Turbo Tax -disc or download

[W2R]

I like the CD version instead of the download version (probably because I'm older than Methuselah and want to have something tangible in my possession).

Right now Amazon is having their usual sale on TurboTax, that they always have right after Christmas, so I ordered mine:

TurboTax Deluxe with state, CD version, $39.99.

 

[LarryMelman]

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.

Thanks for posting this. This deal may or may not be available today (12/26) only. Their regular price of TT Deluxe (Fed forms and e-file only) is 29.99 so you are getting the state forms (but not the state e-file) for free.

I almost went for this but I need Premier (as I imagine most folks here would) which Amazon has for $55 (again not including state e-file). Last year I bought Deluxe by mistake and had to upgrade to Premier which ended being about $80 total, plus another $25 for state e-file.

 

[Jerry1]

I almost went for this but I need Premier (as I imagine most folks here would) which Amazon has for $55 (again not including state e-file). Last year I bought Deluxe by mistake and had to upgrade to Premier which ended being about $80 total, plus another $25 for state e-file.

There was just a post in the other thread (maybe should merge threads) about Deluxe versus Premier. Can you elaborate on why you “had” to upgrade to Premier? The consensus seems to be that it will handle investments (schedule D). Did you have something else?

 

[W2R]

Just to clarify because I don't think it's been mentioned in this thread. The software download IS the same software as buying the CD. It just is.

That's all very nice but as I explained in my post, I prefer to have a copy on CD for the reasons that I gave.

As compared to the online version which is browser based with storage in the cloud. That's different software but of course the onus is on Intuit to make sure that it's just as correct as the CD/downloaded version.

Good heavens, I would never use that type of tax software. OK, call me a privacy junkie complete with tinfoil hat. I admit it. LOL

 

[Drake3287]

I think like half the world, I just wait until Costco has them on sale and buy it there with a disk. I'm guessing it also includes a download version if you don't have a CD drive.

 

[tulak]

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.

That’s what I do too. Much easier. And odds are Amazon will be around for a long time, so no worries in losing the ability to download again. I have TT from 2014 that I can download. That’s the first year I bought a downloadable copy.

As for looking at old tax data, I save a final version in PDF. I find that’s enough for me. I’ve never needed to reinstall TT.

 

[LarryMelman]

There was just a post in the other thread (maybe should merge threads) about Deluxe versus Premier. Can you elaborate on why you “had” to upgrade to Premier? The consensus seems to be that it will handle investments (schedule D). Did you have something else?

I need Premier for investments/Schedule D. As I imagine most folks on this forum would, most of the time.

 

[tulak]

I almost went for this but I need Premier (as I imagine most folks here would) which Amazon has for $55 (again not including state e-file). Last year I bought Deluxe by mistake and had to upgrade to Premier which ended being about $80 total, plus another $25 for state e-file.

I bought TT Premier 2020 with Federal and State for $55 about 10 minutes ago on Amazon. This also includes the $10 gift card.

I would look again.

 

[LarryMelman]

I bought TT Premier 2020 with Federal and State for $55 about 10 minutes ago on Amazon. This also includes the $10 gift card.

I would look again.

I see it for 54.90 but no mention of a gift card. Can you post a link, please?

 

[cathy63]

I see it for 54.90 but no mention of a gift card. Can you post a link, please?

Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KJFFF18/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o01?ie=UTF8&th=1

Make sure to click the option that says "Premier + State + $10 Gift Card".

 

[RunningBum]

I need Premier for investments/Schedule D. As I imagine most folks on this forum would, most of the time.

I've always had something to enter for Schedule D, and I don't recall ever using Premier. It's unfortunate and misleading that TT doesn't make this more clear. And no, you don't have to enter the form. TT will download from VG and other places, or you can use their interview to fill out the 1099-B info used for the form.

 

[Jerry1]

Well, if timing is critical, come to this forum. The Amazon deal has been discussed now for a few hours and I just now got my camelcamelcamel alert.

 

[Midpack]

I've always had something to enter for Schedule D, and I don't recall ever using Premier. It's unfortunate and misleading that TT doesn't make this more clear. And no, you don't have to enter the form. TT will download from VG and other places, or you can use their interview to fill out the 1099-B info used for the form.

I just downloaded Deluxe ($39.99 Fed+State+$10AMZN gift card) after several years of buying Premier, evidently unnecessarily . A couple other posters told me I could complete Sch D with Deluxe. Intuit goes to great lengths to suggest you have to have Premier.

 

[LarryMelman]

I've always had something to enter for Schedule D, and I don't recall ever using Premier. It's unfortunate and misleading that TT doesn't make this more clear. And no, you don't have to enter the form. TT will download from VG and other places, or you can use their interview to fill out the 1099-B info used for the form.

You may be right. I had ESPP sales in 2018 and 2019, maybe that's why I needed Premier. I will not have any in 2020 so maybe I can just use Deluxe.

 

[statsman]

For Schedule D, isn't the difference between Deluxe and Premier is Premier will offer investing advice along with entering the data, while Deluxe is for entering data only?

 

[Philliefan33]

I just downloaded Deluxe ($39.99 Fed+State+$10AMZN gift card) after several years of buying Premier, evidently unnecessarily . A couple other posters told me I could complete Sch D with Deluxe. Intuit goes to great lengths to suggest you have to have Premier.

For the past three years I have used Deluxe to prepare our taxes which include Schedules A, B, C, D, and E. I occasionally would get a message on the screen that suggested I upgrade to Premier “for more guidance”, but I have not been locked out of the forms or making entries.

Aside: I hope that after TY2020 our return will get easier. We sold our rental unit a month ago, and DH may not do any consulting in 2021.

 

[audreyh1]

I need Premier for investments/Schedule D. As I imagine most folks on this forum would, most of the time.

No, you don’t, not with the download or CD version. If Intuit hints otherwise they are being less than truthful. We have tons of transactions and a large schedule D and TT Deluxe handles it just fine including downloading 1099 data from our two brokerage companies. Deluxe is fully functional for Schedule D for CD and download versions.

 

[audreyh1]

For Schedule D, isn't the difference between Deluxe and Premier is Premier will offer investing advice along with entering the data, while Deluxe is for entering data only?

All our data is downloaded and propagates to Schedule D automatically in Deluxe, so we don’t even see the entering data part. It’s very slick.

 

[audreyh1]

There is a history here. A few years ago Intuit removed the schedule D capability from the online version of Deluxe, but it remained in the CD/download version. The following year they initially removed it from the Deluxe CD/download version, but there was a massive hue and cry from customers about bait and switch, and they ended up reinstating it. So the capability remains, but the marketing still acts like Schedule D support is extremely limited.

 

[jimbee]

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?

If those are my only two options, I would buy whichever is cheaper. I generally don't use either of them.

 

[REWahoo]

There is a history here. A few years ago Intuit removed the schedule D capability from the online version of Deluxe, but it remained in the CD/download version. The following year they initially removed it from the Deluxe CD/download version, but there was a massive hue and cry from customers about bait and switch...

^This. I'm now a big H&R Block fan and doubt I'll ever purchase TT again.

 

[Souschef]

he only reason I upgraded to Premier last year was because I was doing SIL's taxes and he sold his house. Deluxe would not let me take the exemption.

 

[harley]

That’s what I do too. Much easier. And odds are Amazon will be around for a long time, so no worries in losing the ability to download again. I have TT from 2014 that I can download. That’s the first year I bought a downloadable copy.

As for looking at old tax data, I save a final version in PDF. I find that’s enough for me. I’ve never needed to reinstall TT.

I've been using the download for at least 8 years. I usually keep two years of TT installed, but I save the executable from the download. I've got them all on both my HDD and a flash drive. So even if I couldn't reinstall from Amazon or Intuit I could still reinstall. It's really no different than having CDs stashed away.

Having said that, I've never had to reinstall either. I've used the still installed previous year's version, but no farther back than that. Other than that, the pdfs have been enough.

Plus, I haven't had an on board optical drive for many years, so a CD would be an annoyance.

 

[LarryMelman]

No, you don’t, not with the download or CD version. If Intuit hints otherwise they are being less than truthful. We have tons of transactions and a large schedule D and TT Deluxe handles it just fine including downloading 1099 data from our two brokerage companies. Deluxe is fully functional for Schedule D for CD and download versions.

I think I used Premier in 2019 and 2018 because
a) I needed it for ESPP sales (which may not be technically correct either but they do currently list ESPP as a feature of Premier)
and/or
b) Fidelity gave it to me for free in 2017 and prior.

 

[Lagniappe]

I took the exemption using Deluxe in 2019. The interview walked me through the process.

If I remember correctly, I was using downloaded software from Amazon.

he only reason I upgraded to Premier last year was because I was doing SIL's taxes and he sold his house. Deluxe would not let me take the exemption.