Tax preparation software ??? Help needed

[CountAllVotes]

:hi:
Does anyone happen to know of a good tax preparation software? If so please let me know.

Thank you.

On edit: If anyone knows of a tax forum/group here on the DU please advise. I may be in the wrong place perhaps.

I'll admit it - problems here and not sure where to go.

Thanks again.

:dem:

[electron_blue]

1. I've always used TurboTax without problem

I've also heard good things about TaxCut, but I can't say from experience.

[efhmc]

2. Everyone in my family uses turbo tax and we have fairly diverse

returns but all seem to like it. Hope this helps you.

[InsultComicDog]

5. I prefer TaxCut personally

...but they're both adequate enough for the job unless you're doing something exceptionally unusual.

[CountAllVotes]

3. thanks to both of you

I'll check out Turbo Tax (well for 2005 anyway!). I ended up hiring a person from the AARP to work on taxes for the years 2003 and 2004. I did not know I needed to file being the household income here is very low.

I'm getting 3 returns done for about $300.00. I hope this isn't a rip-off. I don't think it is because I was in the stock market for awhile and have generated a lot of 1099-B's and lost money to boot. :( Oh well. No more stock market for me for a long time; a total lose-lose situation for me. :(

[lovelaureng]

4. Definitely, Turbo Tax! nt

[CountAllVotes]

6. ok I got TurboTax Deluxe

and I managed to get through it AOK.
:D

So a success it was!

Thanks!

[DrDan]

7. I have used both Turbo Tax and Tax Cut

One year I used both to compare the results - no difference.

So, I usually use the one that is the cheapest. This year, I am using Tax Cut Deluxe based on Office Depot price and give-aways. It works fine for me.

Both are equally simple to use imho.

[FormerDittoHead]

8. Same here - I used Turbo Tax but switched to TaxCut...

One year TurboTax installed some kind of digital rights management to prevent illegal copying.

An uninstall did NOT remove the DRM software. I refused to install it, and Intuit has since stopped using it.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1088341,00.asp

But that year I switched to TaxCut. The import from Turbo Tax's prior year was perfect, and I found the two to be so similar it wasn't worth talking about. Turbo Tax has these little movies that pop up and talking heads that say the same thing that TaxCut has in text.

Nothing will get you out of having to answer all the boring questions (any liquidations from foreign partnerships?)

If you're not planning a like kind exchange or some other exotic tax maneuver, I wouldn't bother getting a tax professional unless you get some kind of notice from the IRS.

IMO, get which ever is cheaper...

PS: your best investment is one of those large format annual paperback tax books. They're chock full of little snippets about taxes, etc. Not difficult reading (IMO) if you just read the headlines and the little "feature" boxes - and a little information CAN be a GOOD thing.

[freethought]

9. I will give another vote for Turbo Tax.

Did my taxes this year entirely electronically. I personally did think the fees were a bit stiff but I went ahead with it anyway.

[Hokie]

10. Turbo Tax or Tax Cut

I used Turbo Tax for years and it worked fine. This year I decided to try Tax Cut and save $20. It worked fine. It imported from last years Turbo Tax file flawlessly. The Quicken import feature was less successful. That is not big deal for me though. I do not use Quicken to track tax stuff. I just import to make sure I do not miss a deduction or dividend.

[MazeRat7]

12. I second that. I've used both with very good results.

[FloridaPat]

11. I use to use both TaxCut & Turbo Tax to compare the two.

Depends on how complicated your taxes are. If they're complicated - real estate, stocks, sale of home - use Turbo Tax. TaxCut has always had too many bugs in it. For simple returns with not much unusual stuff, they are pretty much interchangeable.

[Hokie]

13. Have you encountered errors by comparing?

I am interested in how buggy that you found Tax Cut to be. I switched from TurboTax beginning with my 2005 taxes. My return is fairly straight forward but I do itemize and manage some real estate. I exercised some stock options last year and I found that Tax Cut had a better explanation on how to handle these than did TurboTax. The greatest shortcoming I found with Tax Cut was the data import from Quicken. It was so bad as to be worthless.

[MemphisTiger]

14. TaxCut works well for me. It's almost idiot proof if I can do it

[trof]

15. TaxAct online is great and cheap.

No programs to buy.
You do it all online and e-file if you like.
http://www.taxact.com/
16 bucks for state and federal.
They were even able to handle Miz. t.'s somewhat complicated oil royalty (very small) payments. Depletion allowance, expenses, and all.
Small extra charge for e-filing.
ALWAYS print a copy for files.
Or you could save to disc, I guess.
Once you have all your initial data in, they import it to the new forms each year.
Keep you updated by e-mail on tax law changes that may affect you.
Send you a reminder to file each january.
I have been very happy with them.