Time to do your taxes ,anyone use Turbotax?

[Jim Becker]

I've been using TurboTax for almost as long as it's existed. And yes, I use the "It's Deductible" portion to value material contributions...almost always clothing...that is donated to GoodWill each year.

[Brent Leonard]

I've used it for a few years now. I used to use an excellent CPA. One year, I bought TT to simply compare TT results to my CPA.....

result: within a few dollars of each other (less than $20).

I have saved myself the $250 for the CPA ever since. One thing that TT doesn't do, is figure out lots of buisness travel, away from home meals, etc....It also doesn't support my unique situation where I pay into a special retirement system and not Social Security. For those things I had to do my own research and figure that out on my own. Now it is easy for me, and I know exactly where to enter the information in TT so I get the proper deductions and credits.

H&R block version is just as good I hear, but $10 less. In an unbiased test I saw online, TurboTax and H&R Block software resulted in the EXACT figures, to the penny.

[Sonny Edmonds]

Well, I have a different opinion of Turbo Tax than most of you. Like many of you, I had used TT for several years. Several years ago they used to sell the Federal and State as a package deal for 24.95 or something like that. The next year they sent me a flyer saying "Good news! we have lowered the price of TT to 19.95! and oh, by the way the state version will be available separetely for 9.95." Well, this just infuriated me! They were increasing the price and trying to pass it off as a decrease! So, I switched to TaxCut and have never looked back. I think that was the same year TT started adding a very poorly behaving copy protection scheme as well, whech cause every one fits.
I am sure TT has changed quite a bit since then, but they just left a bad taste in my mouth. Plus, TaxCut is a very good program that works just as well as TT and I think it is a little less expensive. (not sure about that, cause I never check TT pricing anymore)

But Larry, Washington does the same thing.

[Sonny Edmonds]

We've used TT for a number of years now and are real happy with it.

I used to use a CPA, but he moved out of state.
(I guess he bilked enough money. )

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I've been using Taxcut for many years. It was a little cheaper than TurboTax, but I'm not sure if that's the case now.

There are also some free versions provided by my State, but I don't think they are as sophisticated as the store bought softwares in my experience.

I think the best solution is a simpler tax system. What do you make? Multiply by X%. Pay the tax. May even to be able to do it without my 30 year old Texas Instruments TI30 calculator. You know, the one that is about the size of a brick with tiny red led numbers and costed a small fortune.

-Jeff

[Jim Barrett]

I am interning at a public accounting firm this tax season (2nd career). One more qtr to go and I will have my accounting degree!...we use CCH ProSystems FX which is a standard in the public accounting world. I have used TT for many years and it works fine. The reason to have a CPA do your taxes is for the ADVICE he/she should be giving you....if all you do is drop off your tax information, W2's, 1099's, K-1's, etc and you do not receiving any tax advice.... then go find someone else.
My bill rate is $60 @ hr and most tax returns take me ~1hr to complete. Of course that does not count for the time the partners or a CPA spends with the client.

Jim

[Frank Hagan]

I've used both TT and TaxCut. I don't like the interface on TT this year; it seems awkward to me. I do like the fact that TT will download your investment information from Fidelty and Vanguard (as well as your employer's W2 information, etc.)