So I’ve used the TurboTax website for the last couple of years, but the recent news from their end has gotten me a bit leery.
Any suggestions for alternate options? I’d love to not have to go out and buy separate software that’ll just get outdated and leave me paying for the upgrade later.
What is the “recent news from their end” if I may ask?
I have used the H&R Block online tools for the past 4-5 years and been very happy with the results. Just one opinion, of course.
The “recent news” was that they pulled a very common schedule (C, I think) off their typical package and moved it to the one for small business owners (or something to that effect). Leaving a bunch of folks that bought what they always bought realizing they couldn’t complete their taxes without a costly upgrade. I think they have since fixed the problem and maybe even refunded some payments.
I also use H&R Block’s online version–no need to buy the box–and have never had any problems with it. We have a pretty average tax situation: just W-2 wages, only big deduction is mortgage interest, only investments are mutual funds, don’t own my own business, etc. I can’t say how it would handle more complicated situations, but for us it’s been fine.
Seconded, 'cause we use TurboTax.
ETA: Never mind, I see Jas09 addressed this. Doesn’t affect me so that’s okay.
The other news was the TurboTax was having security problems with state tax returns - people were getting told they couldn’t file them electronically because they already had. The hackers were stealing refunds.
I assume that is fixed by now.
I use TaxAct to file my federal income taxes because it’s free (no income limits, don’t know if there are situations it can’t handle but it claims to cover all e-fileable forms). State filing is cheap but not free from them. I just go to my state’s website to file those.
I’ve been using TaxAct for a while. Ever since I realized it was $20 instead of TurboTax’s $90 (today, I think it was like 15 and 70 when I switched a few years back).
I will say, though, that Turbo Tax is much easier to use. I wouldn’t suggest TaxAct unless you’ve done your taxes a few times by yourself, even online with something like TurboTax and have some idea as to what to expect.
Thirded. My taxes are very simple/straightforward, and I wind up paying about $60 for the basic package + state e-filing (federal e-filing is free). They do try to get you to upgrade a few times during the process, but it’s easy to click “no thanks.” I used them again this year and had both refunds in less than 7 calendar days (via direct deposit).
A fourth for H & R Block. Didn’t cost me anything as my taxes are simple and we don’t have state income tax. As above, got my refund direct deposited in 7 days.
I’ve used both H&R Block and TurboTax based on whichever I could get cheapest in a given year, and I’ve had good experiences with each of them. You should never pay retail for either unless you’re trying to scrounge things together last minute; there are all sorts of deals to get “deluxe”-level federal + state in the $30-35 range from either of the two, without even being a super bargain hunter or anything.
I’m peeved because a TurboTax-prepared income tax was flagged by both state and federal IRS/DORs. Due to an error that I think should have been programmed to not occur (my medical deductions were applied to both state and federal returns, which is wrong AFAIK). Grrrr.