TaxAct: Interview or Jump to Forms

[TromboneAl]

If your taxes are pretty simple, and about the same from year to year, do you just jump to the different forms when using TaxAct, or do you go through the entire interview process?

 

[jimnjana]

I just go the the forms. You may want to lean on an interview portion for any area that you might not feel comfortable with.

 

[pb4uski]

+1 though I use TurboTax, I principally use the forms.

 

[travelover]

I use the interview. Sometimes it jogs my memory to take into account something that I'd forgotten. In any case, it doesn't take long.

 

[REWahoo]

I use the interview. Sometimes it jogs my memory to take into account something that I'd forgotten.

+1

 

[Alan]

I use the interview. Sometimes it jogs my memory to take into account something that I'd forgotten. In any case, it doesn't take long.

+2

 

[Moemg]

I use the interview. Sometimes it jogs my memory to take into account something that I'd forgotten. In any case, it doesn't take long.

+3

 

[Buckeye]

I use the interview. Sometimes it jogs my memory to take into account something that I'd forgotten. In any case, it doesn't take long.

+4

 

[ERD50]

I go direct to the forms.

I figure if I actually had something like a passive interest in active investments in oil fields in foreign countries which return their earnings to the US with an offsetting currency hedge denominated in Krona, and that required a specific form, I'd know about it.

Plus, you can always use the Geitner defense, and claim the tax program never asked for that info.


OK, can't pass up an opportunity for my annual tax (mini-)rant:

In TaxAct online, of you want to print a specific form, you have to go through a folder hierarchy of ALL the forms that might apply to a standard 1040A (so this doesn't include business, and/or other more complicated forms). The list is looooooooong, it so long it is difficult to scroll down and find the form you want to print.

That alone is evidence that our tax system is far too complex.

-ERD50

 

[Sesq]

I was disappointed that TaxAct charges you to store digital copies of your return. It mostly negated the savings vs TT, so I stuck with TT. This was only after putting an hour or so into using the software.

 

[travelover]

I was disappointed that TaxAct charges you to store digital copies of your return. It mostly negated the savings vs TT, so I stuck with TT. This was only after putting an hour or so into using the software.

Even if you don't store it digitally, it still pulls pertinent information from last year's return. For example, I'm still burning off tax loss harvests from 2008 and it updates the relevant forms every year.

 

[TromboneAl]

I almost forgot to make my HSA contribution for 2011. I probably would have caught that when I compared the 1040 with last year's, but the interview is what made me remember. So I guess I'll always do the interview from now on.

 

[Nords]

If your taxes are pretty simple, and about the same from year to year, do you just jump to the different forms when using TaxAct, or do you go through the entire interview process?

I do the interview because of all the new stuff, not just because of the stuff I've forgotten.