Which tax software/site do you use?

[kellia]

I've used Turbo Tax for many years, but am wondering what everyone else uses? It looks like TT Deluxe is about $60 for federal and state, federal e-filing is free. Anything out there cheaper that works as well? I thought there was a site that was free that I was thinking of using last year due to reviews here, but can't remember it now! We itemize, but don't have anything very difficult.

TIA!

 

[kathie859]

taxact.com was recommended to me about 5 years ago by a client. I have some deductions for business, mortgage interest, charitable donations, but nothing terribly complicated and have been extremely satisfied with taxact.

 

[MomToOne]

Federal - Taxact.com (free)
CA State - Franchise Tax Board Website (free, but you have to start and complete your session in one sitting - no savings a partially completed returns and coming back later - so be sure to have all of your documents there with you when you start!)

I file 1040, itemize deductions and take a few fairly standard credits.

 

[njmom47]

I had used Turbo Tax for about 5 years, then last year I used H&R Block online. This year I have recieved the software from both of them to do taxes.
I did a search for free taxes and found sites that could be utilized by people with specific criteria (AGI under a certain amount, certain states, etc).
We don't have anything fancy to claim, and I found both equally as easy.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

I am self employeed... i run a daycare out of my house so I use TT business or something like that. I love it!

 

[Sadie22]

I use Turbotax Home and Business since I am self-employed. I can do up to five returns so until this year I did my children's returns as well.

 

[3goofyboys]

I download Turbo Tax Online. It gives you the option to do State taxes or not. I always choose not to. Our state has a user friendly website that you can efile through and even if they didn't, once I've done the federal taxes, the state form is very easy to fill out. Using Turbo Tax for federal taxes only saves a chunk of money (I can't remember right now, but I'm thinking it's $25-30).
We've also bought one copy for our entire family, downloaded it on my parents' computer and then just all split the cost, but that started to be a real pain.

 

[deva]

Another vote for taxact.com. It is free only if you paper file. To e-file Fed and state it is around $17. After the first year you use it, by paying you not only e-file, but you also roll over prior year data which saves a lot of time

 

[threecrazykids]

I'm a fan of Taxact as well. I've used it for years, but I don't have super complex returns either.

 

[threecrazykids]

Another vote for taxact.com. It is free only if you paper file. To e-file Fed and state it is around $17. After the first year you use it, by paying you not only e-file, but you also roll over prior year data which saves a lot of time

Exactly! That's why I use it too! One year, several years ago when I first started out doing my own taxes I loaded all of my information into Taxact and TurboTax and H&R block just to see what all of them came up with. Taxact ended up with the best return for me so I went with that and stuck with it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I use ProSeries by Intuit. This was originally called "TurboTax Professional". I have been using it since the 1984 Tax Season (in 1985). The first year it came on three 360K floppies. Now the application is about 5MB, the Forms are another 5MB, and the tax return data files run about 400K each. But I have clients in eight sates and some Estate and Trust returns and Gift Tax. All are handled by the one program. But the setup disk is about 125MB, and much of it is compressed data.

 

[Brer Shay]

I use www.freefillableforms.com for my federal return. I pencil and paper the forms myself (I know that's a minority), but then use the website for filing. Has worked great for the last three years for me.

 

[Shmily1]

I've used Taxslayer for many years and it has always worked great for us. One year (about 2 years ago), DH decided he wanted to have Jackson Hewitt do them because someone told him they did a great job and got them lots of money back. They charged us like crazy, then notified us a couple months later that they had made a mistake and we had to refile!! Needless to say, we're back doing it my way with Taxslayer.

 

[heartsy77]

I use turbo tax home and business, self employed daycare, if you use the online version use the following link and you get 25% off.

http://www.statefarm.com/landing/turbo_tax_10.asp

 

[The 4 "Quay"balleros]

I've used Taxact for over 5 years. If you signed up for it at the end of last year, the cost is $13.95 for fed and state.

 

[snoopybabe]

I have used H & R Taxcut for years and have never had any problems. It's extremely easy to use.

 

[swissfamilyrobinson]

I've used Taxact for over 5 years. If you signed up for it at the end of last year, the cost is $13.95 for fed and state.

We've used Taxact for the past 2 years - recommended to us by an accountant. Finally got smart - and locked in the $13.95 rate on Dec. 31!

 

[horseshowmom]

We've used Taxact for the past 2 years - recommended to us by an accountant. Finally got smart - and locked in the $13.95 rate on Dec. 31!

We have used TurboTax for years, but after reading this thread I took a look at TaxACT. If I understand it correctly, it can import my data from TurboTax from last year's PDF file (which I really dreaded having to input again), and the total cost for filing both the federal and state is $17.95. That's a lot cheaper than TurboTax even with the discounts. That makes it tempting...

 

[kkacar]

we have used taxact for several years and really like it.

kelli

 

[MomToOne]

Another vote for taxact.com. It is free only if you paper file. To e-file Fed and state it is around $17. After the first year you use it, by paying you not only e-file, but you also roll over prior year data which saves a lot of time

Actually, you can eFile your Federal return for free on Taxact.com. (See their front page: "Free to Prepare; Free to Print; Free to eFile" and in small print at the bottom: "State Additional") The charge kicks in only if you elect to prepare and file your State return through them.

In my case, I do my Federal only through TaxAct, then eFile my State return for free on our state's website. So I efile both returns for free!