Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Exactly how reliable are those tax preparation software

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread		 This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU
 
Skidmore Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 01:52 PM
Original message
Exactly how reliable are those tax preparation software
programs, like TurboTax? Tax preparation is such a racket. By the time I get the receipts together and turn in the handydandy form they have me fill out, all they need to do is data entry and look up the tax category we fall into for the year. My guess is they use one of these software packages anyway.

Help me out. I can't afford one more year of these fees.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 01:56 PM
Response to Original message
1. I have always used TurboTax.. never had a problem
but then we do not have a very complicated life :)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
shraby Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 01:57 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. I've always used Turbotax also
Edited on Fri Mar-04-05 01:58 PM by shraby
and never had any problem. They're easy to use. Be sure to get the state cd. When you buy the fed. one, you can go online and download the state one free. Haven't looked this year, but that's how they always have done it.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
liberal N proud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 01:57 PM
Response to Original message
3. With the exception of one year that I relocated, I have used
HR Blocks tax software for the last 7 years. No problems. The first time we use it I was leery so we took it to a preparer and the software actually gave us a better refund.
If you use the electronic filing, you can have your refund in days.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
SW FL Dem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 01:59 PM
Response to Original message
4. Turbo Tax is pretty good.
We've used it before.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
jjmalonejr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 01:59 PM
Response to Original message
5. Depends on how complex your taxes are
If you have a pretty simple situation, you're throwing your money away on fees when TurboTax would work just fine for you.

On the other hand, even though I'm an accountant, I pay a tax preparer to do my taxes. I could handle the math, but I don't know the tax code like they do. It just makes me feel more comfortable to have a professional do it, and it's worth paying the fees for my peace of mind.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
okieinpain Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 02:24 PM
Response to Original message
6. this is my sixth year with taxcut, no audits yet.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
uppityperson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 02:35 PM
Response to Original message
7. They are all free this yr for federal taxes, must pay for state
Links are available through the IRS website.

I started with HRBlocks Taxcut and ended up using Turbotax. I used Turbotax for yrs until the yr they put a super secret code in it so you couldn't move it to a new computer unless you paid again, and it took them a yr to decide that was a bad idea and do away with it. In the meantime, I used TaxCut for one yr which was ok.

This yr I started TaxCut online, but it seemed too slow and it tired to give me a deduction I don't believe was accurate and couldn't answer my question to figure out if it was legal, so I changed over to TurboTax and that went really fast.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
applegrove Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 03:46 PM
Response to Original message
8. Only as good as the user. A tax prep organization will find you some
hidden cash if it is available. Go and see them a few times a decade just to make sure your knowledge of taxes is in the same ballpark as tax changes.

Unless you know what you are doing. IMHO
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Silverhair Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 04:15 PM
Response to Original message
9. Turbo Tax works for me.
Already got my refund two weeks ago.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
napi21 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 04:22 PM
Response to Original message
10. I've used TaxAct for a couple of years. Seems good to me.
I always buy the current year's package and the State software too. Total cost is $25, but I get my refund checks in about a week, don't have to worry about the old addition errors, and they seem to ask all the right questions to be able to pick up on all possible deduction.

I will also say, there are a lot of people who really could just fill out a 1040EZ which a grade kid could do, but they're so scared, they go pay HR Block to do it. It's damn sad!!!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Blue_Roses Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 04:28 PM
Response to Original message
11. turbo tax works fine and there are free website
linked form www.irs.gov. Go there and you may not have to pay anything to have your taxes done.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ernstbass Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 04:30 PM
Response to Original message
12. I have used Turbo Tax for years
It's about $30 for state and federal with returns going straight into your bank account. I itemize and at one point I even had a private practice in addition to my job but it was never too complicated.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
WolverineDG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 04:33 PM
Response to Original message
13. i've used turbo tax for 3 years now
before i bought my house, i usually filed ez & did it myself. but with the house & the deductions that come with it, as well as the student loan deduction (talk about wacky math!!), it's just easier to buy turbo tax, enter the information & presto chango, there's my return all nicely electronically filed in no time. :)

and my refund is already in the bank.

dg
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
PA Democrat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-04-05 04:40 PM
Response to Original message
14. I've used Turbo Tax the last 5 years
to do our taxes. Once you use it one year, it automatically fills in a lot of the information for you in subsequent years. You can interface with Quick Books and Quicken and have data automatically fed into your return. And for a small business owner, it's great for tracking depreciation on assets.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sat Apr 27th 2024, 12:12 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC