Tax prep software offers

[ncbill]

For personal tax returns I recommend H&R Block, which is also usually cheaper.

OTOH when doing trust/estate returns I couldn't make head or tails out of their software which covers that return.

So I had to go back to the much more expensive TurboTax Business.

 

[DuluthGA]

I checked and paid $21 for Block fed/state deluxe last year on/around Black Friday. I’ll do that again if i can

 

[athena53]

If I recall correctly, was more like years ago they put in an antipirating verification process in their software as an attempt like Microsoft Windows only to irk their customers just trying to do their taxes. But instead treated them like crooks.

Wasn't it TurboTax that switched around the features in their versions so that if you bought the mid-priced version expecting to be able to use it for all the transactions you did the year before, you were forced to upgrade to the more expensive version? Yeah, that was a fiasco. I felt bad for the spokesperson who had to try to explain it away before they backpedaled.

 

[Car-Guy]

^^^^
Yes, it was.

 

[Sunset]

For personal tax returns I recommend H&R Block, which is also usually cheaper.

....

This is the way I have gone in the past.

However, H&R Block does not allow e-file when carrying forward foreign tax credits. So now I have to switch to Intuit's for that single reason

 

[easysurfer]

Wasn't it TurboTax that switched around the features in their versions so that if you bought the mid-priced version expecting to be able to use it for all the transactions you did the year before, you were forced to upgrade to the more expensive version? Yeah, that was a fiasco. I felt bad for the spokesperson who had to try to explain it away before they backpedaled.

I forgot about this.

 

[REWahoo]

I forgot about this.

I remember it well and how miffed I was at their antics. I resolved that I would never again do business with TT and I haven't.

I don't view it as holding a grudge, simply keeping my resolution.

 

[target2019]

I don’t think they’re going to walk this one back. Think of Netflix. Companies have to do something about software/password sharing. I don’t mind it for something like my taxes. I do think you have to have a reasonable amount of trust to use any tax software. I trust Intuit. Not blindly, but enough to let them process my taxes so that’s enough to be okay with setting up an account. I’ve had an account with them for a few years now and have not experienced any issues.

I agree.

All of the major software companies are doing more to make sure the service is not shared or pirated.

TurboTax users are at a crossroads. I have an Intuit account. As with all software I just use my throw-away account.

The company is like all others, and the possibility of a breach is there. I thought about using paper forms this year, or maybe Excel worksheets someone else puts together. I'll likely go with TT again, because of the convenience.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We have been using FreeTax for years, we do not have the need for a state return, so it works for us. And you know what, if we had to pay $30 or so to do it, it would not be the end of the world. Tax law is complicated, gotta give those programmers some credit. Probably one of the few things these days that is actual value for money, based on time saved. Compare it to using a good, qualified Tax preparer (Not a Walmart one).

 

[athena53]

I thought about using paper forms this year, or maybe Excel worksheets someone else puts together. I'll likely go with TT again, because of the convenience.

I had problems with both of those.

Too cheap to download a second state return when I lived in one state and worked in another, so used Excel to do what I thought was the simpler state form. I am VERY good with Excel but missed a few "mini-worksheets" and "gotcha's" and ended up owing more money.

I did paper forms for years- didn't like the idea of giving the gubmint and Intuit all that detail tied up in a nice electronic gift package. Then I filed 2019 on paper. Of course it was a year when I had a large refund. I waited. And waited. And waited. Finally my brother the hotshot tax CPA told me to file it electronically despite the IRS' admonitions not to. I got my refund in a week or so.

The paper return is probably stashed in a trailer somewhere.

 

[target2019]

I had problems with both of those.

Too cheap to download a second state return when I lived in one state and worked in another, so used Excel to do what I thought was the simpler state form. I am VERY good with Excel but missed a few "mini-worksheets" and "gotcha's" and ended up owing more money.

I did paper forms for years- didn't like the idea of giving the gubmint and Intuit all that detail tied up in a nice electronic gift package. Then I filed 2019 on paper. Of course it was a year when I had a large refund. I waited. And waited. And waited. Finally my brother the hotshot tax CPA told me to file it electronically despite the IRS' admonitions not to. I got my refund in a week or so.

The paper return is probably stashed in a trailer somewhere.

I think there's no future-proofed way for this responsibility. Laws change, I get older, and so on.

I've considered using my tax cpa S-I-L's software, but it makes things more inconvenient for me. I'm so used to sitting down a few times here during tax season, and throwing in a few numbers as I get them.

Maybe this year I'll e-file the state return. Holy crap, $59 to e-file State?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

With most Tax software packages one can print out the return and mail it in saving any E-File Fees.

 

[ShadowBloom]

With most Tax software packages one can print out the return and mail it in saving any E-File Fees.

In my state, there's a state requirement that you must e-file if you use software to prepare your return.

 

[target2019]

I've been printing out TT state form(s) for many years. Just sound so old-fashioned.

 

[athena53]

In my state, there's a state requirement that you must e-file if you use software to prepare your return.

Uh-huh. It does save them labor cost, of course, but I get annoyed the unnecessary level of detail that TurboTax requests that may also get forwarded to government entities. Medical expenses are an example. They want insurance premiums, prescriptions, dental expenses, facility fees and I forget what else supplied separately. They all go into Medical, of course. I do my best to separate them out and they add up to the correct total but where does that data go and who's making money by selling it?

 

[Sunset]

...

Maybe this year I'll e-file the state return. Holy crap, $59 to e-file State?

Which software ?

I think H&R block is ~20 to e-file the State. Fed is free.

 

[target2019]

Which software ?

I think H&R block is ~20 to e-file the State. Fed is free.

I noticed the other day when searching TurboTax that it was $59 per state. That may be wrong. Today I went to their site, and found that TT Deluxe is $70 for software (1 state), and state efile is $40.

Today I see a small asterisk on H&R Block that says "$49 per state filed".

What a deceptive industry.

I've been getting the download from AMazon for a long time, so I'll go that route, eventually. As always I'll print the state and snail mail that. Or maybe I'll give my state's free e-file site a try.

 

[sengsational]

What a deceptive industry.

The software doesn't change much, so they sit around most of the year trying to weasel out ways to extract more money from customers, and schemes to pull in a bit more revenue. I bet the fine print says they can sell whatever they snoop from your compelled account to the highest bidder.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

The software doesn't change much, so they sit around most of the year trying to weasel out ways to extract more money from customers, and schemes to pull in a bit more revenue. I bet the fine print says they can sell whatever they snoop from your compelled account to the highest bidder.

That has always been the Intuit way ..... Think Quicken Subscriptions. That is why we have choices. We switched from TT to FreeTax and are quite happy with it.

 

[sengsational]

In my state, there's a state requirement that you must e-file if you use software to prepare your return.

Nothing stopping you from transcribing the software derived results to a paper form. In NC, the hard copy form to submit is set up to be scanned, so a visual scan doesn't indicate what each field means. I want to be able to read my file copy, so write the numbers on a paper form.

 

[Sunset]

Nothing stopping you from transcribing the software derived results to a paper form. In NC, the hard copy form to submit is set up to be scanned, so a visual scan doesn't indicate what each field means. I want to be able to read my file copy, so write the numbers on a paper form.

I used to use our State (IL) online tax forms with the H&R Block one as reference. I finally gave it up as the State one would make me fill out various other Fed forms to ensure I was putting in the correct for a State value, which I already had

I wouldn't want to transcribe the Federal form as last year ours was 52 pages (not counting the summary page).

 

[Sunset]

That has always been the Intuit way ..... Think Quicken Subscriptions. That is why we have choices. We switched from TT to FreeTax and are quite happy with it.

It's only online ?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

It's only online ?

It has been. We have always gone through the IRS web site.

I just looked at FreeTax's web site and it seems even they are charging for E-File. One can still print the forms though if they fit into their criteria. Sadly this year they are limiting the free option to returns that have less than $1,500 in taxable interest. Probably rules a lot of us out.

We will see what is posted on the IRS web site later. They usually have a free option.

Even so, the amount services charge is so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Their software usually costs less than a FF meal for 2.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm already looking at mine because I've been making quarterly estimated payments and realized I've WAY overpaid, even throwing in estimated capital gains distributions. Lower-than-average investment results will do that. So, I don't need to make the payment I was going to make on 12/15.

Yeah, that has happened to me before.

I don’t make my final estimated tax payment until 1/15, so I have time to review.

 

[Car-Guy]

The software doesn't change much, so they sit around most of the year trying to weasel out ways to extract more money from customers, and schemes to pull in a bit more revenue. I bet the fine print says they can sell whatever they snoop from your compelled account to the highest bidder.

If TT ever goes to a true subscription based payment model, I'll drop them.