DIY Taxes

[Spotlite]

Which online service are you using?

 

[Rebel 3]

I always paid to have mine done until the last couple years. I have been using TurboTax without any issues.

 

[Milkman]

I have used TurboTax for about 12-15 years. No issues.

They take you through all sorts of questions about tax related stuff to assure all possibilities are covered.

I think its been being about $75 for both state and fed

 

[Spotlite]

I always paid to have mine done until the last couple years. I have been using TurboTax without any issues.

I have used TurboTax for about 12-15 years. No issues.

They take you through all sorts of questions about tax related stuff to assure all possibilities are covered.

I think its been being about $75 for both state and fed

We’ve always paid and it’s just not worth it any more. Especially as far advanced as DIY has come. Just didn’t realize there was so many options now.

 

[ClemsonRangers]

i buy a turbo tax cd from sams club $45, does state and federal

 

[B. White]

I did Turbotax several years while working for someone else and liked it ok. Rules changed and my deductions were limited. I tried the business version last year, which was the first year I had income where taxes weren't withheld. I missed some stuff it said I couldn't claim after meeting with a CPA, so will pay her this year.

 

[Havana Dude]

Turbo tax here. Never any issues. They do seem to change their format every year or 2, but still fairly idiot proof( for me).

 

[bilgerat]

FreetaxUSA,,, fed is free, state is just 14 bucks

 

[Geffellz18]

Used tax act for several years and liked it, but two years ago they were having network issues where I couldn’t log in and it was close to the deadline to file. So I used tax slayer and went back with them LY and plan to TY as well. No issues.
I’ll say that both were very similar and user friendly.

 

[DannyW]

Turbo Tax for me, the last 10 years or so. Simple and easy.

If I had a business or complicated return, I would take it to a CPA.

 

[LTZ25]

Turbo Tax for me, the last 10 years or so. Simple and easy.

If I had a business or complicated return, I would take it to a CPA.

 

[Throwback]

I think we’ve used H&R Block the last several years for the kids and were pleased. But their (kids) tax returns were BASIC

 

[dwhee87]

20+ year TurboTax user, including for small business return, until this year. Had my CPA look it over a couple years and bless it.

Pssst: CPAs hate doing taxes...at least mine did.

 

[killerv]

Had to do mine for first time myself last year, my tax guy I had used for forever died. I did the online turbo tax, I assume when I login this year all my info will still be there and just need to update numbers. From what I understand, I could save just buying the standalone install as opposed to online version.

 

[Redbow]

We still use H&R Block but their prices for a simple return are getting way out of hand. Wish I could make 350 bucks in less than 30 minutes.

 

[shootemall]

One of my kids did turbo tax this week for a 1040EZ (only has W2 forms, no itemized deductions or complicated matters), but it upgraded to deluxe, charged extra for the state return, and offered to "skip" the credit card and have them deduct their charges from the refund for "only" $39 more. I think it was going to cost $117 total. I said to cancel the whole transaction, and file directly with the IRS website for free, and that's what happened, and the refund increased.

 

[shootemall]

I used one of the chain establishments that process taxes when I returned from Iraq many moons ago. One of the benefits of being deployed is not paying taxes on income earned in a combat zone. The person doing my taxes talked to me about the deployment the whole time she processed my return, then said I owed $1700. I asked how, and she said it was because I didn't pay taxes that year. I explained the tax law to her, and she then took 20-30 more minutes to fix her error, which I had to pay her by the hour to do, and I ended up getting about $2000 back.

She also asked about various write offs that I didn't bring records of, because I didn't know I could deduct things like uniform purchases, my wife's health insurance premiums and expenses (from before marriage, same tax year), and when i said I could return with those records, she said no and processed the return without them. I have done my own taxes since, and always itemize my deductions. I explore all of the write offs, and go back and find and print the transactions to keep on file if I'm ever audited.

It sometimes takes me longer than going to a chain store to do them, but I feel better knowing I'm getting as much back as possible. I think the tax processing industry is highly predatory on people who only focus on the "free" money the government is giving them. Wrong! That is my money that the government has held as an interest-free loan that I've paid into for a year, and I'm not about to give some person a chain store hired off the street several hundred bucks to enter my forms into some software when I can do that at a substantially reduced cost.

I've never used a certified public accountant (CPA), but would if I had complicated tax issues.

 

[Milkman]

One of my kids did turbo tax this week for a 1040EZ (only has W2 forms, no itemized deductions or complicated matters), but it upgraded to deluxe, charged extra for the state return, and offered to "skip" the credit card and have them deduct their charges from the refund for "only" $39 more. I think it was going to cost $117 total. I said to cancel the whole transaction, and file directly with the IRS website for free, and that's what happened, and the refund increased.

That is a fault with TT. They urge you several times during the process to upgrade to a more costly option. I’m sure many people click on it.

 

[Mac]

Turbo tax for years and E file. Wife is a college accounting teacher.

 

[BassRaider]

At the point now of filling 1040ez Always used Turbo but this year went FreeTax and state was $14.99.