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Turbo tax.....anyone use it, any good?


ARP
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With the change in the tax law, I do not qualify for itemizing this year. So I might be doing a 1040EZ form this year. I have paid to have my taxes done in the past. The state taxes have not permitted me to itemize the past few years, so it s now a duplicate form.

Is there a better program?

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I recall using Jackson Hewlett one time for taxes. Went in to do a simple 1040ez form, we did not talk price before the guy started. He "added" in a bunch of cost items that were never discussed before he started like computer filling the final results to both state and federal. Now at that time, filing online was a big deal (1999), so the guy says "$180" . I hit the roof, told him no way,  I wanted my documents back, I'm leaving. He backed off his price to $80, which was still a theft price, I settled at that. Locally, the tax service I have used for itemized is $75 20 years later.

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I stopped using Turbo Tax a few years ago when they raised the prices and offered fewer features. Switched to H&R Block. After many years using TT, HRB was just as easy and cheaper. I've always done my own taxes, including business taxes when I owned a couple of businesses. I use the PC based software, don't need any more personal information being uploaded to some companies potentially vulnerable cloud.

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5 hours ago, ARP said:

I recall using Jackson Hewlett one time for taxes. Went in to do a simple 1040ez form, we did not talk price before the guy started. He "added" in a bunch of cost items that were never discussed before he started like computer filling the final results to both state and federal. Now at that time, filing online was a big deal (1999), so the guy says "$180" . I hit the roof, told him no way,  I wanted my documents back, I'm leaving. He backed off his price to $80, which was still a theft price, I settled at that. Locally, the tax service I have used for itemized is $75 20 years later.

I can't remember how many times when I worked for HRB that I did taxes for people that had just been to J & H and told me the same story; bait and switch. Once they get people in the door they just shove it right up there.

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I pay $135 to a CPA who does my taxes.  At my age, all I get is standard deductions, but, if there's a screwup, HE has to explain it to the IRS.  So for, for a couple of decades, there have been no screwups.

I walk in, hand him my documents, he does some computer magic, SheWho and I sign, and a few weeks later money magically appears in my checking account.  I don't have to worry about making a mistake.

Since my goal is Stress Level Zero, it works for me.

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15 hours ago, ARP said:

With the change in the tax law, I do not qualify for itemizing this year. So I might be doing a 1040EZ form this year. I have paid to have my taxes done in the past. The state taxes have not permitted me to itemize the past few years, so it s now a duplicate form.

Is there a better program?

I use it every year.  Great thing is it keeps your data from previous years, so it's easier to remember to enter everything.

Overall it's a good program.  It's based on the software a lot of CPAs and Tax Professionals use.  There are cheaper options but I don't like change.  

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I use the small business version of Turbo Tax.  As others have said, pretty simple to use, and it's nice that it remembers everything for you.  One other thing is you can do multiple returns with only one purchase of the software, so the whole family ends up visiting my parent's house to do their taxes on it.  The small business version just has some additional features over the home version, but keeps all the home version functionality.  

Pretty sure my mother just buys it from Costco.

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I've had the same experience has many here.

 

Turbo Tax works great.  In fact, has a business owner for a few decades I have used them all, and a few accountants. 

 

With today's simple, effective software,  if you have a middle class income and can use Amazon and email then you can do your own taxes, with few exceptions.

 

Very easy and accurate.

 

Yes my local Credit Union also offers the software for free for their members.

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I got pissed at TT last year when I was doing my taxes on it, and it wouldn't do the royalty stuff (that I've done every year for the past 10) without an upgrade.  WTF.  I paid it and got it done, but I'll be using something else this year because that was a sleaze move on their part.  I'd always been able to do my taxes with the basic program before, paying $100 JUST FOR THE PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO FILE MY TAXES is one of the MAJOR things wrong with this country.  (Rant off)

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I use the Costco version. Saves me $$$$ over using a CPA. When I first started using my former CPA, she worked with pretty much anyone who needed her services. Things have changed and now she works mostly with elite customers. The last year that I used her services she billed me for $850. The next year I went to another CPA. They charged me $450. I spend ~$100 for the Costco version of TT. It's not perfect but it gets the job done and keeps my mad money fund intact.

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