2010 versions (dated Dec 16, 2010). That might mislead unsuspecting viewers because some of those credits for 2010 are no longer available for 2011.Basic is good, but hard to find - on purpose perhaps? By It Works The basic edition of Tax Cut (now that HRBlock has it - "2011 Home Edition Basic") has long been my favorite. Originally $5 or so on sale during the Tax Cut days it was a great value. Now, the price is going up every year to even $29.99 in brick and mortar stores - assuming you can find it - it's not such a bargain. In my opinion, the Price/Value ratio has definitely declined under HRBlock.
This year the Basic edition was very hard to find outside of on-line at AMAZON. HRBlock sent me a Home Edition dvd disc, but the Basic version was not one of the choices on the disc. Several local stores handle HRBlock tax products, but do not stock the Basic version. The few that do carry it want way too much money for it.
All that said, as a low-income taxpayer, the Basic Edition did what we needed it to do for our simple tax situation. We could have used the governments' Free Tax File services instead, but we prefer the added confidentiality and flexibility of preparing our taxes with user owned software. Prior to preparing our taxes with HRBlock Home Basic edition I prepared them by hand with a pencil and paper tax forms from the post office - the old fashioned way.
The tax refund I came up with by hand was then checked against what the Basic Edition calculated. The net refund was within a few dollars each way. Perhaps filing electronically with the HRBlock program will get us our refund a little bit faster and may lessen the chances of an audit.
My recommendation: If you are a low income taxpayer with a simple situation, this program is likely to be the best one for you in terms of Price/Value from among all those in the HRBlock tax product line.
Amazon is the place to buy it. It wasn't as easy to find it here as in past years, but definitely easier to find it here than traveling from store to store all over town looking for a local retailer that carries it.
The three star rating given knocked the product one star due to what is, in my mind, apparently an intentional marketing plan that may be designed to force customers into more expensive products that we really don't need. The product was docked a second star due to the continuing decline in the Price/Value of the product compared to past years. That and the failure of HRBlock to include the Basic edition as a choice in the mass mailed promotional CD/DVDs.
As far as Amazon goes, they get a Five Star rating for pricing the product more reasonably that the other editions and for the great personal service I received from the Amazon sales person contacted by telephone to help with questions encountered when buying the product in its downloadable format. That worked perfectly.
The Amazon salesman was extremely helpful, informative, patient, courteous, and willing to walk me through the process. He even stayed online to be sure the purchase downloaded correctly. I'll use that feature again for other purchases. The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home Basic 2011 Win [Download] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Guidance for all your personal tax situations. Federal forms. Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal taxes in one complete program.Best Features:
Do-it-yourself tax software for simple tax situations
Everything needed to easily complete federal tax returns
Double-checks for errors; 5 free federal e-files; audit support
Import data from W-2, 1099, and last year's return; Maximum Refund Guarantee
Customer Reviews: Not for Win 7 x64 By M. Powers This product does not install on Windows 7 x64 on my HP Pavilion dv8 laptop. It appeared to install and run OK on the virtual XP session that runs on Win 7 x64. Be advised you will need to perform extra downloading and configuration above and beyond Win 7 x64 install. Virtual PC *is* a free download from MS. Go to Microsoft and search for terms "windows 7 virtual pc xp mode". How can you tell if you are running 32 bit or 64 bit Windows 7? Go to Control Panel find system and read what it says for system type. Likely, if you have 32 bit Windows 7 you won't have any issues with this product.I like TaxCut/Block By bsquare I've used this product line for 15 years & like it much better than Turbo Tax. I wish they'd stop changing it's name, tho - must be confusing to those who don't know the brand.Works GREAT!!!! H&R Block saved me money! By tims75vette I have windows 7 without the XP mode and this software works great on my computers. I had ZERO issues with Windows 7.
I also used H&R Block Home Basic last year on the same Windows 7 computer and it worked flawlessly.
A couple of years ago I received that year's version free with a printer I purchased. I had already finished a first draft of my return manually. After doing the same with this software it found over $400 of savings I had not noticed. I went from owing over $1000 to $582. I swear by tax software now and this is the best bang for the buck.
I HIGHLY recommend it. Can't beat it for the price. If nothing else then to check any other method of tax prep you may have done.
If you are in the market this is the one.
I sound like a commercial don't I? Well, I am very happy with this product and it deserves the praise. The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home 2010 Basic Federal + eFile then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Saves time by automatically importing your investment info directly from your financial institution. Helps You Accurately Report Investment Sales
Walks you through reporting sales of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Automatically calculates capital gains/losses and keeps track of those that carry over to future tax returns. Determines Your Cost Basis
Finds your accurate purchase price for stock sales, in three easy steps. Helps with Employee Stock Plans
Guides you through reporting sales and automatically determines your correct basis for selling shares purchased at different times or different prices. 401(k) Maximizer
Shows you how to increase your 401(k) contribution without decreasing your take-home pay. *Exclusive* Helps You Find Every Rental Deduction
Finds over 20 deductions for landlords, from travel to advertising to repairs to insurance. *Exclusive* Shows Your Best Rental Depreciation Method
Simplifies reporting rental property depreciation and shows which depreciation method will get you the biggest tax deduction. Maximizes Refinancing Deductions
Guides you through deducting points, appraisal fees, recording costs, and more so you don’t miss a single chance to save. Helps with New Rental Properties
Shows you step by step how to set up new rental properties.
Feel Confident Your Taxes Are Done Right
Now Free! Only TurboTax software offers one-on-one expert tax advice free for everyone, live by phone and chat. Best Features:
Guides you step-by-step through investments and rental property income
Assists with stocks, bonds, mutual funds and employee stock plans
Provides extra guidance for rental property income, expenses and refinancing
Includes Free Federal E-File
Plus, includes a download of one TurboTax State product
Free one-on-one expert tax advice live by phone or chat
Includes Free Federal E-File and one download of a TurboTax State product
Customer Reviews: A bit of a rip-off, yet an awesome tool By Henry C. Wolford I have never had any issues with TurboTax. I've used the product for at least a dozen years, even to do the taxes for a home based business. There is no issue with using the tool or the effectiveness. (Still puzzles me how Tim Geithner couldn't figure it out.) I have a few serious issues that do not affect the use of the product, just personal gripes. The first, is selecting the "right" version for you to use. Effectively, the most basic one will work for everything you need. The pricier versions provide you more "hand holding" through the process rather than just quoting the IRS language. It is a bit annoying as you enter different areas in the software, how they try to get you to "upgrade" online, with veiled threats of what might happen if you don't take advantage of their support and the IRS finds an error. Another, is the need to buy a "full version" every year. Seems to me, once you buy TurboTax, you could pay a lower fee each year to upgrade to the next year's version. Finally, there are situations such as mine where I live in a state with no income tax, yet to get the version I need, there are only versions with the State Income Tax software included. If I bought a lesser capable version, it can be bought for several dollars less without a State form as an option. These are just annoying things I am reminded of every year when I buy what I need to do my taxes.Best Non-Professional Tax Software Available By R. Johnson I have been using Turbotax prior to Intuit's purchase of Chipsoft, more than twenty years ago. I have all my disks, either floppy or optical for more than twenty years. Living in San Diego, Turbotax's headquarters since its inception, I know personally CPAs or Enrolled Agents (IRS specialists)who review every form or page of instructions provided in the software every year. Prior to Turbotax, I used Howardsoft's Tax Product and for a time MacInTax and one year I attempted to use TaxCut without success. But for me, its been Turbotax's drive to constantly improve and add more value in their products that sets it apart. I admit that I was annoyed a couple of years ago when I was forced to upgrade online to the Premier version from the Deluxe to successfully complete my Schedule D. I waited to the last minute to file. My girlfriend at the time, used Turbotax to discover that her longtime tax preparer had miscalculated her return which resulted in an $1100 error. Showing the preparer the Turbotax return, the tax preparer submitted a 1040X to correct the error but it took more six months to get the money back. I admit that Turbotax is and primarily a Windows based product and that most the problems complained about here were Mac issues. As I stated in my review title, Turbotax is the best Non-Professional Tax software available today without exception.Turbo Tax By Norseman I have been filing my own taxes since I was 16. I am now 60. I have tried most of the programs out there. Turbo Tax is by far the best. H&R Block, by far the worst. I use the "Turbo Tax Premium" because it has rental properties on it. It keeps track year by year (by importing last years form, from a saved Turbo Tax copy) on depreciation and prompts you for all deductions. You can't beat it. WalMart had the same program for $84. Amazon comes through again. The Best-Selling TurboTax Premier Federal + E-file + State 2011 for PC [Download] [Old Version] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Guidance for all your personal tax situations. Federal forms. Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal taxes in one complete program.Best Features:
Step-by-step guidance
Double checks for errors
Easy for first-time users
Customer Reviews: Printing failed By GregDeiRossi Worked adequately until printing failed to work. Had to print one page at a time. What a waste of time.h&r bloock rules By Donald A. Crow This is great software and i use it every year. It was a fast download and I did my taxes fast after the download. It is easy to use tax softwareDownload worked well By Try N2 Help Purchase was smooth, make sure you look for your email with free filing key code after purchasing, it does not come with it. Works as well as it has in years past. Interface seems to have been cleaned up even more but who can remember doing taxes in years past? The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home Basic 2012 for Mac [Download] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Guidance for all your personal tax situations. Federal forms. Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal taxes in one complete program.Best Features:
Federal tax software for those with more complex tax situations
Ideal for homeowners and investors; customized interview process
Imports last year's tax data from H&R Block At Home and TurboTax software
Accuracy Review checks returns to make sure they're accurate and complete
Includes H&R Block tax expertise--plus H&R Block's maximum refund guarantee
Customer Reviews: First time I had to deal with bugs By Richard L. Mercado I have used H&R block (TaxCut) for years. This is the first year I had to deal with at least two bugs. Both are tied into the information that it imports from last years return. First it had that I filed a standard deduction then it had zero for my AGI line. Both of these effected how the program handled my current return.
If you import last years information you will have to check every line since whatever is getting imported is suspect and no longer makes the filling easier since the information can be wrong.
Previously I had never come across a bug.Good Tax Program By Paul J. Stein I have purchased this H&R Block software for the last 3 tax periods. It is easy to use and walks you through the necessary steps to ensure you get the best benefits for the tax year. Updates are provided, as they become available. H&R Block stands behind the software and makes the same commitments you receive if dealing with one of their tax preparation offices.They must think we're idiots By Fred S I have been using H&R Block tax software since the TurboTax servers went belly up the day before taxes were due a few years ago.
Now in this years gem from H&R Block, they include a deceptive ploy to try to get you to upgrade to Premium edition, as if you hadn't already payed for the tax subjects that led you to the upgrade offer.
OK, so I finally figured out what was going on and went about my tax prep business. The program seems to work. But you just don't treat your customers that way. They must think we're idiots.
It's not us. The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home 2011 Deluxe Federal then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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TaxACT Free Edition: Free Federal Tax Return for Everyone!
Prepare, print & e-file simple AND complex tax returns.
Get your maximum tax refund guaranteed.
It’s fast, easy and FREE for Everyone.
1) Walks you through your taxes with 100% accuracy guarantee 2) Finds all deductions & credits for the biggest refund 3) Get your refund fast with free federal e-file
The most complete free tax filing solution for everyone It's true! FREE to prepare, FREE to print, FREE to e-file - no income or age restrictions. Get the fastest tax refund possible with free e-file. Handles simple AND complex tax returns — supports 1040, 1040A, & 1040EZ, and includes all e-fileable IRS forms to handle all filing statuses & life situations.
Finds all credits & deductions for the biggest refund Boost your tax savings with Credit, Deduction, and Income Examiners. Get the biggest refund guaranteed with TaxACT's maximum refund pledge. See how changes affect your refund or amount owed after every step of TaxACT's easy interview process.
All the free help & support you need, when you need it Stumped by a tax question, need help with TaxACT, or looking for a specific part of your return? The newly enhanced TaxACT Answer Center gives you personalized, free help. Type in your question for the fastest answers or e-mail our technical and TaxPayer Support specialists for free. Receive help via phone for a one-time fee of $7.95 for the entire 2011 tax year. Video Help Tutorials make problem solving easy. Ensures 100% accuracy to reduce your audit risk
TaxACT Alerts meticulously inspect your return for errors, omissions, and valuable tax-saving opportunities you may have missed. Prior Year Comparison finds possible errors resulting from incorrect or overlooked entries by comparing to last year's data. Audit Assistant guides you through the process if you happen to be audited by the IRS.
Best Features:
The most complete free tax filing solution for everyone
Finds all credits & deductions for the biggest refund
All the free help & support you need, when you need it
Ensures 100% accuracy to reduce your audit risk
Maximum Refund Guaranteed
Customer Reviews: Tax Software By Crystal I have previously used H&R Block software but drew the line after agonizing over my 2010 return and the crazy things they asked but then found it didn't make a difference. All I wanted was to do my taxes in peace without tons of complicated questions. This software met that requirement. The questions were straightforward without legalese. I did upgrade to the Deluxe Edition since I had a couple issues not covered in the free version. Considering that the upgrade was ~$13 compared to the pricier TurboTax & H&R Block, I was thrilled with it. Very easy to use. If your return is the size of General Motors, this is probably not for you but if you maybe have some rentals or other sources of income, this is great software. I will be using it next year too!tax act By Leslie Davis-Madden I found this product to be not only up-to-date with the IRS current deductions, more importantly it was very user friendly.Pretty simple By Lauren G It's not the best software I have ever used, but it comes pretty close. it's very simple, very easy to understand. I have recommended this product and haven't heard any complaints to those that have used it so far. The Best-Selling TaxACT 2011 Free Federal Edition [Download] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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From the makers of TurboTax, ProSeries Basic makes it easy for small tax prep businesses to step up to pro-quality software. Guided workflow and simple checklists deliver professional output without unnecessary bells and whistles. Get the dependable performance you’ve come to expect from Intuit — plus instant access to Help, easy e-file capabilities, and powerful error-catching diagnostics. ProSeries Basic makes it easier than ever to grow your tax prep business with client-pleasing results.Best Features:
Delivers all the tools required by small tax businesses — without the added cost of unnecessary extras.
Designed specifically for preparing 1040 returns, and Schedule C for small businesses.
Customer Reviews: Loving ProSeries... By Rodgaze I'm really happy with this software and its functionality...talk about a productivity booster. The user interface and navigation are "top shelf" and I'm wholly confident that the returns I'm generating will be absolutely accurate...Thank You Intuit! The Best-Selling ProSeries Basic Edition 2005 Professional Tax Preparation then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Platforms: Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 95
Format: CD-ROM
Customer Reviews: Horrible, unworkable program-AVOID By A Customer If you want MORE STRESS with your tax preparation, just try using this worthless program.
Last year I tried to download Turbo Tax for California and the program just wouldn't run correctly so this year I bought the CD. It doesn't work either and Intuit's "help" is worthless. The state program refuses to import some of the data from the federal program, and won't let me input the data either. So Turbo Tax keeps telling me I owe money when in fact the state owes me a refund. This is after I had to, once again, download interminable files because the state edition was released before it was ready.
I will avoid this product in the future. It's a waste of time and money.
Program works OK - but the hassle level is VERY high By P. Chuang First off, the program does what it needs to do - pulling in your federal tax info and completing your state taxes.
But the inconvenience level is high:
1> Product activation - it's not hard to do, but if you wind up buying a new computer/rebuilding your current computer and then having to refile taxes, you'll be stuck dealing with unhelpful Intuit employees who will want you to buy the product again.
2> Lots of updates required and the update download process is unreliable - took several tries to finally get all the downloads. I think it was 40+ files.
3> The big hassle of the rebates - I was pleasantly surprised to see that you could do the rebate online. But it turns out that it just prints a cover page (with a bar code, so it saves Intuit the work of entering your information). You still have to send everything in plus the cover page - you even have to fill out the regular rebate form, even though you just filled out everything online.
I've been a TurboTax user for the past 5 years, but I definitely will try another product for 2003.
Mandatory C-Dilla malware/spyware. You don't want this. By EnglishTeacher Here's a quote from extremetech.com. (ExtremeTech &sister publication PC Magazine're industry leaders. You've probably heard of their most famous writer, John C. Dvorak.) (Note:Intuit-TurboTax-2002's C-Dilla wasn't different from other versions of C-Dilla. It just got lotsa attention because TurboTax *was* very popular software until C-Dilla became a part of it.)
From ET's article: "Likely the biggest problem users have expressed, is the level at which the TurboTax licensing agreement is managed and protected with the SafeCast/C-Dilla technology. People believe C-Dilla infiltrates their system in a very insidious manner, and uses memory and resources even when TurboTax is not loaded. And some believe it has caused them serious compatibility problems with non-related CD writing operations. (PC Magazine and ExtremeTech will be conducting some tests next week to see if we can duplicate some of these problems). [....] or your customers still looking to exit TurboTax for good, the uninstaller at this link now fully removes components of SafeCast/C-Dilla that were previously mostly impossible to remove."
... If you're planning on using this product at work, forget it... your Info Technology manager will have a cow if he/she knows that you're installing destructive trojan/spyware (C-Dilla) on the company PCs. If you've already installed this software on a PC at work, let your IT manager know IMMEDIATELY, so he/she can take whatever steps are possible to remove C-Dilla.
In the 2002/2003 version of TurboTax, a great protest rose up from prominent computer-industry magazines and users, which led to Intuit/TurboTax somewhat apologizing, and offering a program that uninstalled C-Dilla after you'd uninstalled TurboTax2002. (The original uninstaller didn't remove C-Dilla.)
2004...does it have C-Dilla ? I don't know. It's not out yet. Approach with caution.
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Get all of the features of Quicken TurboTax plus many more with Quicken TurboTax Deluxe for Windows. The Roth IRA Planner helps you plan for your future. It shows if you're eligible for the Roth IRA and if you can roll over funds from a traditional IRA, and helps you see the option that is best for you. It even shows how your IRA contributions can grow, and how much income you can expect when you retire. Improved videos simplify understanding--with better graphics and illustrations that are integrated into onscreen videos, they help make the complex tax laws easier to understand, so that you can make tax decisions more confidently. Instantly understand the impact that major life changes will have on your taxes--changes like a new home, new baby, or retirement--by using the New Life Events Planner. Access thousands of pages of money-saving tax guidance onscreen, including IRS publications, Money Magazine's Income Tax Handbook, and tax help from three of America's top financial advisors, on integrated video.Best Features:
Official IRS Publications: Get information straight from the IRS. Includes access to the most popular IRS publications.
Expert Video Advice: Real-life advice from top tax experts, Marshall Loeb and Mary Sprouse.
Find Answers Fast: Answers to over 200 tax questions clarify even the toughest tax scenarios.
Compare Strateges: Compare side-by-side "what-if" scenarios with Tax Planner to determine which tax strategies work best for you.
Yet still as easy as 1, 2, 3! TurboTax 2000 asks you simple questions and double-checks for errors.
Customer Reviews: Turbo Tax '99 By Annette Jimenez Package arrived on time. It was exactly what I needed! It was definetly worth the money. The Best-Selling Quicken TurboTax - Federeal Return Tax Year 1999 then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Guidance for all your personal tax situations. Federal forms. Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal taxes in one complete program.Best Features:
Software for those with simple tax situations looking to complete federal returns
Imports last year's tax data from H&R Block At Home and TurboTax software
Customized interview process; easy for first-time users
Accuracy Review checks returns to make sure they're accurate and complete
Includes H&R Block tax expertise--plus H&R Block's maximum refund guarantee
Customer Reviews: H&R Block At Home 2011 Basic By Richard Caponetto H&R Block At Home 2011 Basic: I have used the H&R Block tax software for a few years now. I used TurboTax before the H&R software but intuit kept upping the price "pay more get less" so I dumped them and started using Block software. I use basic because I do not see paying extra for guidance and the state. All the guidance and advice I can get for free at the IRS website. The state is just coping information from the federal, not worth paying extra for it.My last H&R Block At Home By Fuzz Buzz in IN I found this product to be useless. It would not enter the foreign tax credit (common to some mutual funds) and it would not let me enter the fuel tax credit (farm use) on form 1040 and of course it did not have the fuel tax form available. However the fuel tax form could be completed on the IRS site with the credit amount then put on the 1040, but the software does not allow direct entry on the form 1040. I ended up buying the $25 Turbo tax which handled both of these items fine. I have used this and predecessor Tax Cut for years, but since sold to H&R Block, the basic does less and less each year. Guess that they want me to buy a higher priced version each year. Won't happen.Easy to use By Robert Reszegi Works well for most tax returns.I have used H&R Block software for years with no problems. Just follow directions and return is accurate . This is only for Fed.tax , state portion is extra and costly . The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home 2011 Basic then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Guidance for all your personal tax situations. Federal forms. Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal taxes in one complete program.Best Features:
Do-it-yourself tax software for simple tax situations
Everything needed to easily complete federal tax returns
Double-checks for errors; professional audit support if needed
Import data from W-2, 1099, and last year's return; Maximum Refund Guarantee
Customer Reviews: Electronic TaxCut By Mark I have been using this product since it was called TaxCut. This is the first time I have downloaded an electronic copy, on-line though and I liked it. My taxes aren't very complicated anymore, but even when I had a rental and business expenses to consider, I was still able to do my own taxes with the help of H&R Block when I used this program. Taxes are no joke, you are responsible for your tax debt no matter who files your taxes for you. I trust this product and through the years it's gotten easier to use, is almost effortless to purchase now through Amazon and it's an even better value now that it's all electronic with no disc to grind up afterwards or CD box to throw away. So far, H&R Block has done a good job keeping the price of this product reasonable.FOUND KEY CODE FOR FREE E-FILE By RACHAEL I couldn't find the key code at first either, but it is here in my Amazon "Your Digital Items" - choose the software downloads and you'll see the H&R Block product listed - don't click on it...simply look at the last line or so and it gives a product code. That's the key code for the free e-file.A+ Software By Jason Once again I am very impressed with H&R Block Tax software! Easy to use very helpful when you need assistance. The easy way to do your own taxes with the backing of the BEST Tax company in the World if you need them to help you out! The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home 2010 Basic Federal + eFile [Download] [OLD VERSION] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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If you own stocks, bonds, mutual funds or rental properties, TurboTax Premier makes it easy to keep more money in your pocket. Includes one free state preparation and 5 free Federal e-Files—receive IRS confirmation and get your refund in as fast as 8 days. State e-File available in certain states for an additional fee..Best Features:
Guides you step-by-step through investments and rental property income
Assists with stocks, bonds, mutual funds and employee stock plans
Provides extra guidance for rental property income, expenses and refinancing
Includes one free state preparation and 5 free Federal e-Files?receive IRS confirmation and get your refund in as fast as 8 days. State e-File available in certain states for an additional fee.
Free Federal E-File.
Customer Reviews: Flawless download again this year By Howard I've used TurboTax for years and am a very satisfied customer. Last year I ended my automatic product renewal with Intuit and saved money by ordering with Amazon. I downloaded the product onto my Windows XP based computer last year without a problem. I bought TurboTax Premier a week ago when pricetrace.com e-mailed me that the price dropped below $75. The download from Amazon was flawless. The product updates from Intuit also occurred without incident.Will not install By R. Schneider I've been using TurboTax for two decades. Just purchased and downloaded 2010 Premier. It will not install. Generates an Error Code: 1326. Went to Intuit support. They are aware of the issue but have no solution.
No Amazon buyer protection or refund. The software download site is Amazon by name only. Kind of like the Android Market. Problem? Not our problem. Zero support.
I'm running Win 7.Software Crashes By S. Yeo Ive been a satisfied user of TurboTax for 8 years now and this year it does nothing but crash on startup. There is nothing worse than software companies taking your money and delivering a product thats not fit for use.
If you are a prospective buyer I would be inclined to hold off buying for now and monitor the reviews to see if it gets fixed. Not all PC configurations are the same and as such it may not crash on your configuration... there again.. thats what I thought after I discounted the reviews that I too had read. Doh ! The Best-Selling TurboTax Premier Federal + e-File + State 2010 [Download] [OLD VERSION] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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H&R Block At Home Basic includes everything needed to easily complete federal taxes—with tax expertise you can trust. Ideal for simple tax situations and easy for first-time users, H&R Block At Home Basic guides you through your return with a step-by-step Q&A in an easy-to-use interface. The program automatically double-checks for errors and includes features available only from H&R Block, such as built-in expertise and audit support, expert advice from our community of tax specialists, an H&R Block enrolled agent to represent you in the event of an audit, and, best of all, our Maximum Refund Guarantee*. Best Features:
Step-by-step guidance
Double checks for errors
Easy for first-time users
Customer Reviews: I like everything but the name By Tall Timbers H&R Block has been consistent about producing a product that is easy enough to use and gets the job done. My taxes are fairly complicated yet the basic version has everything that I and most people need. There is no reason to pay more for the pricier versions. I've never liked the "At Home" name. They ought to have something in the name that indicates that it is tax software. Their marketing of the product is very poor as well, but the product itself is great. I recommend it.Buy It By Leo Have used H&R Block's software for 12 years. Used to be called Tax Cut. The basic edition is great for me and provides every schedule I need for preparing taxes, including sked D.
Want to save yourself some money? Walmart is selling this basic 2012 package for $14.97... Bought it there yesterday. Other editions are also discounted at Walmart plus you save on shipping charges...Covers perfectly simple tax returns needs By Gabriel Julea For simple tax returns, it covers all needs; and it is not difficult to input different scenarios to see the most advantageous one, if you have doubts about the best strategy (the basic version is not showing you automatically the most advantageous one). I switch to it because it is cheaper than TurboTax, is doing the same thing, and I do not like when companies like TurboTax increase their prices only because they think they can do it. The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home 2012 Basic then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Guidance for all your personal tax situations. Federal forms. Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal taxes in one complete program.Best Features:
Quickly import data
Personalized tax advice
Sale of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds
Customer Reviews: Very pleased: some small peeves I had last year were addressed. Solution to an install problem included. By Ali Julia I've used H&R Block's tax software (formerly called TaxCut) every year since 1995. Several times when I saw a promotional deal I purchased both TaxCut and TurboTax to compare. I found that TurboTax did not do anything better than TaxCut while costing consistently more. In addition, I like the option of being able to file 5 free Federal e-files as I do taxes for other relatives who are less computer savvy.
H&R Block software also wins if compared to the free on-line options. I don't like using the on-line tax programs for two reasons (1) I don't want my financial data to be on someone's web site (2) free offers include the Federal tax only.
This year I used a digital download for the first time rather than a boxed version. I liked the security of having a physical CD in case I need to re-install on another computer several years down the road. But you are supposed to be able to download the software again to a different computer and when the boxed version was not available I went digital.
Downloading the software was easy, however during the install I got an error registering the software. When I started the software it immediately gave me a prompt to enter a key-code which (the prompt said) I should have received in the email after purchasing the software. The email I received from Amazon contained no such key-code. I had to call Amazon support and they told me that this information can be found following these steps 1) Log into Amazon 2) Select Your Account at the top right of the page 3) Select Games and Software downloads which is towards the bottom of the long page you see when you log in 4) Then under H&R software entry you will see the key-code that you need to enter to unlock the software
Once this was done the rest of the software functions well. In fact it looked more polished than in prior years. I always had minor display problems because I use large fonts and they never scaled quite right. This year everything displayed perfectly.
I read one review which mentioned a problem with seeing selection boxes. The problem there most likely caused by low screen resolution. Both Windows and Mac minimum requirement for screen resolution is 1024 x 768 pixels or higher. At a lower resolution, there will be problem with display such as not seeing selection boxes. Screen resolution can be changed on your control panel by change PC's display settings.
I did a preliminary tax return and below are my observations.
1. H&R Block starts the interview process with an annoying up-sell pitch, recommending an upgrade from Deluxe to Premium even when it is not necessary.
2. Copy and Paste from Interview screens is not possible. Sometimes I wish to do it for some issue as a reminder to myself. My solution is to do PrintScreen (using PrintScreen key). This generates an image of the screen, which I paste into paint or photo editing software which I can print or save for later.
3. I don't use the default location for the tax returns, as I want to my backup program to back up only the data not the software itself. The software does not initially remember this new location on startup, it tells me I have no returns. I needed to pick the return manually from the File menu, as it does remember recently used files. The third time I started the software, it finally knew the location of the tax return file.
4. Some forms (such as foreign tax credit over the limit to be directly on 1040) require entering data manually. This year the foreign tax credit form is some what automated, when you hit next button it takes you to the next place on the form you need to fill out (last your you were just presented the form to fill out on your own). This form is not that hard to do manually as this form does not change year to year.
5. I use large font option on my monitor display and in the past had display issues (some things were displayed on top of each other). This year all forms displayed properly with this option. This is the first time in all the years I've used H&R Block software that I have no complaint about the display and did not need to change my monitor settings just to do the tax preparation. Nice!
6. This package include 5 free Federal e-files. However, if you also need to file a state return and use H&R Block state software (purchased separately) in addition to this package, H&R Block charges $19.95 to e-file each state return. Of course, this charge can be avoided by printing the forms and mailing them in.
7. In prior years the package include DeductionPro software. This year, like last year, this software is only available as an online tool. I will not use software that requires me to put my financial data on their site, and DeductionPro wants to import the data to H&R web site, so I will not be using it. Disappointing.
8. The price on this package changes day to day. I found a nice tools that shows history of Amazon prices and allows you to generate an email alert when the price reaches our desired price range. If you enter "price history alert" in Google it will come up at the top, it has the word camel in the name. I find this tool very helpful.
I have been a H&R Block/TaxCut user for many years. The interview process is helpful in reminding you things you might have forgotten. On-line help is useful. 2011 H&R Block package appears more polished and has a number of improvements to a couple of small pet peeves I had in the past. So I am quite pleased with it and recommend it!
Ali Julia reviewSolid product By Randall Smith I've used Tax Cut (or Block At Home) for the past few years. (I switched away from Turbo Tax when Intuit had their ill-advised anti-piracy copy protection craziness.)
I've found Tax Cut to be consistently usable and easy to understand. The 2011 product is no exception. I bought the download version, and had no download or installation problems (running on an XP machine). Our return is mildly complicated, with investments (mutual fund distributions and sales) and pensions with a partial basis, which requires some allocation of the basis and non-basis portion. Block At Home Deluxe handled all this with ease.
One star off, however, because Block removed a useful form from the program. They've always had a Two Year Summary, a side-by-side comparison of this year's return and last year's return. It's the first thing I look at once my return is done, because it gives me some way to think about income, deductions, and taxes from one year to the next. Now that form is gone. I tried HRBlock support, and they confirmed that it was gone. They knew of no reason, and they did not even offer to provide feedback to their company on this issue.
So I'm a little grumpy about the company, but the software is actually pretty good and well worth the price.
As for Amazon's price fluctuations on tax software, which folks are complaining about, yes the price fluctuations are wild, and they seem to be this way every year. I've never bought tax software without seeing it on sale cheaper later. But this year I used the camelcamel folks to see the Amazon price history, and got this product at a pretty good price. Be sure to research all the different versions of the software quite carefully and buy exactly what you need.Potential problems if you have an HSA By David M. For the most part, I've been very happy with this software. I purchased the digital download of H&R Block at Home - Deluxe. However, I'm ranking it 2 stars since I will not be able to efile. This may be an obscure problem, but since my HSA contributions are from a premium pass-through, I had to override the entry in Form 8889. For me, these contributions do not show up on the W2, and that's the only way the software allows you to input employer contributions. However, due to that required override, I'm disallowed from e-filing. Otherwise, the interview process was straightforward and quick to navigate, and if not for the lack of e-file, I'd give it four stars. The Best-Selling H&R Block At Home Deluxe 2011 Win [Download] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Helps you get every dollar you deserve from your taxes Customizes to your situation based on your job, family and life Get expert help when you need it, free Double-checks your return for deductions and credits and helps you avoid triggering an audit Includes 5 Free Federal E-files and one download of a TurboTax State productBest Features:
Helps you get every dollar you deserve from your taxes
Customizes to your situation based on your job, family and life
Get expert help when you need it, free
Double-checks your return for deductions and credits and helps you avoid triggering an audit
Includes 5 Free Federal E-files and one download of a TurboTax State product
Customer Reviews: Unreilable product, shady pricing structure. By Computerdude1032 --NOTE: Make sure to read my latest update at the bottom of the review before purchasing-- I've been using Turbo Tax for at least 10 years now. I used TaxCut one year because it was a little cheaper. I got audited that year (TaxCut didn't check an appropriate box, so I sent a letter to the IRS explaining that, and they dropped the audit, but it was still a major pain). It is also important to note that if you have a complicated tax year, you may be better off doing the taxes yourself or paying someone to do it. Two years ago, there was a bug where you couldn't take both the earned income credit and one of the college education credits- after speaking with customer service, and then getting put in contact with one of their engineers who barley spoke English, I realized that you really can't trust any kind of tax software for unusual or complex tax situations. I sent them screenshots, and detailed explanations of how to recreate the bug, and they still claimed everything was fine (even though entering the exact same information into different tax preparation software resulted in a refund that was thousands of dollars more). The next year, the bug was fixed, so I guess they finally found it. I'm guessing some people didn't notice and lost a lot of money over that bug though. Again, don't trust any software for anything that seems unusual or complex.
If you had a basic year, then TurboTax is great. The interface continues to get better every year- they were ahead of their competitors for a long while, their competitors have caught up some, but TurboTax still has the best interface. There are currently some annoying things where it says "click here to see more details" about a particular tax item, and it brings you to an error message on their website. I'm hoping they will get this fixed as we get into the start of tax season for 2012. Overall, this software is great, and makes it soooo easy to complete your taxes in a basic tax year.
I do find their pricing strategy to be a little annoying though, they include a federal e-file, but expect you to pay an extra $20 for every state e-file. If the product is called Federal+State, I would expect it to include e-files for both. This is nothing more than a money grab by Intuit, and I never fall for it- I always just mail in my state return. Takes a few weeks longer to get my money back, but for $20, its well worth the wait. Their pricing on their website is even more shady, they charge $20 for the "deluxe" version (which you would assume to be the same as the deluxe version on Amazon), but then halfway through they drop the bomb that its going to be another $60 for state+efile. Long story short, the pricing is never what it seems on Intuit products. If you have a simple tax year, its still cheaper than hiring a tax guy though.
In the end, this is great software for most people. Just don't use it in complex situations, and make sure you understand the actual cost of the product before you buy anything (their website may seem cheaper than Amazon, but that does not include state or efiling). This is Intuit's money making season, and they clearly will do whatever they can to grab some extra cash.
--Update 2/1/13-- Since tax season is now upon us, just wanted to post a quick update to mention that the annoyances/broken links I mentioned above have been fixed. Everything that says "click here for more information on this topic" now actually brings you to information about that topic. As with every year, their explanations of topics are very easy to understand, making it easy to determine what you can/can't count for a specific subject.
As for the rest of my review, there has been a decent conversation going on in the comments, but everything I say still stands. It doesn't cost Intuit anything (except a little bandwith) to e-file you're state return, so the fact that they try to charge you $20 on top of the product you already purchased is definitely ridiculous. I do want to reinfornce that, aside from my pricing complaints, I do believe that TurboTax is the best available tax software, and as long as you are willing to mail your state return (rather than e-file), then I believe Amazon is likely the best deal you'll find for it.
--Update 2/19/13-- A user in the comments just pointed out that if you need to do taxes for a second state, Turbo Tax charges you an additional $40 to install a second state. That is more than the product originally costs, and almost makes me want to lower my review down to two stars. I can understand charging a little something extra for a second state, but $40 is a total rip off. That means if you had two states and wanted to e-file them both, you'd be looking at paying $80 in extra fees on top of what you paid on Amazon. Intuit needs to realize that they are going to drive away customers if they continue to nickle and dime them every single year!
--Update 3/17/13-- My original review about TurboTax being reliable for 'basic' tax returns may no longer be true. Since I filed my returns, I've received TWO letters from them regarding two different mistakes they made on my return, and extra steps that I needed to follow to correct their mistakes. One was in regards to my Minnesota state return, no matter which political party you elected to contribute to, when you submitted your tax return, it was always giving the money to a specific political party. My guess is that this was added by a rogue programmer, but it is still incredible that they have so little QA testing that this could slip through. In my opinion, someone should be in jail for that scam. The other letter was in regards to an incorrect calculation if you met like 3 specific criteria. Again, its pretty crazy that these things don't get discovered until mid-March when many many people have already submitted their returns. I no longer have much faith in TurboTax for even a basic tax return, and am considering just doing taxes myself manually next year. Even I can add correctly, which is apparently too hard for TurboTax. Lowering my review from three to two stars.Excellent. Don't start your taxes without this. By perstare ***Note: Several readers have made ** clear, important** comments regarding this review of mine. After I read those comments, I made a few changes in the text of this review and **added some text** at the end. Please read this review again and especially, read the valuable comments that follow. Perstare. ***
This review is intended mainly to benefit those taxpayers who are considering the purchase of Turbo Tax for the first time. However, if you have used Turbo Tax before, your comments and criticisms of this review would benefit the newcomers.
I recommend Turbo Tax. I've been using it for roughly 20 years. I can't imagine how I could "do my taxes" without this excellent **computer assist.**
( Note: I use Turbo Tax only as a **computer assist.** I use other resources if I need exact detail/precision in tax law and in my tax preparation. What other resources? Please see my review of the publication, "Lasser's - Your Income Tax 2013 for Preparing Your 2012 Tax Return" for a description of Lasser's and other resources for tax information.)
I've never had to try out any of Turbo Tax's competitors. (I have read criticisms of Turbo Tax and I've read praise for other tax-assist programs. I haven't read any opinions either way that would make me switch.)
If you're going to use Turbo Tax for the first time (and especially if you are using computer-assisted tax preparation for the first time), start well before the filing deadline - buy it and install it before the end of the calendar year! (For example, Amazon has Turbo Tax 2012 for tax year 2012 available around Thanksgiving 2012.) It is true that some IRS forms and some IRS regulations would be incomplete at that time, but subsequent startups of the Turbo Tax program would give you a chance to download those items. In any case, your exact tax-related information (e.g., withholding tax, 1099s, W-2s, mortgage interest, investing dividends and interest, RMDs, bank interest, credit card interest, etc.) would not be available to you so soon anyway.
If Turbo Tax is new to you and you start early, you can get acquainted with Turbo Tax's layout, the different screens requiring input from you, the different screens offering help, the different screens which can give you more information on what you're dealing with at the moment, the sequence of computer commands to SAVE your work when you set your work aside for awhile, the computer commands necessary to pick up where you left off ... and much more. Follow the flow of the Turbo Tax Interview which is a question and answer procedure*. You can pretty much rely on it not to overlook anything. But when you're done, look over your 1040 return carefully just the same. When you're completely finished, you can save your printed return and the companion supplementary pages in .pdf form. If you do that, you'll only need a .pdf reader to read the file at some future time. I recommend that you print one hard copy for your own files.
*Suppose you have many years' experience doing your taxes yourself, by hand. If you have confidence in your tax preparation experience and you just want to use Turbo Tax to enter your numerical information on the proper line on the proper form, don't do it. Instead, follow the flow of the Turbo Tax Interview. Then, afterward, when the return is complete, use your past experience to check the 1040 entries line by line. If you find a situation in which your 1040 form has an entry that you did not expect, track it down. I've seen discrepancies like that; In every case, Turbo Tax turned out to be right. How could there be a difference between what you expected and what Turbo Tax entered on your 1040 to be submitted for filing? Because Turbo Tax does unseen calculations and then automatically makes entries on supplementary calculation pages and forms on your tax return based on the information that **you** provided. Sometimes these calculations appear on worksheets and (because the worksheets are not actually part of the 1040 tax return that you file) you might easily miss them. If you see one of these 1040 entries and it seems to be absurd, don't just OVERRIDE it. (Note: Read on. Certain circumstances in the preparation of **state** returns may require you to Override.) Check the figures that you entered, bear in mind certain ceiling limits and certain minimums in the calculation of certain deductions, and then do a manual walk-through of the unseen calculations yourself. Make sure that you answered the questions accurately and make sure you checked the right boxes. If you do discover what appears to be an entry error on your 1040, you can work backwards from the questionable entry using the "source" function. It is not likely that Turbo Tax would make a mistake in calculating.
Another suggestion: The first thing you should fill out is the "Federal Information Worksheet." Make sure it is perfectly and completely filled out. Entries on that worksheet are used by Turbo Tax in the handling of information that you enter later.
My thanks to David Dubbert who took the time to comment on my past review of the then-current Turbo Tax. He says, in part, "...I would like to recommend to any new users to be particularly careful regarding state tax preparations. I have bumped into situations in the past where Turbo Tax was incorrect for certain entries for a state." Yes. That's true and if that happens, you would have to Override some entries on your state income tax return. One example: The profits (dividends and/or interest) from certain investments are treated one way on the 1040 but differently on the state return, depending in part on the percentage of the profits earned in a person's home state. Another example: The profits from certain investments are not taxed on one's Federal return but are taxable by one's home state. Or vice versa. There are other examples, too, and I invite you, the reader, to make comments and additions to this review for the benefit of new users regarding state income tax preparation.
The comments made so far on my original review have one thing in common: They describe problems in the treatment of state income tax.
Problem 1: Some states have income tax, some do not. Some states do not tax wages but nevertheless tax other income sources. Make sure you have reliable information, especially if you relocate to a different state. That isn't as obvious as it sounds - I have seen **totally wrong** statements regarding state income tax in a magazine intended for, and read by, retired people. Be careful! Get accurate information. Problem 2: One of the comments mentions that if you have done your research **completely and thoroughly,** and you find a flaw in how Turbo Tax prepared your state return, you may have a dilemma. According to that comment, if you Override (or otherwise amend) a Turbo Tax entry on your state return, you will lose the convenience of e-filing. Read that comment, please, and see if you can determine from the comment if you lose the convenience of e-filing for **both** Federal and State returns if that happens, or if that situation applies only to the state return. Problem 3: I must re-affirm the responsibility (and authority) of the taxpayers themselves. You, the human taxpayer, take responsibility for your tax return at the moment that you sign it. You have the power to submit a state return in which you made changes from the Turbo Tax entries because you **know** that Turbo Tax made a mistake and you are convinced of that. The ultimate accountability in income tax preparation falls on you, not on Turbo Tax. If you feel that you can honestly reduce your state income tax by picking up a pen, filling out a **printed** state income tax form, signing it, and mailing it in via snailmail, then you have the power to do that.
I noticed that Amazon has reduced the cost of the Deluxe version by $10 since I pre-paid for my own copy. This amounts to a discount of approximately 16%. I give 5 stars to Amazon for this price reduction and I advise potential buyers of Turbo Tax to take advantage of it. Also, I stand by my 5-star rating of Turbo Tax and I still recommend it. Thank you to those contributors who have so far commented on my review; I've revised this review several times. Also, thanks to Amazon for providing the space to store this review and its comments.Warning to Mac Users! By Meriden If and when you purchase tax software for this year's income tax season, please note that Intuit has changed its Macintosh hardware requirements without saying so anywhere on the Turbotax package. As I have done for many years, I purchased a copy of Turbotax for use on my dual core iMac, which is running OS 10.6.8. The package states that it will run on this OS version, and says nothing else about Mac hardware. Only after installing the program and getting an error message that this new version of Turbotax does not run on my not so venerable computer, was I directed to the Turbotax website. It took a bit of drilling down through the support pages before I was told that Intuit has rewritten the Turbotax code to only run on 64-bit processors, and will not run on lowly 32-bit processors such as the dual core on my machine. What makes this even more annoying is that most retailers will not take the Turbotax back, because the package was opened. Intuit says it will give refunds, but only after the purchaser downloads a special form and ships the box back to the company, presumably at the purchaser's own cost. The Best-Selling TurboTax Deluxe Federal + E-File + State 2012 then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Customer Reviews: Great for the do it yourselfer By Gerald M. Zidak Jr. I always recommend this product for each year. With all the bells and whistles it comes with you can not go wrong! The Best-Selling TaxCut 2004 Deluxe W/ H & R Block Deduction PRO CD then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Platforms: Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 95
Format: CD-ROM
Dimensions: 1.12" h x 10.00" w x 7.87" l, .34 pounds
Customer Reviews: Tax returns made less taxing By A Customer Turbo Tax state is an essential addendum to the federal version. With the same ease of use -- in Q & A format -- as Turbo Tax, Turbo Tax state transfers your data from your federal return to the state. It takes the mental taxation of the process and turns it into a few easy keystrokes.
Audit advice, deductions and charitable contributions are also an option when you do your state taxes with TT state.
My one complaint is that there is an electronic filing fee -- why isn't this free? If Turbo Tax can file my return online, why can't I do the same thing -- by emailing or transmitting an electronic file through my franchise tax board?
The Best-Selling TurboTax 2001 CA State then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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TurboTax Home & Business 2006 gives you the guidance you need to simplify your Schedule C and maximize your tax savings. Includes everything you need for your self-employment and personal income taxes. Expanded interview guides you step-by-step through Schedule C, categorizing business expenses, home office deductions, depreciation and more. Includes State Edition. Includes official IRS business publications and expert video tax advice Audit alerts for business -- flag deductions and tax situations that may trigger an IRS audit Expanded interview guides you step-by-step through Schedule C, categorizing business expenses, home office deductions, depreciation and more Deduction Maximizer shows you how to qualify for over 350 deductions, from mortgage interest, to child-care expenses and more -- so there are no lost opportunities TurboTax transfers and lets you edit information from your last year's TurboTax return so you don't have to enter it againBest Features:
Tax preparation software guides you through your return step-by-step for a fast and accurate refund
Includes everything you need for your self-employment and personal income taxes
Helps you complete Schedule C Forms, categorize business expenses, and calculate home office deductions, depreciation and more
Additional expense deduction examples shows you even more ways to maximize your deductions; included Depreciation Expert for Business automatically determines the most advantageous depreciation method
Includes one free state download to help you handle deductions specific to your state of residence, a business tax library with official IRS publications and expert video tax advice, and a tax guide specially designed for small businesses
Customer Reviews: Good Solid Software-research your choice thoroughly By T. Matteson When working with this package, I find it well written and very solid. It's a well built package to do your taxes.
I used 2005 Premier and it appears that they split that product into 2...Premier for 2006 and 2006 Home and Business. I feel that I need to upgrade to Home and Business for the same functionality that was in Premier last year (Schedule C).
I also found that Win 98 was not supported in the list of OS. Worked last year, but, not supported this year.
All in all - good tax package-make sure you need all the features you purchase. Marketing has made it more difficult this year to find the package you truly need.Terrific product, great value, time saver By Larry I've used TurboTax (or MacInTax in the early days) for over 15 years to do my taxes. Most of those years included some form of business income, requiring a Schedule C to be filed. TurboTax Home and Business is a terrific product, taking you from gathering documents, to educating you about the tax code and recent changes, to data entry, to electronic filing. It's the whole package.
One year, we used an accountant to prepare our taxes, because of a particularly unusual income situation with complicated tax implications. In the amount of time that it took me to write down by hand all the information requested on the accountant's form, I could have typed everything into TurboTax and had my taxes filed. Plus, TurboTax is less than the $250 average tax preparation bill. And that year I really missed the tax education I usually get by going step-by-step through TurboTax, giving me tax saving strategies for the following year.
Faster. Cheaper. Plus tax strategy education. That's why I'm using TurboTax again this year.I did it! By J. Livingston This was the first time I have ever done my taxes alone. My precious husband who passed away two years ago always handled that job.....even my business things as a published writer of Women's fiction books. The past two years I had a tax accountant do them. I ended up paying way more taxes than I know I should, plus the big bucks he charged me for his services. I figured I could do that well by myself so bought TurboTax this year. And I DID IT! Once I got all my figures assembled, it was quite easy, especially for a first-timer. Next year is going to be even easier now that I am familiar with the way TurboTax is set up. Thanks, Amazon and TurboTax!
Signed: A Widow in Kansas The Best-Selling TurboTax Federal + State Home and Business 2006 Win/Mac [OLDER VERSION] then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
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Maximize your tax deductions and credits for a bigger tax refund. Includes expert tax help & advice to find IRS tax deductions and credits, potentially saving you big money. Life Events guidance helps you deal with marriage, buying a home, inheritance, stock options, home equity loans, and other topics that impact your tax return. Includes both Federal and State tax returns with free income tax filing.Best Features:
