Tax Caster has Changed!

[marko]

I hope I'm wrong on this but the TurboTax TaxCaster format has changed for the worse!

I like to go on and play 'what-ifs', double check things and get a sense of what my taxes will look like.

The old format was sooo easy to use and change things. Now it seems to be more of an introductory step toward deciding what software to buy.

Hard to use and not intuitive.

Someone please tell me that I'm just on the wrong URL!

So far, the Android APP hasn't changed, but waiting for the other shoe to drop. Stinks!

 

[pb4uski]

I agree... they ruined it... awful step-by-step which I never use in TT.

I'll be using this one since it includes state taxes as well as federal.
Income Tax Calculator - Tax-Rates.org

 

[jim584672]

Just checked it out. They ruined it. Oh well.

 

[FANOFJESUS]

That will be missed. But we might find a site like the old one from another company.

 

[gauss]

Why not just use last years software -- that is if you loaded it onto your computer?

 

[pb4uski]

TaxCaster is the forecasting product and is only web-based.

 

[jabbahop]

There is an ipad app too


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[grasshopper]

The android version for 2015 looks the same, that is what I use.

 

[kaneohe]

I can select filing status but I can't input any income/deduction numbers.
What's the trick?

 

[meierlde]

Actually if you have last years turbotax loaded, then go to the forms mode and load the estimated taxes worksheet. It is essentially form 1040 ES with the prior year filled in. Enter the amounts estimated for the current year and you will get the tax estimate (which would tell you about estimated taxes also)

 

[Lake161]

The iPad app seems fine to me. I've never used the web version.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Options]

Why not just use last years software -- that is if you loaded it onto your computer?

+1
I never had much use for Taxcaster. Tax software provides much more accuracy in my experience, and I have used this approach to get an idea of taxes through end of PF life (as the tax code stands now). Also used it to play around with Roth conversion scenarios.

 

[marko]

+1
I never had much use for Taxcaster. Tax software provides much more accuracy in my experience, and I have used this approach to get an idea of taxes through end of PF life (as the tax code stands now). Also used it to play around with Roth conversion scenarios.

I liked it as a quick and dirty 'level of the water' tool. Agreed, if you're looking for dead-accuracy you need something else, but for a quick "what-if" I found it quite useful.

 

[audreyh1]

Darn! Glad I already got our future tax modeling done.

 

[marko]

FWIW, I found the TaxAct online calculator to be the closest (so far) to the TT calculator.

https://www.taxact.com/tools/tax-calculator.asp

The input questions are a similar format and work pretty well.

 

[Cobra9777]

I also use last year's tax software. I copy the prior year return to a new file and change everything that I know about. I also use an Excel spreadsheet which produces the same answer but allows for updated rates, exemption amounts, contribution limits, standard deductions, etc. I also use the spreadsheet to accumulate certain data such as rentals, distributions, and deductions, and for long-term projections. Once I know the spreadsheet is synced up to the tax software, that's really all I use for current-year estimated payments... until late in the year when I get a new copy of the software.

I've used TaxCaster and other similar online tools in the past. But our tax situation is just complicated enough that those tools seem to fall short. I remember searching all over TaxCaster for a place to input my HSA contribution, FTC, and rental income. The online tools seem to work fine for a very basic return. But for our situation, the full software provides more accuracy and more assurance that the complex areas are handled correctly.

 

[FrankiesGirl]

I found the old version still live, they just don't have it as the default any more. Not sure if they'll leave it, but here's the link I bookmarked:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/taxcaster/html5/index.html

And yes, that really sucks that they changed it.

 

[marko]

I found the old version still live, they just don't have it as the default any more. Not sure if they'll leave it, but here's the link I bookmarked:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/taxcaster/html5/index.html

And yes, that really sucks that they changed it.

+1 Not sure how you did/found this, but...God Love Ya!!

Thanks.

 

[RobbieB]

I buy turbo tax every year and just use that. The summary page shows all the catagories and all I have to do is make a change in the ones I want and instant feedback to the effect. It's easy and works great and my "stuff" is not in the cloud.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

The android version for 2015 looks the same, that is what I use.

Me too.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Options]

I liked it as a quick and dirty 'level of the water' tool. Agreed, if you're looking for dead-accuracy you need something else, but for a quick "what-if" I found it quite useful.

Actually, the more I've played with the software the more it takes just as little time as Taxcaster. Of course, in modelling future taxes, I saved modelled tax returns labelled by years covered (i.e., years during roth conversions, years after delayed SS and RMD's). This way it's easy to go back into those returns and make quick changes if I want to modify the modeled returns to model something else.

 

[audreyh1]

I found the old version still live, they just don't have it as the default any more. Not sure if they'll leave it, but here's the link I bookmarked:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/taxcaster/html5/index.html

And yes, that really sucks that they changed it.

This link takes you to the new questionnaire version, unfortunately. Darn!