Tax prep software

H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe + State 2017 $19.99
H&R Block Tax Software Premium & Business 2017 $36.99
H&R Block Tax Software Premium 2017 $29.99
H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe 2017 (PC Download) $13.99

Lowest price so far in this season.



Just saw this today as well and jumped on the $19.99 Deluxe with State. I've not seen this version lower in the years I've used this software. Great price!
 
I just received my TurboTax Deluxe from Amazon. It contains the stuff for capital gains. But there was an upsell try for Premier which I ignored:)
 
43210 said:
Is the "5% refund bonus" taxable income?
(Even if not, it's debatable whether $1.05 Amazon gift card is worth $1 in the hand.)
Click to expand...
Last year I had forced withholding so my refund was going to be large, but I couldn't justify taking the refund as an Amazon gift card. Yes, sooner or later I might spend money on Amazon, but I wasn't going to have a big "balance" on Amazon waiting to get spent. Not worth it.
 
sengsational said:
Last year I had forced withholding so my refund was going to be large, but I couldn't justify taking the refund as an Amazon gift card. Yes, sooner or later I might spend money on Amazon, but I wasn't going to have a big "balance" on Amazon waiting to get spent. Not worth it.
Click to expand...

+1
Also if you are lucky enough to owe money, it probably has no effect.
 
Software discount website for TurboTax 2017

BrianB said:
Best deal I have found is Waoocheap:

2016 TurboTax - Waoocheap

They only sell downloadable versions but TT2016 Deluxe is just $29.99.

I have downloaded & installed the program, but have not started using it yet. Various sources have confirmed that the Deluxe version does include Schedule D.

My Fido rep has never offered me any free or discount version.
Click to expand...


Does anyone know what this TurboTax discount waoocheap.com website changed to this year for TurboTax 2017? It's no longer a working website.
 
sengsational said:
Last year I had forced withholding so my refund was going to be large, but I couldn't justify taking the refund as an Amazon gift card. Yes, sooner or later I might spend money on Amazon, but I wasn't going to have a big "balance" on Amazon waiting to get spent. Not worth it.
Click to expand...

One doesn't have to use their entire refund on an Amazon gift card.

We are going to use HRBlock anyways because it is cheaper AND we got sick of the TurboTax misinformation campaign to get folks to pay more for a version that they didn't need. So as long as we are using HRBlock, we might as well use the refund bonus. So suppose our tax refund amount was $11,000,299. In that case we would have $10,999,799 put into our checking account and get a gift card for $525 ($500 from refund and $25 from the bonus). The $25 bonus would more than cover the cost of the software.
 
LOL! said:
...and get a gift card for $525 ($500 from refund and $25 from the bonus). The $25 bonus would more than cover the cost of the software.
Click to expand...
False accounting. Since you can easily get 5% off Amazon (e.g. various credit cards), $525 at Amazon should cost $525*0.95=$498.75 so you actually lose money. It's not a particularly good deal at all.
 
If you used H&R Block last year, they may send you a disk this year with a coupon that gets you the Deluxe edition (does not include state) for 19.95.
 
Generally just having last year's data auto-import is a barrier to switching software, but having all your W2 and stock cost-basis and all dividend transactions auto-import is pretty sweet. I switched from TaxAct to TurboTax last year for reasons I can't recall, but I'm guessing it had something to do with making things easier overall. And now that I'm here, why switch back? Didn't hurt that I got probably my largest refund ever... :)
 
Jerry1 said:
I want the physical CD. I don't know why. I've never reloaded that I recall, but something about having it just in case, makes me feel better. If I was to download a copy, I would make sure that I got it properly registered so there would be support in case you need it reloaded in a couple years.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. If you need to file amended later, you'll need that year's tax program. I've had to go back two years because the IRS caught a stock sale I missed and billed me at 0 basis unless I re-filed with the actual basis. I've got the last 4 years still on my laptop, but I do uninstall them at some point to declutter. You can keep the download files and probably reinstall from that, but a physical CD seems safer (as long as you don't lose it).
 
Sunset said:
For me, the difference is I don't use Twitter, use FB about 5 times per year to comment upon some friends posting (don't post anything myself), and tax software will detail exactly what and where you have your money, giving a map to follow to the treasure.
I don't need to make it even easier for the bad guys to empty my accounts.

So I use local tax software and encrypt it on my machine and in backups.
Click to expand...

And then the IRS gets hacked and all your data is taken any way. Even paper-submitted data.

Seriously, using online tax software isn't making it 'easier' for anyone. Their security is probably better than the Feds. I had a false tax refund filed under my name back in 2010, before the IRS got hacked.
 
Jerry1 said:
I want the physical CD. I don't know why. I've never reloaded that I recall, but something about having it just in case, makes me feel better. If I was to download a copy, I would make sure that I got it properly registered so there would be support in case you need it reloaded in a couple years.
Click to expand...

For any important software that comes in download form only, I always burn a copy to CD. Seems safer than just having the software sitting in a folder on my computer.
 
Yep, right onto a CD, even before installing it. And I write the unlock code with a sharpie right on the CD.

And I never remove the software. I know how old my computer is by counting the tax software icons on the desktop.
 
Last edited:
sengsational said:
Yep, right onto a CD, even before installing it. And I write the unlock code with a sharpie right on the CD.

And I never remove the software. I know how old my computer is by counting the tax software icons on the desktop.
Click to expand...

What I do is create a notepad (text) file and burn that along with the software to the CD. That way, if I ever need to reinstall, the unlock code is only a copy/paste away.
 
Last edited:
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but this year I moved to an iMac computer. All previous years Turbotax was done with Microsoft Windows computer. I assume I can simply buy the Turbotax-for-Mac version, but what about importing previous year's return. Will my Mac be able to read the Microsoft version?
 
cbo111 said:
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but this year I moved to an iMac computer. All previous years Turbotax was done with Microsoft Windows computer. I assume I can simply buy the Turbotax-for-Mac version, but what about importing previous year's return. Will my Mac be able to read the Microsoft version?
Click to expand...

I think it tries to find the .tax file first, and maybe those from other tax programs, but canj use a .pdf file. I don't know if you can just move a .tax file over to your Mac and have it be able to read it, but the .pdf file should be universal, isn't it? Obviously you're going to have to move one or both files over to the Mac.
 
dixonge said:
And then the IRS gets hacked and all your data is taken any way. Even paper-submitted data.

Seriously, using online tax software isn't making it 'easier' for anyone. Their security is probably better than the Feds. I had a false tax refund filed under my name back in 2010, before the IRS got hacked.
Click to expand...

You surely are increasing risk by providing your tax data in electronic form to an intermediary.

A hack of IRS is a constant regardless of filing method.

No shock, I file on paper.
 
How does the 5% refund bonus work?

Will this software transfer data from last year's TaxAct?
 
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