Turbo Tax -disc or download

[mystang52]

I will be getting the Deluxe (with State) TT. In the past I've gotten the disc. Is it 6 of one half dozen of another between the disc or download? Maybe stupid question, since I used disc last year will TT have that info should I get the download version?

 

[cathy63]

The disc and download versions are identical once installed on your computer.

TT may know which product you purchased last year because you probably had to register it, and they usually ask which retailer you got it from. But whether they know what you got in the past is not relevant to which product you choose for your 2020 return. Any of them will work.

 

[RunningBum]

Basically the same. As someone mentioned on another thread, fewer laptops have a CD/DVD drive so it's easier to do the download. If you've got really slow internet maybe you want the CD. With the CD you might have an easier time reinstalling if in 2-3 years you need to submit an amended return and you have a new laptop since you installed the original, assuming you can find the CD.

Either version will look for a *.tax2019 file on your hard drive to get your info from last year. I think next they will look for a pdf file, which is how they try to get info from another tax program. Short answer, you can switch between disc or download from year to year with no problems.

 

[Jerry1]

I’m probably going to go with the download version this year. I’ve bought the disk version in the past (always) and I can’t recall one time when I used it after the initial download. I’m guessing it will happen that I find a need to reinstall it once I go with the download version, but I’m sure there’s a process for that.

Also, since space is cheap, I keep three or four years (versions) of TT on my computer. If I delete and subsequently need it after that, I guess I’ll just have to figure it out. I always buy a legit copy and register it so hopefully that will cover me in a worse case scenario.

Also, also, I suspect the download comes as a downloaded file. I would think a copy of that file could be saved and used to reinstall if necessary, similar to a physical disk. I’m going for it.

 

[Montecfo]

I like the CD. Then I get a case and keys in the case. Would not like having to dig through email to find that for a reinstall if that need were to arise.

 

[audreyh1]

We prefer the download. We can use a disc if we have to. DH usually saves the downloaded files.

 

[cbo111]

I really enjoy the annual holiday Turbotax posts. It seems to follow the precise pattern as previous years:
download vs CD
price at Costco vs Amazon
compatibility with iMac
Deluxe vs Premiere

But, once again just like last year, reading these posts has spurred me to head over to Costco on Monday to get my Turbo CD.

 

[levindb]

The value of the disc is when you upgrade computers and then want to look at some older TT files. While I can look at the saved .pdf's, I have not been able to reload the programs without the disc and keys.

 

[Walt34]

I like the CD. Then I get a case and keys in the case. Would not like having to dig through email to find that for a reinstall if that need were to arise.

I think like Montecfo and get the CD. While I've never yet had to reinstall TT, the one year I get the download will be the year my computer decides to dump. This is a dictum of Murphy's Law.

Besides, there's always that little bit of uneasiness in paying for a download before I actually GET the download and the key. What if something goes wrong? Then I have to deal with untold hours of telephone menu hell and find that one employee in a megacorp of 10 million who actually gives dang about the customer....

No thanks, I'll take the CD.

 

[Midpack]

The value of the disc is when you upgrade computers and then want to look at some older TT files. While I can looked at the saved .pdf's, I have not been able to reload the programs without the disc and keys.

Same here. I don’t want to leave TT installed year after year after year. I needed to see my 2010 details again and without the disk I couldn’t have (saved pdf wasn’t enough). And as another post noted, if you had to reinstall due to a HD failure, it’s easy with the CD. I generally prefer downloads, but there’s some utility in having TT CD. I’m sure I’ll be without a CD/DVD drive eventually but until then, same price....

 

[euro]

I really enjoy the annual holiday Turbotax posts. It seems to follow the precise pattern as previous years:
download vs CD
price at Costco vs Amazon
compatibility with iMac
Deluxe vs Premiere

.

You forgot to add the annual "Free TurboTax from Fidelity" thread...

 

[cathy63]

Just FYI - if you buy the download version from Amazon or directly from Intuit, you can always login to your account and re-download it if you need to install again. I always install on two different computers (mine and my Mom's) and there's no problem. In both cases, the key is right there on the download screen, no need to search through old emails to find it.

Here's what the Amazon page looks like. https://www.amazon.com/gp/swvgdtt/your-account/manage-downloads.html

 

[Montecfo]

Just FYI - if you buy the download version from Amazon or directly from Intuit, you can always login to your account and re-download it if you need to install again. I always install on two different computers (mine and my Mom's) and there's no problem. In both cases, the key is right there on the download screen, no need to search through old emails to find it.

Here's what the Amazon page looks like. https://www.amazon.com/gp/swvgdtt/your-account/manage-downloads.html

Nice!

 

[braumeister]

Same here. I don’t want to leave TT installed year after year after year.

Hardly a big deal IMO. It's only around 600 MB for each one, so pretty trivial in these days of bigger hard drives.

 

[timo2]

I just downloaded the Turbotax deluxe from Costco. I have Windows 10. It wouldn't open after install. I found the following information online from a couple of years ago. This worked to fix the problem.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I stopped getting the CD version years ago. Neither of my current computers even have a CD drive. Most new ones don’t. I order the download version from Amazon. I do save the single download file on my computer (I have the files from previous years too). I store any license codes in my 1Password password management software file. But as mentioned above, Amazon displays them too. So I’m all set to reinstall past versions if I need to, but I have never needed too.

I do agree that the CD version and the download version would be identical once installed.

 

[Mike1968]

Amazon has TurboTax Deluxe 2020 + $10 Amazon Gift Card bundle for $29.99 now (PC Download) Not the State Version.


Other versions also available with the $10 Gift Card

 

[statsman]

Yes.

Actually, I found the Federal + State versions to be cheaper online than with a disc most years. Less so recently. Now that we're in a state without income taxes, the prices generally seemed the same last year for our 2019 filing. I will be at Costco on Monday, so disc it is this year again.

EDIT: And then I saw the following. I guess it's download time this year!

Amazon has TurboTax Deluxe 2020 + $10 Amazon Gift Card bundle for $29.99 now (PC Download) Not the State Version.

Link below (Deluxe 2020 - Federal Only) expires in 19+ hours from now (Midnight Pacific Time). Other Gift Card offers are on the page:

https://www.amazon.com/TurboTax-Desktop-Software-Federal-Exclusive/dp/B08KKNVYDP/

 

[Souschef]

We recently bought a new laptop so we could Zoom. II wanted to install Office on it from a CD, but as many here have stated , the new ones do not have a CD drive.
I remembered that, when my old desktop was having problems with the CD drive, I bought an external CD drive for about $18.
I plugged it into the laptop and loaded Office without a problem.
I downloaded TT from Amazon.

 

[Jerry1]

Not this year

I’m probably going to go with the download version this year. I’ve bought the disk version in the past (always) and I can’t recall one time when I used it after the initial download. I’m guessing it will happen that I find a need to reinstall it once I go with the download version, but I’m sure there’s a process for that.

Also, since space is cheap, I keep three or four years (versions) of TT on my computer. If I delete and subsequently need it after that, I guess I’ll just have to figure it out. I always buy a legit copy and register it so hopefully that will cover me in a worse case scenario.

Also, also, I suspect the download comes as a downloaded file. I would think a copy of that file could be saved and used to reinstall if necessary, similar to a physical disk. I’m going for it.

Well I ended up going to Amazon and since the deal was the same for the disk or the download, I just went ahead and got the disk. Old dog finding it hard to learn new tricks.

Ended up with the Deluxe w/ State version w/ gift card for $39. You get TT for $29 and pay for the gift card $10 so check out is $39 + tax. Good deal.

 

[easysurfer]

Well I ended up going to Amazon and since the deal was the same for the disk or the download, I just went ahead and got the disk. Old dog finding it hard to learn new tricks.

Ended up with the Deluxe w/ State version w/ gift card for $39. You get TT for $29 and pay for the gift card $10 so check out is $39 + tax. Good deal.

Sweet deal! About that time of the year again. Like clockwork after Christmas for Turbotax sales .

Count me in also in the very old dog category. Just made my purchase. Thanks.

 

[pb4uski]

Basically the same. As someone mentioned on another thread, fewer laptops have a CD/DVD drive so it's easier to do the download. ...

That's me... no CD/DVD drive on my current laptop so I buy the download version... and if I ever have a problem I can just reinstall from Amazon.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Sweet deal! About that time of the year again. Like clockwork after Christmas for Turbotax sales .

Count me in also in the very old dog category. Just made my purchase. Thanks.

+1
Great deal

 

[cathy63]

Amazon has TurboTax Deluxe 2020 + $10 Amazon Gift Card bundle for $29.99 now (PC Download) Not the State Version.


Other versions also available with the $10 Gift Card

Thank you for the alert. My Premiere version is downloading now.

Funny thing about the Amazon deal though -- even if you order downloadable software, the gift card is plastic, so they have to ship something anyway! Amazon could have saved a little money and effort by sending an e-card.

 

[badatmath]

Ended up with the Deluxe w/ State version w/ gift card for $39. You get TT for $29 and pay for the gift card $10 so check out is $39 + tax. Good deal.

Same here.