Showing posts with label income tax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label income tax. Show all posts

TurboTax Home & Business Federal + e-File + State 2010 - Review

TurboTax Home and Business Federal + e-File + State 2010 -
Average Reviews:

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TurboTax Home & Business Federal + e-File + State 2010 - Review[I purchased the download version TurboTax Home & Business Federal + e-File + State 2010 [Download], but as this is essentially the same product, I am reviewing it here, too]
I have been a Turbotax user for quite a while, and have definitely seen a progression in quality and features of the Turbotax product. I remember last year, there were some installation issues for some. Turbotax 2010 downloaded and installed on my Windows 7 64-bit quickly and without issue. After executing the program, it immediately downloaded some updates and I was ready to get to work.
As usual, the State software is included free. This year, the integration with the State software seems even better. While the State download wasn't available yet, it gave me options for notification and what the status of availability was.
There doesn't seem to be many new features over last year, in fact, as far as I can tell, they don't come right out and say what is new over last year. However, the ones that are there are very nice:
* The Live Community is integrated even more into the software and is a handy feature. It is context sensitive, so the most popular questions for each section appear when you enter that section.
* There is also a Flags section which allows you to easily mark sections to work on later, which has proven valuable when trying to complete forms for which you only have preliminary data.
* Switching between Forms and Interview seems to be smoother as well, and there seems to be several ways to navigate to exactly the data you want to work on.
* It seems to be all about options, for many areas, the software offers you multiple ways of calculating the data so that you get the best possible return.
* Finally, ItsDeductible is still integrated and is a great tool.
Tax software has a unique problem; the features are to provide the smoothest and fastest tax preparation as possible. So, the better they make the product, the less time I need to work with it.
I plan to update this review as I complete my personal/business returns.** UPDATE 12/28/2010 **
2010 figures are summarized side by side with (imported) 2009 figures, which is very helpful in identifying data that you might still need to enter.
I found that the set of guided questions about entering home office information misleading. Once a home office is added, you must click the Edit button to continue entering more information or else your entry will be incomplete, even though there is really no easy way to tell. That button should be a Start/Update button as found in other sections.
Yes, it is still preliminary, but on the Final Review section it does indeed provide a list of forms that haven't been finalized yet, and an expected due date for each. So you do have some idea of what calculations may change.TurboTax Home & Business Federal + e-File + State 2010 - Overview
TurboTax Home & Business was designed to help you take full advantage of your personal and business deductions so you get the biggest tax refund possible, double-checking for accuracy and identifying missing deductions and credits. Includes free Federal E-File.

Everything you need to easily do your personal and business taxes.
Guides you Step by Step through Self-Employment Income, Deductions, and Credits for your Biggest Tax Refund
Customizes questions based on your business profile (sole-proprietor, consultant, 1099 contractor, and single-owner LLC) and gives you step-by-step guidance for entering income and expenses.

Helps Find Small-Business Tax Deductions
Shows you which expenses you can deduct for your vehicle, supplies, utilities, home office expenses, and more, so you get every business deduction you deserve.

Identifies Industry-Specific Deductions
Walks you through tax write-offs by industry to help you spot commonly overlooked deductions.

Gets You the Biggest Vehicle Deduction
Shows you whether you'll get a bigger deduction using actual expenses or the standard mileage rate. Provides extra help for splitting vehicle expenses between business and personal use.

Makes Entering Income Easier
Shows all business income types on a single page so you know you've covered all sources of business income.

Creates W-2 and 1099 Forms
Helps you prepare unlimited forms for employees and contractors. Does all calculations and prints on plain paper. No special forms needed. Mac users must have Internet access to create W-2 and 1099 forms.

Simplifies Asset Depreciation
Helps you determine which depreciation method will get you the biggest deduction, then guides you through calculating and reporting depreciation.

Streamlines Expense Entry
Walks you through all expense categories and provides additional tax deduction suggestions along the way so you can maximize your savings.

Offers Extra Guidance for New Businesses
Shows the startup deductions new businesses can take.

Also includes everything in Premier:
Helps You Get the Most from Your Investments
Imports Your Investment Info
Saves time by automatically importing your investment info directly from your financial institution.

Helps You Accurately Report Investment Sales
Walks you through reporting sales of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Automatically calculates capital gains/losses and keeps track of those that carry over to future tax returns.

Determines Your Cost Basis
Finds your accurate purchase price for stock sales, in three easy steps.

Helps with Employee Stock Plans
Guides you through reporting sales and automatically determines your correct basis for selling shares purchased at different times or different prices.

401(k) Maximizer
Shows you how to increase your 401(k) contribution without decreasing your take-home pay.

Helps You Find Every Rental Deduction
Finds over 20 deductions for landlords, from travel to advertising to repairs to insurance.

Shows Your Best Rental Depreciation Method
Simplifies reporting rental property depreciation and shows which depreciation method will get you the biggest tax deduction.

Maximizes Refinancing Deductions
Guides you through deducting points, appraisal fees, recording costs, and more so you don't miss a single chance to save.

Helps with New Rental Properties
Shows you step by step how to set up new rental properties.


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H&R Block At Home 2009 Premium Federal + State + eFile Review

HandR Block At Home 2009 Premium Federal + State + eFile
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Are you looking to buy H&R Block At Home 2009 Premium Federal + State + eFile? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on H&R Block At Home 2009 Premium Federal + State + eFile. Check out the link below:

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H&R Block At Home 2009 Premium Federal + State + eFile ReviewI have both the Windows and the Mac platform. H&R has been producing an excellent Tax product that work smoothly on both platforms. I use my H&R on my Windows at my business and then bring it home and load on my Mac and continue without a problem. Mac users know that Intuit, the producer of Turbo Tax, has brought us many years of the disfunctional Quicken products and false promises of new products for years. And Window users know Intuit (producers of Turbo Tax) users are forced to pay and update to products that don't perform as well because Intiut discontinues the ability of the programs to fully function after a few years. This company has a lot of cash but prefers to spend its time figuring how to ring an extra buck out of the user rather than fulfilling the users needs.
I use my H&R Tax product to assist family and friends in the preparing their taxes. If you want to use Turbo Tax on more than a couple of computers. The Turbo Tax program won't by design load on another computer without purchasing another copy. Too bad for you if you have a computer crash. You still have to pay them when you file based on how many files you pay for in the package. Turbo Tax costs more than the H&R.
H&R is user friendly. You can load your last year tax information from other tax preparations programs without a problem. If you a first time user just take your last years file and fill in the information using your new data. It's not that hard. If you have a question give them a call. There is a lot of support on line as well.
The H&R program is performing smoothly again this year. I file personally a tax return of at least 27 pages. I had a high end tax accountant do my taxes years ago. It was expensive. They made mistakes. That meant not only was my federal return messed up but then the state started sending me letters for years. The last straw was when they called me up on Easter and said they said they couldn't finish my taxes on time to file tomorrow even though they had my well organized data 8 weeks ago.
My sister was blind and a tax service prepared her taxes with a written guarantee that they would pay if they made a mistake.When I went over her return they had given the IRS an extra $100 (in case they made a mistake) in such a way that the IRS would not be returning the $100 as an error. H&R tax program picked it up and we filed again.
When you fill out your Taxes with the H&R you have an audit program which can pick up errors and as you go through the questions so you might see ideas on how you can qualify for deduction for this or next years. It sure has helped me.
I don't work or am not related to anyone that works for or own company stock. I have never gone to a H&R Block preparer.
H&R block tax programs are reasonable priced and well written with the customer needs their first concern.
H&R Block At Home 2009 Premium Federal + State + eFile OverviewH&R Block At Home Premium includes everything you need to easily complete your federal and state taxes, plus five free federal e-files.



With a new, easy-to-use interface, H&R Block At Home Premium searches for hundreds of deductions to get customers the biggest refund. Ideal for homeowners, investors, rental property owners, and self-employed Schedule C filers, the program includes features available only from H&R Block, such as built-in expertise, live tax advice from an H&R Block tax professional and audit support with guidance, plus an H&R Block enrolled agent to represent customers in the event of an audit.


At Home Premium Self-Employed / Rental Property Owners The right choice for customers with more complex tax situations to easily complete their federal and state returns. Includes five free federal e-files and built-in expertise available only from H&R Block.

Includes these features:
Customized interview process to help customers easily complete their federal and state taxes.
Five free federal e-files.
Personalized tax guidance for popular occupations and specific deductions, plus answers to FAQs.
Live tax advice from an H&R Block tax professional.
Audit support with guidance, plus an H&R Block enrolled agent to represent you in the event of an audit. Included when you file a federal or state return.
Guidance for reporting investments, dividends, home sales, and retirement income.
Money-saving tools for self-employed Schedule C filers.
Advice, tips, and planning tools for the upcoming year.
Easily import W-2, 1099, and data from last year's return.
Quickly import data from TaxCut, TurboTax, Quicken, Microsoft Money, and H&R Block DeductionPro software.
H&R Block DeductionPro software to maximize tax savings from donations.


Compare At Home Editions



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TurboTax Premier Federal + e-File + State 2010 - Review

TurboTax Premier Federal + e-File + State 2010 -
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Are you looking to buy TurboTax Premier Federal + e-File + State 2010 -? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on TurboTax Premier Federal + e-File + State 2010 -. Check out the link below:

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TurboTax Premier Federal + e-File + State 2010 - Review
As a long-time Turbo Tax user this year I decided to splurge on Turbo Tax Premier to see if the rental sections were of value. They weren't much benefit over the standard version, and more to the point the section on retirement did not have any options to enter a transfer from a traditional to a Roth IRA. OK, perhaps not the most common item but not the most uncommon. After hours or wasted time with online chat with representatives not only clueless, but unwilling to admit they were clueless, I phoned support. These people were very eager to help but also clueless. I purchased this product in December so that I could know how much estimated tax to pay - it told me unbelievably I had a credit. I disbelievingly paid estimated taxes anyway, and just hope it is enough so that I am not fined by the IRS.On the phone I was informed that they knew there was a problem with the Premier product with this and that it would be fixed on Jan 22nd. Apparently it was, but only with the online version. Turbotax knows who has registered as having purchased the Premier version - why could they not notify those people who have registered with them?
Sigh...... In short, the product has glitches.TurboTax Premier Federal + e-File + State 2010 - Overview
TurboTax Premier was designed to help you make the most of your investments and rental property deductions, so you get the biggest tax refund possible. Premier double-checks for accuracy to ensure your taxes are done right, and includes a free Federal E-File.

Everything you need to do your taxes with ease.
Helps You Get the Most from Your Investments
Imports Your Investment Info
Saves time by automatically importing your investment info directly from your financial institution.

Helps You Accurately Report Investment Sales
Walks you through reporting sales of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Automatically calculates capital gains/losses and keeps track of those that carry over to future tax returns.

Determines Your Cost Basis
Finds your accurate purchase price for stock sales, in three easy steps.

Helps with Employee Stock Plans
Guides you through reporting sales and automatically determines your correct basis for selling shares purchased at different times or different prices.

401(k) Maximizer
Shows you how to increase your 401(k) contribution without decreasing your take-home pay.

Helps You Find Every Rental Deduction
Finds over 20 deductions for landlords, from travel to advertising to repairs to insurance.

Shows Your Best Rental Depreciation Method
Simplifies reporting rental property depreciation and shows which depreciation method will get you the biggest tax deduction.

Maximizes Refinancing Deductions
Guides you through deducting points, appraisal fees, recording costs, and more so you don't miss a single chance to save.

Helps with New Rental Properties
Shows you step by step how to set up new rental properties.

Finds All Tax Deductions and Credits You Deserve to Get Your Biggest Refund
Maximizes Your Tax Deductions
Asks simple questions about your income, family situation and changes in your tax situation and credits. Then, based on your answers, searches for more than 350 deductions and credits to get you the biggest tax refund-guaranteed.

Looks for Deduction Opportunities as You Go
Shows you which deductions you've taken. Which deductions you haven't. And tells you how to qualify for just about any deduction, so you don't miss any opportunities to save.

Gets You the Maximum Deduction for Donations
ItsDeductible (included) helps you accurately value items you donate to charity-no more guessing. Plus, it tracks other donations such as cash, mileage and stocks, to help you get every charitable deduction you're entitled to.

Handles Your Life Changes
Changed jobs? Got married? Bought a home? Had a baby? TurboTax guides you through common life changes, explains how the changes will impact your taxes, and tells you what you can deduct.

Helps with Medical Expenses
Does all the math and tells you if you qualify to deduct your medical expenses for maximum tax savings.

Helps You Reduce Audit Risk
Tracks Your Audit Risk Audit Risk Meter checks your tax return for common audit triggers. Shows whether your risk is high or low. And provides tips to help you reduce your chance of an audit.
Includes Downloadable Audit Support Center
Gives you step-by-step guidance on everything you need to know and do if the IRS contacts you.

Also Available: Audit Defense
Provides full-service representation by a trained tax professional. You will never have to meet with the IRS, unless you want to.


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TurboTax Home & Business Federal + E-file + State 2011 Review

TurboTax Home and Business Federal + E-file + State 2011
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Are you looking to buy TurboTax Home & Business Federal + E-file + State 2011? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on TurboTax Home & Business Federal + E-file + State 2011. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

TurboTax Home & Business Federal + E-file + State 2011 ReviewI have been using Turbo Tax for about 10 years. In general it is an easy to use program and I have never been audited. I only enter legitimate data that I have a receipt for. If I was to be audited it wouldn't be a big deal.
6 years ago I had gone through the process of filling out all my forms but neglected to save the data prior to entering the E file area of the program. When I saw the state fee for E file, I tried to back out of the E file program section. All of my data prior to my last save was lost. This was about 6 hours of work. I know it was my fault for not saving my data, but I thought that the E file was included in the price of the program. I felt the program should require you to save the data prior to entering a section where the data would be lost if you backed out of the E file section. I called Intuit to let them know what happened and found the response to my issue underwhelming.
The Federal E file is free but the states may charge additional fee of about $20 to E file.
The next year I used an accountant which turned out to be a big mistake. It cost several times the price of the software package and all of my carryover deductions needed to be manually entered. I spent more time putting my information together for the accountant than I had spent in previous years doing the return myself. The accountant just made the deadline and repeatedly called asking for clarifications on deductions.
I learned my lesson from that experience. Now I always use Turbo Tax Home and Business but make sure I save my data throughout the entry process.
I'd give the product 4.5 stars if I could. I find the statement of E file to be slightly deceptive. The state filing is not included in the price the program. Intuit is much clearer about this now than they use to be. You just need to be aware of this and include that cost in your purchase decision. I print and file my state return to avoid the fee. There are also areas of the business deductions that require research from the IRS's website which can be tedious.
The program allows business deductions carry over to future years which save a lot of time and helps maintain accuracy. If you are going to use this program it pays to be a repeat user.
TurboTax Home & Business Federal + E-file + State 2011 Overview
Everything you need to easily do your personal and business taxes.
Guides you Step by Step through Self-Employment Income, Deductions, and Credits for your Biggest Tax Refund Customizes questions based on your business profile (sole-proprietor, consultant, 1099 contractor, and single-owner LLC) and gives you step-by-step guidance for entering income and expenses.Helps Find Small-Business Tax Deductions Shows you which expenses you can deduct for your vehicle, supplies, utilities, home office expenses, and more, so you get every business deduction you deserve.Identifies Industry-Specific Deductions Walks you through tax write-offs by industry to help you spot commonly overlooked deductions.Gets You the Biggest Vehicle DeductionShows you whether you'll get a bigger deduction using actual expenses or the standard mileage rate. Provides extra help for splitting vehicle expenses between business and personal use.
Feel Confident Your Taxes Are Done Right Now Free! Only TurboTax software offers one-on-one expert tax advice free for everyone, live by phone and chat.

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