Filing Taxes

[waggy]

I've used TurboTax online to do my taxes for about 5 years now. Forget exactly what it costs - maybe $70 or $80 with auto deposit to my checking account. Does anyone have experience with any others? Anything cheaper out there?

[spazzrico]

I've used TurboTax online to do my taxes for about 5 years now. Forget exactly what it costs - maybe $70 or $80 with auto deposit to my checking account. Does anyone have experience with any others? Anything cheaper out there?

I've never used the online version of TurboTax...only the discs. My father-in-law buys them then lets me use them...after which I mail it back to him or my brother-in-law and he mails it back. Works great, but I also print out the form and mail it to save on the transmission fee. I used H&R Block's disc once and it worked fine as well. I must say though, my taxes are pretty uncomplicated...although that is changing.

My advice...share discs with family and friends and split the cost.

[coasterville95]

H&R Block having a sale on their web based basic product, I got it for $11.00, usually $15. They have a FREE version if your taxes are REAL simple, but I seem to recall the free version doesn't include eFile or some catch.

The basic version includes federal e-file for the $11, but they get you up the rear on the state taxes - thats $30 extra.

H&R Block = Tax Cut, BTW.

Oh, and I had a respectable refund going, then it asked me if I recieved one of those $250 stimulus checks we got last february or something like that. As soon as you click "YES" it knocks the $250 off your refund. Yeowch! So everybody who went out and treated that $250 like extra mad money didn't realize you were blowing your own $250, isn't that swell.

[Porkopolis]

You can find the disc based programs pretty cheap on Amazon if you catch them at the right time. Yesterday I saw the version of H&R Block At Home with all the bells and whistles for less than what the basic version costs in the stores.

[X-band '01]

H&R Block having a sale on their web based basic product, I got it for $11.00, usually $15. They have a FREE version if your taxes are REAL simple, but I seem to recall the free version doesn't include eFile or some catch.


I think you have to go to H&R Block from the IRS website in order to get the free e-file option, but normally that's if your AGI is below $50,000. I've efiled through the IRS/H&R Block link for the past 7 years and will continue to do so again. They also charge another $30-$40 to do a state return as well, although Ohio (and I would imagine several states do this on their websites) offers a free e-file option through their own website.

I'm sure the IRS website (http://www.irs.gov) also offers other free efile options as well.

[dc_x]

Use taxactonline.com. It's about $20 for federal and state and just as good as TurboTax or H&R Block.

[xu2002]

I got the H&R Deluxe which gives you 5 federal Efiles and a free state tax download. I've seen it from $39.99 at Walmart and as low as $23 on Amazon. It's the old H&R Block Taxcut software. I've used it for 3 years now and it has worked great

[BandAid]

I haven't paid taxes for...shoot, the last 13 years!

[BlueGuy]

I use www.esmarttax.com I think it was bought out by Liberty Tax service a year or two ago. No complaints.

[Kahns Krazy]

I use turbo tax. I have rental properties and I use the TT premier product. One year in an effort to save some cash, I tried the tax cut version. I regretted it immediately. I went back to turbo tax the next year and have never looked back. For me, the fact that TT pulls everything forward from last years return is worth the price paid.

I'm sure tax cut has gotten better, but there were actual flaws in the product about five years ago, and the interface was horrible compared to tax cut.

[xu2002]

For me, the fact that TT pulls everything forward from last years return is worth the price paid.

I'm sure tax cut has gotten better, but there were actual flaws in the product about five years ago, and the interface was horrible compared to tax cut.

Taxcut now pulls forward prior year tax info. I would probably jump to Turbo Tax as well if they didn't

[joebba]

I have used turbo tax, and tax cut. Both are equally good. I have even used HR block online filing.

I downloaded HR Blocks Federal + State with 5 federal e-files for 27.99 from Amazon. This is not a bad price.

I have found you will want both the state and federal unless your taxes are extremely simple.

Mine are not complicated. I have a home, and some retirement investments so my takes are still not too complicated but filling out a 1040 by hand is a real pain.

[Michigan Muskie]

I use turbo tax. I have rental properties and I use the TT premier product. One year in an effort to save some cash, I tried the tax cut version. I regretted it immediately. I went back to turbo tax the next year and have never looked back. For me, the fact that TT pulls everything forward from last years return is worth the price paid.

I'm sure tax cut has gotten better, but there were actual flaws in the product about five years ago, and the interface was horrible compared to tax cut.

Plus one. I've used TurboTax, TaxAct, and H&R Block online and I find TurboTax to be the easiest and friendliest interface. It also helps that I've used TurboTax for the past three years so my entire return is stored there for easy reference.

Kahn's - do you hold your rental properties in your name? I have one in my name (circumstantial) and two others are in separate LLCs. I don't even use tax software for those because it's easier to actually use the paper forms sent by the city/village.

[Kahns Krazy]

MM, I do hold them in my name. I only have two, and in both cases they were my primary residence before converting them to rental properties.

[waggy]

I went with TurboTax again for the simple reason it's easier being a return customer. Bottom line: convenience.

Costs more though, and would have taken DC X's recommendation to use taxactonline.com if I weren't too lazy to make the switch.

TurboTax is a quality site though.

[Kahns Krazy]

I think if you are a US Bank customer, there is a 25% discount if you use the turbo tax online service.

I'm not sure if it validates if you are a US Bank customer. Follow the link through to the Turbo Tax site, and the prices are 25% lower...

Let me know if this works for any of you.

http://usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/personal/turbo_tax.cfm?redirectid=TurboTax