we have more work than we want
Turbo Tax
- Thread starter raaizin
- Start date
I use https://auth.freetaxusa.com/ and previously used Turbotax. It's free and just as user-friendly.
My tax situation is similar to yours. I have used H & R Block Deluxe + State for the past 15 years. The federal e-file is included. The state e-file is an additional charge, so I always mail the state tax form in. The program includes printing the state form. Never had a problem with H & R Block. The program guides you along and is easy to use.
When a product such as this (or online games) are "free", you are their product! Check terms and conditions.
Even paid products may sell your information. Not much of anything is off limits in today's suck-the-life-out-of-everything-to-maximize-profits society.
All our cars' connected data, which most are charged to use (HondaLink's ~$120/yr), are also being sold to insurance companies and more.
My wife has used TurboTax for many years for our taxes. She likes the convenience. If we had more complicated returns, I'd pay for a CPA to do them, just for the piece of mind.
You mail your return to avoid a small fee? Not only is assembling the return for mailing a pain, you have no assurance of it getting there. Then, if it does arrive, when the envelope is opened papers could go all over since the states hate staples. Always E-file and E-pay.
Assembling 3 sheets of paper for a NC return really not a pain to me. Mailing saves me $19.00. I have never had a problem mailing NC return in in 15 years.
I’m a long time TurboTax user. Two years ago I had some things come down the pike & had a more unusual tax situation, yes divorce was part of it. With TurboTax I had a huge tax bill that I owed. I decided to go to a reputable tax prepared in town, 5 star reviews. They came out within $100s of my TurboTax amount.
I went with them that year, but have since gone back to TT. I usually log in then do taxes in stages, eventually getting it done.
I went with them that year, but have since gone back to TT. I usually log in then do taxes in stages, eventually getting it done.
Yes, from way back when it was called Macintax on Apple products, came on those small floppies. I have returns going back 30+ years on my computer and still keep the original software for each year. If you open a filed return from say three years ago its always amused me to see that the old software requires an update to run. Only option is say yes. I have learned to save my filed return as a .pdf so it does not get updated and I know what was filed.
The cost covers 5 filers so it not so bad. I do our joint return and the two kids and the Florida mother in law and her disabled sons return for the one cost, yes state return are an extra but Florida has no state income tax so I only buy one state and use it three times. The handiest feature is it always pulls up the last years return and does any carry over numbers and completes the personal info section. The ability to pull up bank statements and even W2’s is great.
My wife and daughter are accountants and one time I let them try it but they were so headstrong they just wanted to go to the forms and fill in the numbers. It didn’t work out to smooth and they, and I, got very frustrated. I strongly recommend letting it go down the guided route and let it ask questions and fill in the data. The first time this might seem pedantic but it pays off the next tax year when all the data is there. I suggest getting the base version, the software will tell you if the next version was needed and you can do the update right there for a fee.
It is nice that you can complete the return in stages as forms arrive and save it and go back with the revised data. If you go to an accountant you better have all your ducks in a row at the start or expect some added cost for revisions and changes. Also filing extensions is a few clicks and done. I had to do that once and I recall it printed out something I needed to mail in to the IRS but already addressed and filled out.
Last year I used it to do some what-if analysis of my tax situation. Because of over $15,000 in Amazon vine “income” I needed to find a way to offset that and playing around with inputting amounts in the IRA contributions I was able to eliminate the Vine income. Of course I had to go and actually make the IRA contributions by April 15 but that was just moving money around. I keep three years operating cash in cash for the apocalypse or in case I need to hide out in the Gulch.
The cost covers 5 filers so it not so bad. I do our joint return and the two kids and the Florida mother in law and her disabled sons return for the one cost, yes state return are an extra but Florida has no state income tax so I only buy one state and use it three times. The handiest feature is it always pulls up the last years return and does any carry over numbers and completes the personal info section. The ability to pull up bank statements and even W2’s is great.
My wife and daughter are accountants and one time I let them try it but they were so headstrong they just wanted to go to the forms and fill in the numbers. It didn’t work out to smooth and they, and I, got very frustrated. I strongly recommend letting it go down the guided route and let it ask questions and fill in the data. The first time this might seem pedantic but it pays off the next tax year when all the data is there. I suggest getting the base version, the software will tell you if the next version was needed and you can do the update right there for a fee.
It is nice that you can complete the return in stages as forms arrive and save it and go back with the revised data. If you go to an accountant you better have all your ducks in a row at the start or expect some added cost for revisions and changes. Also filing extensions is a few clicks and done. I had to do that once and I recall it printed out something I needed to mail in to the IRS but already addressed and filled out.
Last year I used it to do some what-if analysis of my tax situation. Because of over $15,000 in Amazon vine “income” I needed to find a way to offset that and playing around with inputting amounts in the IRA contributions I was able to eliminate the Vine income. Of course I had to go and actually make the IRA contributions by April 15 but that was just moving money around. I keep three years operating cash in cash for the apocalypse or in case I need to hide out in the Gulch.