First, thanks for the links to the two web sites that reviewed the handful of tax software. I read them both to see if the reviewers thought the same way as I do.
I have always done my own tax returns since I first started filing returns in the early 1970s. I used TurboTax for some years, but switched the HRBlock the past 2 years because of the games that Intuit plays with customers and pricing of their software. It seems that Intuit never tells anyone what is the cheapest version of TT that they can use, but always tells them to use a version that is one or two price levels higher and continually tries to upsell while using the software itself.
But the reviews don't cover situations where I see differences that affect me. For instance, I want the foreign tax credit Form 1116 to be painlessly filled out. I want education credits not to be muffed up (sorry TT, you muffed it!). I want 1099-Bs to be painlessly imported. I want Form 8606 with its treatment of non-deductible IRAs and conversions and recharacterizations to be painless.
Sure, all the software can take W-2, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV and some other things, but they don't all do the same things on some other forms. They each have their own quirks, so I just go for the cheapest which is HRBlock.
That said, for a first-timer, I would suggest using TurboTax, but one version cheaper than you think you need because it will work. So Deluxe desktop works for Schedule C for instance and one doesn't need Home & Business.
Then after using TT one year, just go with the cheapest software in each future year which will probably be HRBlock. At least HRBlock pays me about $50 to use their software because of the gift rebate.
And I think it is ridiculous to expect software to work on your phone to do your tax return. You might as well use pencil and paper if your tax return is simple enough to do on your phone. At least with pencil and paper you might have a clue about your taxes and thus be an informed citizen able to vote intelligently on tax issues that affect you.
) and I don't feel like changing. My caution is whether or not you should DIY. If your situation is stable - no major financial differences from the year before, then go for it. Verify that your tax isn't much different from your last years return and you should be fine. If you started or sold off a business, had new real estate transactions (new rental property) or are making decisions on how to handle a lump sum or deferred compensation, it would probably be best to continue to let someone else do your taxes. Generally though, it's best to do it yourself because no one knows you like you know you.
