Why would anybody use Turbotax?

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sscritic
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by sscritic »

wander wrote:I tried H&R Block 2012. ... it does not give details of the fund information other than just "Vanguard" for all of them.
It did before it was fixed. :)

I don't know if the fix was Vanguard's or H&R Block's, but fund names were given prior to January 25 (there had been another problem with downloads, and it was fixed, but the fix messed up the names).

http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtop ... 5#p1596535
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tfb
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by tfb »

3CT_Paddler wrote:
Toons wrote:
nisiprius wrote:I have switched back and forth between Turbotax and TaxCut/H&R Block At Home several times, tossed hither and yon by the tides of marketing and policy decisions. I have found there to be very little difference, overall, between them.

Other than pricing ;-)
If you file a state return, the price is basically the same...
H&R Block Deluxe + State + 5 efiles is $29.89 today on Amazon. It was $21.99 last week. TurboTax Deluxe + State + 5 efiles is $39.99. H&R Block is 25% less today, almost half price a week ago.
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tfb
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by tfb »

EmergDoc wrote:H&R Block and Turbotax are about the same price as far as I can tell:

http://whitecoatinvestor.com/tax-softwa ... s-it-easy/
Those are online rack prices, way too high. Boxed software sold at retailers with State already bundled is much less. Price difference is also more obvious in boxed software.
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wander
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by wander »

tfb wrote:H&R Block Deluxe + State + 5 efiles is $29.89 today on Amazon. It was $21.99 last week. TurboTax Deluxe + State + 5 efiles is $39.99. H&R Block is 25% less today, almost half price a week ago.
You need to compare H&R Block Deluxe with Turbo Tax Premier. If you have investment, you need at least Turbotax Premier.
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by Dougroseville »

wander wrote: ... If you have investment, you need at least Turbotax Premier.
Not true. They do try to up sell you, but I have done dozens or hundreds of lines of Schedule D transactions, K-1s, 1099[INT/DIV/MISC] using TurboTax Deluxe (box and online). There may be a reason for some investors to get Premier, but many (probably most mainstream investors) don't need it.
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LadyGeek
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by LadyGeek »

I agree. TurboTax Deluxe can handle Schedule D and more 1099 variations than I can shake a stick at. (But I don't own a business.)
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sscritic
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by sscritic »

Look at the list of forms included for Basic; look at the list of forms included in Premier. Report back with a list of forms in Premier that aren't in Basic. Your list will be very short (I think it will be empty).

If you need to watch videos of someone doing taxes, get Premier. If you just want to do your own taxes, you can use Basic. Basic won't give you as much help, but if you know what a capital gain is, you don't need Premier.

Note: As I have admitted to many times, I don't use TT. However, I have looked at the lists of included forms for those at bogleheads who can't be bothered to look something up.
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by Browser »

LadyGeek wrote:I agree. TurboTax Deluxe can handle Schedule D and more 1099 variations than I can shake a stick at. (But I don't own a business.)
Are you sure you want to shake a stick at it?
All the expression really connotes is that there is a large amount of the thing being commented on, though sometimes it can also have a bit of a derogatory tone to it. This usage dates from the early 19th century and it is hypothesized that it arose from little boys playing war with sticks for swords. One of the earliest known written recordings of the phrase is found in David Crockett's Tour to North and Down East (1835), in which he wrote about a certain place where he stayed: 'This was a temperance house, and there was nothing to treat a friend to that was worth shaking a stick at.'
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bUU
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by bUU »

The differences between the versions of TurboTax aren't really the forms that they each support but rather the helpers/wizards that they each provide.
sscritic
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by sscritic »

Here is what TT says about Premier and investments that are not part of Deluxe.
Provides extra guidance for investment sales such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and employee stock plans
Shows how much you can save on this year’s taxes by opening an IRA Preview
Cost Basis Lookup tracks and accurately calculates your purchase price for stock sales in three easy steps.
http://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-tax ... ompare.jsp

So if you need extra guidance as opposed to regular guidance and you don't know what an IRA is and you don't know the basis of any of your investments, get Premier and it might help you with your investments. I know what an IRA is and I know the basis of my investments. And I don't use TT anyway. :)
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Another option for Military Personnel

Post by LadyGeek »

On a related topic, Fotivator just posted this in Subject: Military Investing:
Fotivator wrote:http://www.militaryonesource.mil H&R Block at Home FREE for ALL Military personnel.
Military personnel now have the option to file free with Intuit or H&R Block. For E6 and higher, H&R Block has the better deal.

The direct link: Access the Military OneSource Free Online Tax Filing Service
If you are eligible under the Military OneSource program, you can complete, save and file your 2012 Federal and up to three State returns online for free with the H&R Block At Home® Basic tool.
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ataloss
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Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Post by ataloss »

TT was the one that did my foreign tax credit correctly a couple of years ago. Also free. :D
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