Tax software functionality and deals

[Al in Ohio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbee If you efile, your private financial data has been launched into cyberspace.

Yes but it goes encrypted straight to the irs where they supposedly have high security. Using TT online is sending more details than just the filing forms and to a additional source.

[Time2]

Just got this in an email from Turbo Tax.

[RetiredAt55.5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grasshopper I just paid $42.42 for TT deluxe how you say, Discover has 2 things going with Amazon, 5% cashback, and a $10.00 account credit at Amazon for making Discover your default there. Still get the $10 gift card too. Plus $2.12 cashback. Just add your Discover® Card to Amazon.com and set it as your default payment method by 12/1/2021. Then get a $10 credit toward your next eligible purchase(s) at Amazon.com using your Discover Card until 1/31/2022 or while supplies last. Restrictions apply. See details.*

Unfortunately, it looks like the $10 Amazon credit for setting your default payment to a Discover card is not available to everyone. You have to be invited via email or click on an advertisement (no doubt on Amazon's site).

I remember I took advantage of the same promotion a year or two ago. Via googling, I was able to get to the current promotion page, but it says I'm not eligible for the offer.

So, YMMV.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by explanade How about folks who've been getting free download links through Fidelity in previous years? Probably too early but anyone check or see indications whether Fidelity will continue or not?

In the past this offer has almost always been in the middle of December, so at least a few weeks yet before we know if they'll do it again this year.
If they do, it will just pop up on the page when you log in to your account.

[Paulz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Wonder how much longer before (almost) no one has disk drives. I don't anymore...

I bought an external cdrom writer from Amazon for $20.

[RobbieB]

I don't transfer my other financial stuff, I just type it in. The headers are all the same from last year, so just fill in the boxes.

[braumeister]

MOD NOTE
More posts were deleted from this thread.

Again, we do not allow links to sites offering illegal software.
Don't post them here.

[conversationalphrase]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al in Ohio Yes but it goes encrypted straight to the irs where they supposedly have high security. Using TT online is sending more details than just the filing forms and to a additional source.

I would've thought the Federal Office of Personnel Management had high security too, yet China got personal details on many citizens with security clearances. Still I e-file every year.

[JoeWras]

I've settled on my strategy. A few weeks ago, Fidelity reached out to me for a "personal relationship," blah, blah. I met with the guy and actually it was pretty good, and he established no pressure to me. This may get me "a link." We'll see.

Failing that, I'm waiting for the day(s) after Christmas which have been reliably giving the best TT deal through the years.

[robls]

Quote:

Originally Posted by explanade How about folks who've been getting free download links through Fidelity in previous years? Probably too early but anyone check or see indications whether Fidelity will continue or not?

Have always got a $100.00 goodwill amount put in to our Joint Savings account at Fidelity in years past when we asked for it. Used the monies to pay for TurboTax Premier.
Contacted our Premium Services rep this year, and he turned us down flat.
We have good amount of money at Fidelity in retirement/savings/brokerage accounts. We also do a significant amount of trades each year.
Disappointing to say the least.

[USGrant1962]

Bobandsherry posted this on the Office 365 thread and I jumped on it. Basically Newegg giving you $30 off O365 and 3 months free and H&RB thrown in for good measure. If you already use O365 this won't be beat (or were thinking about using it). I can confirm it extends your O365 from whatever expiration date you previously had.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobandsherry Here's a great deal for Office 365 Family (up to 6 users) 15 Month Subscription. Plus you also get 2021 H&R Block Deluxe + State Windows. $69.98 https://www.newegg.com/Product/Combo...=Combo.4407349 I've now extended my Office 365 subscription and set for next years taxes.

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by conversationalphrase I would've thought the Federal Office of Personnel Management had high security too, yet China got personal details on many citizens with security clearances. Still I e-file every year.

The OPM breach first discovered in 2014 is described at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office...nt_data_breach

"Security experts have stated that the biggest problem with the breach was not the failure to prevent remote break-ins, but the absence of mechanisms to detect outside intrusion and the lack of proper encryption of sensitive data."

So the data was not encrypted at rest. What happened then is very different from present events because threats continually evolve. So "they" do get in more frequently than you know, but if a company follows the proper measures then no data is compromised.

You and I don't have a way to evaluate with certainty that a particular company is good at this. I go with larger companies for this reason. Policies and funding is more likely to be as recommended. We don't have perfection yet, that is for sure.

[madsquopper]

Just got a mailing from HR Block for $15 off (used them last year) so can get Deluxe+State for $29.95. Will hold on to this just in case nothing better comes along.

[ExPatKiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by madsquopper Just got a mailing from HR Block for $15 off (used them last year) so can get Deluxe+State for $29.95. Will hold on to this just in case nothing better comes along.

That sounds like a good deal.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by madsquopper Just got a mailing from HR Block for $15 off (used them last year) so can get Deluxe+State for $29.95. Will hold on to this just in case nothing better comes along.

Good to have in your back pocket. I'm still waiting for $22 or less.

[jimbee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al in Ohio Yes but it goes encrypted straight to the irs where they supposedly have high security. Using TT online is sending more details than just the filing forms and to a additional source.

I don't think it goes directly to the IRS. According to this https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers...rcial-software, the return is "securely transmitted through an IRS-approved electronic channel." Which is probably the tax software developer, such as Intuit. They may send more detail using TurboTax Online vs. TurboTax CD/Download, but I think they have access to all of it. It doesn't even look very difficult to become an authorized e-file provider. Here are the IRS instruction. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers...-file-provider

[sengsational]

Like the $10 or $20 is going to make a difference I researched last year's purchase. I bought Deluxe+State from Walmart for $22ish+tax on 11/27, but I couldn't get the download to work, so bought from Amazon for $22ish+tax on 11/30. Wrangled a refund for "non-refundable software purchase" from Walmart.

This year, according to camelcamelcamel, Deluxe+State dropped from $45 down to the current $35 yesterday. Same pricing at Walmart (not that I'll go there, being burned last year).

https://www.early-retirement.org/for...ml#post2518984

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by USGrant1962 Bobandsherry posted this on the Office 365 thread and I jumped on it. Basically Newegg giving you $30 off O365 and 3 months free and H&RB thrown in for good measure. If you already use O365 this won't be beat (or were thinking about using it). I can confirm it extends your O365 from whatever expiration date you previously had.

This is amazing. I am currently an Office 365 subscriber. What is the process to do this so it adds on to my current subscription?

[USGrant1962]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow This is amazing. I am currently an Office 365 subscriber. What is the process to do this so it adds on to my current subscription?

Buy it from Newegg. You'll get two emails, one for O365 and one for H&RB.

The 365 email will have a code. Log into your MS Account, go to "manage" your 365 subscription, click on redeem code, paste in the code, it adds 15 months to your subscription. Note, this offer is for Office 365 Family edition.

Then go to the the H&RB email, click the download link, install, start up, enter your activation code, do your taxes.

I did it all within 30 mins of bobandsherry's posting this morning.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by USGrant1962 Buy it from Newegg. You'll get two emails, one for O365 and one for H&RB. The 365 email will have a code. Log into your MS Account, go to "manage" your 365 subscription, click on redeem code, paste in the code, it adds 15 months to your subscription. Note, this offer is for Office 365 Family edition. Then go to the the H&RB email, click the download link, install, start up, enter your activation code, do your taxes. I did it all within 30 mins of bobandsherry's posting this morning.

Thanks. I extended my Office 15 months which is great and am downloading H&R Block now. I don't actually need the Deluxe edition (Basic is fine for me) but this was basically free. This was really just an amazing deal.