CHANGES COMING TO TURBO TAX

[Midpack]

When you download TT, you get a file. You can save that off in another area and it should reinstall if needed from that file. Ultimately, I think if you registered with TT, they would take care of you if you needed an old version. Not sure of that and there’s probably a time limit of a few tax years, but it’s not something I’ve ever needed.

Not in my experience, but maybe they've changed. I’ve bought and used TT for decades. In 2011/12 I realized I'd lost my 2009 return pdf file, and didn't have a paper copy. I was in the habit of deleting my TT software after a few years, so I had no way to reconstruct (lost track of TIRA deductible contributions, 2009 was our last - though I was able to figure it out another way). When I asked Intuit if I could get another copy gratis, they told me I'd have to buy another copy (old versions as still online for a while). So now I just never delete TT software from past years, in case I need to go back in the records. Fortunately I have a pdf of every Fed & state return I've ever filed from 1981 thru present - except 2009...

 

[Ian S]

Yes, I still have 2 DVD writers in my 10 y.o. desktop that I built myself but rarely use them now. I could remove them but I can't be bothered and I'd have to search boxes of old computer parts to find the covers for the open slots left by the DVD writers.

As for software on a CD, I haven't had anything like that in years. Especially for tax software, the CD is usually outdated by the time you install it and so you have to update the software anyway. I keep many years of my tax software since it takes up little room on my PC. 2024 tax software will be installed on my new mini-PC which is truly an amazing little beast! For now old and new PC's are on a KVM switch making it easy to go from one to another.

 

[OldConch]

I've used the online version for years. What's the advantage of installing the software?

 

[Midpack]

^^^ I try to tell myself privacy is better with the download version versus online, but that may not be true - there is probably nothing stopping Intuit from hoovering up all my tax return info. And it just dawned on me, but if I need to go back to a prior year, I can do that with the download version. I assume that's not an option with the online version, or at least only for a limited number of years?

 

[imjustawarrior]

Been downloading for the last few years since switching from the web version.

This year we consolidated at Fidelity. I'm hoping for the free download from them.

 

[grasshopper]

I usually buy the download version of TT from Amazon. The keep a copy pf the software in their digital library for forever I think.

 

[Morgan22]

I've used the online version for years. What's the advantage of installing the software?

My experience has been with the online version I cannot go into forms mode, I can with the downloaded software.

Going into forms mode helped when I needed to see how my answers to TT's questions affected some of the forms. One year I had an issue with TT not calculating the AOTC correctly. It ended up, I was answering the TT canned question(s) incorrectly. I was able to manually fix in forms mode. (This was the year I switched from Online, to Download version.)

But last year I switched to FreeTaxUSA. LOL!

 

[aja8888]

As my 25 year old granddaughter would say..."what's a CD?"

 

[MichaelB]

No more CDs may save TurboTax a bit of money, probably not much. There’s now less of a reason to buy from a brick and mortar retailer. Even if they offer a discounted price, buying an empty box with a code inside seems like such a waste of resource. This should bolster the online sw retailers.

Is there any other reason for TT to do this?

 

[youbet]

You download a file and install it from that. It’s really just a couple of clicks.

As for getting last year’s file on the new laptop, you just need the data file. You copy the data file onto your laptop and then when you start this years taxes, you just point to it and it loads it into the new year.

Bottom line - don’t worry about it. When it gets to be the time to do these things, just reach out here and we’ll help you get through it. Check back in once you get your new laptop (start a new thread). The first step is getting your 2023 file onto your new laptop.

Tnx Jerry1! I feel better already! Well, at least as much better as I can feel about doing taxes…..

 

[Midpack]

My experience has been with the online version I cannot go into forms mode, I can with the downloaded software.

Going into forms mode helped when I needed to see how my answers to TT's questions affected some of the forms. One year I had an issue with TT not calculating the AOTC correctly. It ended up, I was answering the TT canned question(s) incorrectly. I was able to manually fix in forms mode. (This was the year I switched from Online, to Download version.)

+1. That's another good reason I didn't know about. Most years I need to make a manual entry or two into a form, so online would be a PITA for me. Thanks.

 

[Walt34]

Wow. Does anyone have a desktop/laptop with a CD drive anymore? Evidently not many do…or Intuit would sell the format.

I do, it's a must-have. How else would I install my copy of Quicken 2010 when I get a new computer?

 

[Retire2023]

We still have a CD drive, and until we got Starlink, only got the disk version. Prior to that we didn't have enough internet speed to download the software without it timing out or otherwise failing. So glad that is no longer an issue!

 

[zaqxsw]

I've always downloaded it but I burn the file to a CD to store in my yearly paper file. That CD copy sure came in handy when my screwed-up reporting and I had to amend two returns 2 and 3 years ago!