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Tax Time


vbrad511
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I'm wanting to efile my taxes this year, but the place I normally use has doubled it's rates. I prepare it myself, simple, one page, but they want $55 now. Is there a freebie program I can use to do it myself? Will I need a scanner? Would I be just as well off to mail it in, seeing that it's early in the filing season?
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I am thinking about using H&R Block this year because I got married in December, also because I have never been good with getting the most out of my return.

 

That Taxact.com, is it pretty decent? I usually use turbotax, but they didn't want to offer much help.

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I used taxact and it worked fine. I would recommend against H&R block since you never know what kind of jabronie you'll talk to. Just use taxact, it's easy, but it takes a while. It seems pretty thorough.

 

On a side note, if anything is more confusing that tax stuff, I don't want to know, because every year, like clockwork, I get confused doing taxes. Every year.

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I've used H&R Block for 4 years straight now but I use their online service. It's gone back and forth between $35 and free for military over the years but I continue to use it because it stores all previous year's returns and ROTH IRA contributions and such. Which really cuts my record keeping requirements.

 

I can't file until 1099-int and div forms come out, which is like 19 Feb I think, but I recommend H&R Block's electronic filing service because it has some very detailed explanations and most if not all required forms available for digital input. Especially if your tax situation is getting more complicated, check it out. I was able to itemize business expenses for my rental property down to partially depreciating my computer since I used it to find renters. 5 different investment accounts were also no problem at all for their software, and it was all quite self explanatory. I got $4800 last year and should nearly double that this year.

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WOW....what it would be like to get tax refunds again!

 

 

 

Turborusty

 

Tell Mama to stop bringin' home so much damn cash. That should fix it. :biggrinumbrella1:

 

I'm not even looking at mine until March so's I can figure out what I need to to contribute towards my dwindling retirement.

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I was in error earlier...I used turbotax this time around and buy did it give me options, it by far exceeded what H&R block offers online. I did it twice, first time I was using H&R block and was not happy with the figures it was giving me so I went to turbotax and it recommended that I itamized and buy did that make a difference. I was able to write off a large portion of my medical expenses. Tax time wouldn't hurt so much for me if they allowed me to write off a portion of the child support that I pay. I'm paying like 10k a year in child support alone so it hurts...
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I tend to agree that TurboTax often is better at saving you money, but it also tends to be more expensive than the other options. I think I may try going through TurboTax to see what it calculates, then I'll use that info and actually file through Taxact.com (which I used last year and I think is still free). It'll take longer, but if it saves me a few bucks it'll be worth it.

 

BTW, I heard if you are a State Farm customer you can use TurboTax for free. I would take advantage of that if you can.

 

Another money saving tip: Don't file your state taxes through these online tax prep websites if they charge you. They give away the federal for free and then charge you for the state once they have all your info. Almost all states provide a free way to e-file your return. You have to re-enter all your info again, but you'll save that $15-20 charge.

 

 

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