# Tax Prep Software--who needs it?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-prep-software-who-needs-it/712051
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 7, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-prep-software-who-needs-it/712051 "2015-02-07T16:06:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-prep-software-who-needs-it/712051/21 "2015-02-09T20:36:30Z")
Nobody ‘needs’ it, but it does make it easier and quicker. I just use the H&R Block online version for free. No software to buy either.
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### Author:  [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-prep-software-who-needs-it/712051/22 "2015-02-09T20:48:57Z")
Hands down I need it.
I’m young and dumb and need the step by step.
I’ll also recommend it for the “what the hell is THAT deduction” qualifier. Last year I was given like 500 or whatever bucks just because it cited some random clause that I didn’t make enough money so they chucked a bunch my way. This year I apparently qualified for the “lifetime learner” or something like that deduction. I got a bunch of money and wrote off my expenses for grad school…I never would have found that out myself.
ETA: As for the cost, you can write off the cost of Turbo Tax, so I did that and got the money back
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### Author:  [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-prep-software-who-needs-it/712051/23 "2015-02-09T21:17:40Z")
Believe it or not the paper forms come with instructions or you could go to a professional, so you don’t _need_ tax prep software. It is not an absolute necessity.
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