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what free tax return service do you use?
Old 12-30-2011, 05:59 AM   #1
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what free tax return service do you use?

I do my two grandaughters tax forms and filings each year. do any of you use the online tax services and what do you think are the pros and cons of those you have used? I usually try to use the ones that are free for state and federal filings.
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Old 12-30-2011, 06:15 AM   #2
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If you're a USAA member, you can access Turbo-Tax through the USAA website at no-to-low cost. I always use it for our taxes (I paid something like $10 to import previous year data just so I wouldn't have to key it again). I also used it for our grandkids returns. They have their own logon and it keeps history. I've been very happy with it.
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Old 12-30-2011, 07:28 AM   #3
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I get a TurboTax Deluxe offline version download Fed & State for free from Vanguard, like many at this forum...
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Old 12-30-2011, 07:39 AM   #4
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I get a TurboTax Deluxe offline version download Fed & State for free from Vanguard, like many at this forum...
Thanks for reminding us. A quick check at Vanguard shows it is now available for download.
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Old 12-30-2011, 07:59 AM   #5
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TT Deluxe from Vanguard also that comes with free state download. Free for Fed, not free for State e-filing, but efile my state return anyhow as it's convenient to just e-file that way.
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Old 12-30-2011, 02:55 PM   #6
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Since I work for H&R Block, my tax returns are free. Block also will offer free 1040EZs during the first part of tax season, the same as they did last year.
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Old 12-30-2011, 04:18 PM   #7
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Freetaxusa has worked for me for several years.
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Old 12-30-2011, 04:25 PM   #8
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I've used FreeTaxUSA® FREE Tax Filing, Online Return Preparation, E-file Income Taxes for many years. Our returns are fairly simple and this site has served the purpose just fine. I do mine and DH's (MFJ) and both of our sons' returns. One son does a Schedule C and the other one has a K-1 form and I've had no problems.

Federal is free but our state costs $9.95. I let the program compute the State return and then I go do it for free at our state tax site. I have to input all the info a 2nd time, but I'm not going to pay to file a tax return.
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Old 12-30-2011, 04:30 PM   #9
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I've used FreeTaxUSA® FREE Tax Filing, Online Return Preparation, E-file Income Taxes for many years. Our returns are fairly simple and this site has served the purpose just fine. I do mine and DH's (MFJ) and both of our sons' returns. One son does a Schedule C and the other one has a K-1 form and I've had no problems.

Federal is free but our state costs $9.95. I let the program compute the State return and then I go do it for free at our state tax site. I have to input all the info a 2nd time, but I'm not going to pay to file a tax return.
Yes, it is a great site. I also do my kids return.
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Old 12-30-2011, 08:19 PM   #10
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I have no problem paying for 'Deluxe' tax software that costs less than .1% of my average tax liability.
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Old 12-30-2011, 09:06 PM   #11
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I used to subscribe yearly with Intuit and get the TT Deluxe in my mailbox just after Thanksgiving. Was quite happy with that (plenty of value for a reasonable price).

But since I now get that free anyway with Vanguard..a freebie is still a freebie. If not for Vanguard, I'd probably still subscribe with Intuit.
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Old 12-30-2011, 09:17 PM   #12
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I also use TT Deluxe via Vanguard for free.
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Old 12-31-2011, 09:26 AM   #13
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I do my MIL's taxes and go to the State of Michigan treasury site. There I can choose among tax programs to use for free due to her lower income. I usually pick Turbo Tax. For my own taxes I have been using TaxAct for $10.
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Old 12-31-2011, 06:53 PM   #14
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Has anyone compared TT with Taxact?
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Old 12-31-2011, 07:04 PM   #15
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Has anyone compared TT with Taxact?
Do you mean has anyone done their taxes on both to see which gives the best refund?

No, I've used TT and H&R Block TaxCut, but never Taxact.
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Old 12-31-2011, 07:18 PM   #16
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I've used TaxACT and been happy with it, so never been motivated enough to do a test against TT.
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Old 12-31-2011, 07:32 PM   #17
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Has anyone compared TT with Taxact?
I suspect you are asking if any forum members compared. Don't know.
I get a fair number of hits when I google "tax act vs turbo tax". Taking a quick look at the results there are things to like and dislike about both, so it's probably a tossup.

Planning to use Tax-Act free download myself.
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Old 12-31-2011, 07:41 PM   #18
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Has anyone compared TT with Taxact?
Yes.

I use TT myself as I get it free from VG but I wanted my son to be independant so the year he graduated is when I first tried Taxact. He only worked 6 months that year (2007), one job, one W-2, easy peasy and I first did his return on TT.

However, we did his taxes together using Taxact and his refund was $35 higher that TT. Further investigation showed that Taxact picked up the fact that because his income was so low but he still contributed to a 401k that he was due a tax credit intended to encourage low income workers.

I went back to TT and saw the mistake I'd made, but was impressed enough to try Taxact on my own return. Although it produced the same results the free version was much harder to use with my return as I have foreign pensions and banks to deal with.

Each year I use TT for myself and my son uses Taxact.
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Old 12-31-2011, 07:50 PM   #19
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Love TaxAct and I have used it since it first came out. I pay for the downloaded program which is discounted because I purchase it at the end of the previous tax year. The same folks used to do Parson's Tax Edge which was also my favorite.
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Old 12-31-2011, 08:51 PM   #20
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I used TurboTax for many years but switched to TaxAct online after I stopped getting TT for free from the company I had some investments with. Can get TaxAct Ultimate online for $14 and it includes 1 ferderal and state efile. Had no problem pulling the information from my TT previous year tax form (pdf) into TaxAct. The user interface seemed equivalent to me but my tax returns are fairly simple so I don't use a lot of the features.
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