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02-19-2018, 06:00 PM
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#41
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Diablo Valley (SF Bay Area)
Posts: 2,705
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The premier version? I can't do deluxe.
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02-19-2018, 06:02 PM
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#42
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,477
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Montecfo
It is safer in my opinion to file on paper. That way you are not needlessly providing a copy of your return to an intermediary, which could be hacked.
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My guess would be that the IRS outsources scanning of paper returns. Your risk then is not only that it does get on line, but a 3rd party is handling your return.
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02-19-2018, 06:02 PM
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#43
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gayl
The premier version? I can't do deluxe.
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Yes.
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02-19-2018, 06:02 PM
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#44
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Diablo Valley (SF Bay Area)
Posts: 2,705
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Oh my! Still cheaper than my old CPA. Phone app was only $85 for both IRS & FTB (CA tax)
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02-19-2018, 07:29 PM
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#45
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,684
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This page has a link to a short video showing a very broad overview of what happens to paper returns:
https://www.irsvideos.gov/Profession...essingPipeline
All this processing (much of it manual) is bypassed when you e-file.
Love those 3270 terminal emulators. Mainframes forever!
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02-19-2018, 08:02 PM
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#46
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,477
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rustward
This page has a link to a short video showing a very broad overview of what happens to paper returns:
https://www.irsvideos.gov/Profession...essingPipeline
All this processing (much of it manual) is bypassed when you e-file.
Love those 3270 terminal emulators. Mainframes forever!
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Thanks! Great video. I recall years (many of them!) ago I worked a second job during one tax season for a 3rd party vendor who worked with the returns. Too long ago to remember the details, but it looks like the IRS has brought everything in house.
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02-19-2018, 08:28 PM
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#47
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 7,591
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrvlBug
My guess would be that the IRS outsources scanning of paper returns. Your risk then is not only that it does get on line, but a 3rd party is handling your return.
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Could be I suppose, but I have never heard of identity theft in that manner. But there have been quite a few reports of tax intermediaries getting hacked.
Also, e-filed returns have higher audit risk according the the WSJ.
Keeping your info-rich tax returns out of the cloud and away from intermediaries is well worth a trip to the post office, in.my view.
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02-19-2018, 08:52 PM
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#48
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,109
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Why would you have to take the paper return to the post office? It is roughly 5 sheets of paper for one stamp by weight.
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02-19-2018, 09:00 PM
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#49
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 7,591
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Quote:
Originally Posted by badatmath
Why would you have to take the paper return to the post office? It is roughly 5 sheets of paper for one stamp by weight.
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You don't have to. Mine is a few more pages than that. But I am not going to leave it in a mailbox in any event.
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02-19-2018, 09:28 PM
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#50
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 8,968
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You want to take it to the post office and send it by certified mail.
You don't need proof of delivery, but you do need proof of filing on time.
That means you get to pay more and stand in line and fill out forms.
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02-19-2018, 10:02 PM
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#51
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 512
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rustward
This page has a link to a short video showing a very broad overview of what happens to paper returns:
https://www.irsvideos.gov/Profession...essingPipeline
All this processing (much of it manual) is bypassed when you e-file.
Love those 3270 terminal emulators. Mainframes forever!
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The job in that video that amazes me is the lady that just stamps every piece of paper, in rapid succession.
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02-19-2018, 10:26 PM
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#52
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rio Grande Valley
Posts: 38,145
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobbieB
You want to take it to the post office and send it by certified mail.
You don't need proof of delivery, but you do need proof of filing on time.
That means you get to pay more and stand in line and fill out forms.
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Yep. Thank god for eFile and EFTPS!
I hated that quarterly trip to the post office.
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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02-19-2018, 10:53 PM
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#53
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Kerrville,Tx
Posts: 3,361
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audreyh1
Yep. Thank god for eFile and EFTPS!
I hated that quarterly trip to the post office.
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FYI I understand that a number of private mail box places will allow you to mail certified mail, for the appropriate fee. This includes the UPS store, So you might not need to go to the post office to send the forms of if the post office in question is busy.
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02-19-2018, 10:57 PM
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#54
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rio Grande Valley
Posts: 38,145
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meierlde
FYI I understand that a number of private mail box places will allow you to mail certified mail, for the appropriate fee. This includes the UPS store, So you might not need to go to the post office to send the forms of if the post office in question is busy.
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I don’t have to go anywhere or mess with any certified mail anymore thank goodness! Been all electronic since 2004/5
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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02-20-2018, 06:34 AM
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#55
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,251
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We're currently dealing with an issue related to the USPS (apparently) losing a piece of mail with a check in it. It showed up in "informed delivery" but not in our mail box. They have no idea what happened except to say that they don't have it. Their recommendation was to send important documents certified mail, although they did admit that certified mail just adds a tracking component and that otherwise the process is the same as first class.
This coincides with a local town hall meeting sponsored by a congressman to address local concerns about poor mail delivery.
Bottom line is I don't know that USPS can be counted on to handle important documents reliably.
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02-20-2018, 07:26 AM
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#56
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Ormond Beach
Posts: 1,407
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedom56
I have been e-filing for over 18 years without any issues. I use TurboTax or Taxcut (whichever is cheaper).
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This.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedom56
Tax preparers are going to be joining travel agents on the endangered jobs list.
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Um, no. When you can actually file taxes on a postcard, maybe.
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02-20-2018, 07:49 AM
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#57
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rio Grande Valley
Posts: 38,145
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Agreed. There are a huge number of people who can’t and won’t prepare their own taxes. It’s too hard.
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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02-20-2018, 08:03 AM
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#58
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audreyh1
Agreed. There are a huge number of people who can’t and won’t prepare their own taxes. It’s too hard.
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I think a number of us here are or have been volunteer tax preparers, and it has certainly been my experience that a great many people just throw up their hands and say "It's so complicated I'll never figure it out -- look at all those forms!"
Frankly, I think a big part of that is simply that many people are functionally innumerate. I see that every time I watch a young cashier try to make change. If the register didn't tell them exactly what to give back to the customer they would be there all day trying to work it out.
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02-20-2018, 08:03 AM
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#59
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,695
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It was only a few years ago that I began using the fillable pdf forms instead of writing all the stuff in by hand. At least on the state (NY) return, the calculations are done automatically which is a nice feature. I print everything out and mail it.
I do tax returns for 3 people including myself - my best friend (the snake-bit male one) and my ladyfriend. Hers is very easy the last 4 years or so, 1040EZ, while my snake-bit one's is a little tougher than mine because he has multiple 1099s and a W-2. Both will become easier starting with the 2018 filing because we will use the SD; I might be able to use 1040A some years.
I dipped my toes into the e-filing pool by e-filing my (annual) estimated tax payments (state and federal) a few years ago. If some fraudster wants to make my estimated tax payment for me, he is welcome to it!
__________________
Retired in late 2008 at age 45. Cashed in company stock, bought a lot of shares in a big bond fund and am living nicely off its dividends. IRA, SS, and a pension await me at age 60 and later. No kids, no debts.
"I want my money working for me instead of me working for my money!"
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02-20-2018, 10:21 AM
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#60
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: North
Posts: 4,043
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I thought I bought with a free e-file from AMZN but apparently this year it did not come with that.
I like to plan before the forms deadlines, as I often itemize, often shift new money from investments to real estate depending on the year. My tax decisions this year will have huge implications next year so I like to plan diligently and early.
This year will be real estate...I think.
I had to pay like $60 for me and $60 for DW and I think I paid $90 for the program, but that cost is split two ways. $165 to do our taxes, and direct deposit into an account within 7-21 days. I don't worry about ID theft mines been thieved many times before.
__________________
Time > $$$ ~ 100% equities ~ FIRE @2031
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