Why buy Turbo Tax software?

[bamamom]

I've use Turbo Tax online for several years. Can someone tell me what the difference is in the online and the software you buy and install on your computer If they are the same I'm wondering why one would spend the money for the software. TIA

 

[taaren]

I used to use the online stuff before we bought our house, and now that we own it and rent it out to tenants, we need whatever Schedule that is to deduct all the expenses against the income; the online one didn't have that at the time. That was the main reason I started buying the disc (its pretty affordable at costco). I know you get 5 free fed e-files with the software now ... other people may know other advantages.

 

[msmayor]

I buy it because I'm not willing to allow my tax information to be stored by someone else on-line where it has the possibility of being compromised.

Any and all tax return files I generate are stored on an external hard drive that is only connected to my system when accessing the files.

The $50 I pay for the software is a small price to me for peace of mind about my data.

 

[Swimalie]

I buy it because I'm not willing to allow my tax information to be stored by someone else on-line where it has the possibility of being compromised.

Any and all tax return files I generate are stored on an external hard drive that is only connected to my system when accessing the files.

The $50 I pay for the software is a small price to me for peace of mind about my data.

Same here.

I paid $40 at Costco.

 

[scard192]

Same here.

Me too. I share the copy of the software with my sister so it's only $20 each; we paid $40 at BJ's.

 

[Pigeon]

I buy it because I'm not willing to allow my tax information to be stored by someone else on-line where it has the possibility of being compromised.

The $50 I pay for the software is a small price to me for peace of mind about my data.

Me, too. Plus, our state taxes are more complicated than the federal, so I want a version that includes the state, and isn't stored on somebody else's server.

 

[mhconley]

I used to buy Turbo Tax but have used the online version the last two years. My taxes are normally very complex. Everything you can do with the boxed version you can do online.

For those of you concerned with security... I assume you don't e-file, don't have bank accounts and don't use credit cards? If you do any of the above all your financial information is already online somewhere... And don't even get me started on online W-2's; almost everyone's is available through an online service.

Do what I do - sign up for one of the many ID theft protection services available - it's the only way you can be sure your safe. I use a service from Experian which is discounted through work.

Martin

 

[Pigeon]

For those of you concerned with security... I assume you don't e-file, don't have bank accounts and don't use credit cards? If you do any of the above all your financial information is already online somewhere... And don't even get me started on online W-2's; almost everyone's is available through an online service.

I don't e-file. I also don't take extra unnecessary risks, which is the way I perceive this. Sure, some information is available to hackers, but I don't go out of my way to pull it all together and put it online in one additional and unnecessary convenient place for them.

But if it makes you happy to use the online tax software, have fun with it.

 

[Swimalie]

I don't e-file. I also don't take extra unnecessary risks, which is the way I perceive this. Sure, some information is available to hackers, but I don't go out of my way to pull it all together and put it online in one additional and unnecessary convenient place for them.

But if it makes you happy to use the online tax software, have fun with it.

I agree to what you say above. I go out of my way to make sure I'm safe and putting all that information in 1 place makes it a higher risk. One that I'm not willing to take.

 

[Suz D]

If you ever need to file an amended return it's more difficult with the online version (at least it was for me). I only bought the online version once and will never do it again because the one time I did, I needed to file an amended return.

I received a form after I completed my taxes and completely forgot to file the amended return. I discovered the form about a year later when I was shredding some documents before I moved. Because the information was not stored in my computer it couldn't be done via turbo tax, it had to be done manually (I had to print out everything and then go through and fill in all the blanks and recalculate everything by hand). I called Turbo Tax to see if they could do something and that was what they told me I had to do. If I would have had the software, I could have just entered the form and filed the return after TT calculated everything for me.

 

[maggiew]

I buy it because I'm not willing to allow my tax information to be stored by someone else on-line where it has the possibility of being compromised.

Any and all tax return files I generate are stored on an external hard drive that is only connected to my system when accessing the files.

The $50 I pay for the software is a small price to me for peace of mind about my data.

We did the free version of Tax Act and you actually download it to your computer. You don't store your data online anywhere.

There were a couple questions on the free Tax Act version that said something like, "You can do .... if you buy the paid version of Tax Act". But it was never anything we HAD to do. For example, you could get a list of estimated value of items you donated if you got the paid version. It was only a list like, "Women's shirts $7; Men's shirts $5; etc." That was information we could find elsewhere, so we didn't feel the need to buy the paid version.

Maggie

 

[Fire14]

For me it's the ease of use thing I guess. Dad always bought disk and I buy it for him now, plus the free efile and state helps defry costs. plus I like fact of I don't have to be online to do taxes as up until last yr I was on dial up.

 

[TheRatPack]

It was cheaper for us....39.99 using a coupon for the Deluxe at Office Depot and that includes the EFile fee for Federal and up to 5 Federal returns (my son has to file one too). The state is also included and if we efile (we won't) it cost an additional 19.95 for the state....but again we won't be using that.

 

[Soon2B4]

We do the online. We use the premier and it costs around $33. To buy it in the store it would be $59. We only file one return. My parents on the other hand do both of my grandparent's taxes so it's cheaper for them to buy the disk.

 

[Green Tea]

For those who are afraid of the online version, I agree with the poster who said everything is out there "somewhere." I have a much higher level of personal comfort in my security of efiling and the electronic return going straight into a data base than mailing it, having a lot of various people have it in their physical possession, and someone then opening it and inputting the data themselves. Seems one quick efile gives A LOT chance of comprise.

 

[rapmarks]

I wish I had seen those good deals before i purchased mine for $49. I do 6 returns. and I have to do three differnt state returns.so it doesn't cost that much per return, but almost 20 each for the efile for state adds up.

 

[Sadie22]

I wish I had seen those good deals before i purchased mine for $49. I do 6 returns. and I have to do three differnt state returns.so it doesn't cost that much per return, but almost 20 each for the efile for state adds up.

Check to see if state returns can be efiled directly with the state for free, or mail them in rather than paying the $19.95 efile fees. Just because you efile federal through Turbotax does not mean you have to efile the state returns as well.

 

[rapmarks]

I do the free efile at the illinois site.
does anyone know if Minnesota has a free efile or Massachusetts?

 

[rapmarks]

I was able to free file my son in law's Minn return as his income was low enough. so I saved at least $20 dollars.