TurboTax disc $54.88, download $69.99. What?

[gerntz]

It came at 7pm last night and I've been working today to enter my taxes (rough, estimated 1099s).

You like doing them twice? I mean if you've paid in all the 2019 taxes you're going to pay, what does rough work do for you?

 

[Potstickers]

I have a K-1 from a business I own and DH & I have some investment account activity w/capital gains and dividends. The business files a partnership return. Is the Premier version of TT sufficient for mypersonal taxes? (Home + business looks like it is meant for those filing a schedule C. I don't.)

 

[audreyh1]

Even though we had a very large account with Fidelity and had qualified for free Premier every prior year we didn’t qualify this year due to some gobbledegook about not having an ongoing relationship with a rep. Well it was Fidelity that dropped the ball on that not us.

We used the cheaper Deluxe last year and will probably do the same this year.

 

[JoeWras]

You like doing them twice? I mean if you've paid in all the 2019 taxes you're going to pay, what does rough work do for you?

Jeez, tough crowd. Does every question have to be sarcastic on this board lately? Happy holidays to you too.

I'm doing the calculation to look carefully at my charitable contributions. Since we're bunching charitable giving every few years, this matters. In particular, the 30% rule of AGI comes into play for donations of appreciated stock. So, the idea was to look at it all and do some what-ifs to see if we wanted to add any donations this Monday or Tuesday.

 

[HI Bill]

Amazon has a special for Premiere for $54.98.

 

[JoeWras]

I keep forgetting about the fact I'm retired and things are simplifying. Next year, I'm going back to deluxe.

 

[robls]

Inquired about getting TurboTax Premier free from my FIDO Premium Services Rep and received this reply via email.
"Thanks for the email and I hope you and the family are having a happy holiday season. They have not come out with the requirements for 2020 at this point yet, but as of 2019 you would qualify, I am working to get you and your spouse householded together so we view you as having the right dollar amounts. I will let you know when they update us on the 2020 requirements."

 

[Kelor]

I talked to Fido yesterday. Since I don't have a Fido representative, I do not qualify.

 

[robls]

I talked to Fido yesterday. Since I don't have a Fido representative, I do not qualify.

Just ask for a Premier Account rep. A link appeared on my account page to contact one at a nearby office(Cleveland).
I talked to him on the phone once, and have emailed a few times. FYI, I do not have a 7 figure account or trade 100's of times a year.

 

[audreyh1]

I talked to Fido yesterday. Since I don't have a Fido representative, I do not qualify.

Someone did call me this year to review accounts, so maybe I do have a rep. I think I’ll reestablish a relationship with my prior office though.

 

[Kelor]

Just ask for a Premier Account rep. A link appeared on my account page to contact one at a nearby office(Cleveland).
I talked to him on the phone once, and have emailed a few times. FYI, I do not have a 7 figure account or trade 100's of times a year.

I know this pushes the topic off, but I think everything has been asked and answered, so what exactly does a Premier Account rep do for me? Also, what exactly can I do for them? I'm not interested in their advisory platform.

 

[statsman]

Use the What-If worksheet in your 2018 TT and check the use 2019 tax tables box.

That's what I ended up doing. With the phaseout of Windows 7 on 1/14/2020, we're currently waiting for our Windows 10 PC to be built and shipped before ordering and installing TurboTax.

 

[robls]

I know this pushes the topic off, but I think everything has been asked and answered, so what exactly does a Premier Account rep do for me? Also, what exactly can I do for them? I'm not interested in their advisory platform.

I have only talked to my rep on the phone one time. Did not sales pitch me.
Have contacted via email a few times, specifically to get TurboTax Premiere for free.
You do not have to sign up or use their advisory platform.
Happy New Year.

 

[CRLLS]

I emailed my Fido Rep and received this message today:

Happy New Year!

I haven't heard anything yet. Check back in a month or so:

They sure are behind from the last couple of years.

 

[imnontrad]

Consider establishing a self-directed charitable trust and funding it with appreciated securities. You can put in several years worth of donations into it all in one year to get a nice tax deduction (and then standard deduction the other years).

I have always used Taxcut.. But before paying online and downloading the SW, I first googled for a discount code which enabled me to get the Deluxe version for ~$41.

 

[Cobra9777]

I emailed my Fidelity PCG rep asking about TurboTax. Someone else responded who must not have read my email very carefully. They said the offer was only for PCG clients but I could still get the $20 discount. I responded, stating that I've been PCG for many years and always get the TurboTax download. I got another email response from a different person stating that I needed to call the PCG number, where they would be able to provide updated information on the offer and how to gain access to it.

So I called today. Initially, he confirmed I was eligible and said it would be available Jan 31. I commented that was much later than usual and that I would probably have to buy it before then to get some preliminary tax work done. After a couple of holds where he "checked to confirm the date" and then "double-checked with his supervisor," he told me that I would see the download offer when I logged in tomorrow. We'll see.

 

[pb4uski]

...Holy crap, I'm really just realizing now how little fed tax I need to pay when DW and I don't have W-2s to our name. ...

While it is too late to do now for 2019, perhaps you should think of doing some low-cost Roth conversions.

 

[Dtail]

I emailed my Fidelity PCG rep asking about TurboTax. Someone else responded who must not have read my email very carefully. They said the offer was only for PCG clients but I could still get the $20 discount. I responded, stating that I've been PCG for many years and always get the TurboTax download. I got another email response from a different person stating that I needed to call the PCG number, where they would be able to provide updated information on the offer and how to gain access to it.

So I called today. Initially, he confirmed I was eligible and said it would be available Jan 31. I commented that was much later than usual and that I would probably have to buy it before then to get some preliminary tax work done. After a couple of holds where he "checked to confirm the date" and then "double-checked with his supervisor," he told me that I would see the download offer when I logged in tomorrow. We'll see.

Very good. Sounds like a call to my Fido rep is in order for tomorrow.
Thanks.

 

[JoeWras]

While it is too late to do now for 2019, perhaps you should think of doing some low-cost Roth conversions.

Yes, already in progress, keeping it in the 12% bracket for now.

My eyes are still popping out of my head because of the qualifying dividends and LTCGs having such favorable treatment.

My project this year is to dig deep with some modelling to see if we want to dip into the 22% bracket at all with the conversions. With a (now, via new law) 15 year window until RMDs, this may not be necessary.

 

[audreyh1]

I emailed my Fido Rep and received this message today:



They sure are behind from the last couple of years.

Yeah, I’m giving up on them again.

 

[Cobra9777]

I logged in to Fidelity this morning and, lo and behold, I now have the link for free TurboTax Premier.

If you are PCG and got it in prior years, try again. I think it was just delayed. There's a related thread on bogleheads and lots of people reported getting the link starting last night (around 10pm on Jan 6).

 

[foxfirev5]

Yes Free Turbo Tax Premier just popped up at the bottom of my Fido Summary page. Its funny but I don't meet the criteria posted on the BH site. I got demoted from Private Client even with a growing portfolio. I'm listed as an active trader although all I do is roll a few CD's and reinvest some dividends. Some say the account value has to exceed a certain amount outside of retirement funds. Nope. 95+% of my account is in a tIRA. It is still a mystery.

The real beauty of it is that I don't need it this year. Just a simple 1040 with pension and IRA w/d. Schedule B for some interest and an 8889 for the HSA. Ten minute job. All the real work is done earlier in the year.