Re: Tax time questions:)

[Guest guest]

I use Quicken Home and Business and they use Turbo Tax. I find it very

helpful, but I should have done it slowly. What I ended up doing was

creating more problems for myself by entering things incorrectly. Dunce

cap is on and shining brightly. I would recommend them. I have friends who

like Quick Books and they like it too. I am wondering if I should start

over with Quickbooks rather than struggle with all the corrections I need

to make.

Good luck. Send the responses to the whole group please.

Aliceanne

At 11:06 AM 12/29/2002 -0600, cweb wrote:

>It's approaching that time again and I need your experienced opinions. I am

>really tired of paying $200 to $300 annually to have our taxes

>done! Since I used

>to do them myself when we first got married, it just kills me! I live in

>Iowa and am

>currently employed with a company in Pennsylvania and one in land.

>

>When we lost our parents, we had our attorney do the taxes because of all the

>estate stuff involved. That stuff is taken care of and basically we have

>only our income,

>taxes paid, taxes owed, one child at home and one child in college.

>

>My question is what do you all think of TurboTax or other such

>programs? I realize

>when I pay $200 to $300 I am paying for the experience and expertise of

>the tax

>preparer and the chance that they may have to accompany us to an audit and

>I'm

>not saying they aren't worth that at all, things are tighter financially

>this year and I'm looking

>for any way I can to save $$.

>

>Your thoughts, please?

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

It's approaching that time again and I need your experienced opinions. I am

really tired of paying $200 to $300 annually to have our taxes done! Since

I used

to do them myself when we first got married, it just kills me! I live in

Iowa and am

currently employed with a company in Pennsylvania and one in land.

When we lost our parents, we had our attorney do the taxes because of all

the

estate stuff involved. That stuff is taken care of and basically we have

only our income,

taxes paid, taxes owed, one child at home and one child in college.

My question is what do you all think of TurboTax or other such programs? I

realize

when I pay $200 to $300 I am paying for the experience and expertise of the

tax

preparer and the chance that they may have to accompany us to an audit and

I'm

not saying they aren't worth that at all, things are tighter financially

this year and I'm looking

for any way I can to save $$.

Your thoughts, please?

,

My husband tried Turbo Tax last year for the first time. He didn't trust

it and we went ahead and went to H & R Block. We ended up getting more

money back. There were just questions on Turbo that he didn't know how to

answer. We're in Kansas City, Missouri and paid $181.00 Just so you can

kind of compare. This year however, I was going to call a CPA and ask what

they charge.

[Guest guest]

Another advantage to Quicken would be you can enter your income and

expenses as you go along and then import it into your tax forms and you can

send electronically.

Aliceanne

At 11:06 AM 12/29/2002 -0600, cweb wrote:

>It's approaching that time again and I need your experienced opinions. I am

>really tired of paying $200 to $300 annually to have our taxes

>done! Since I used

>to do them myself when we first got married, it just kills me! I live in

>Iowa and am

>currently employed with a company in Pennsylvania and one in land.

>

>When we lost our parents, we had our attorney do the taxes because of all the

>estate stuff involved. That stuff is taken care of and basically we have

>only our income,

>taxes paid, taxes owed, one child at home and one child in college.

>

>My question is what do you all think of TurboTax or other such

>programs? I realize

>when I pay $200 to $300 I am paying for the experience and expertise of

>the tax

>preparer and the chance that they may have to accompany us to an audit and

>I'm

>not saying they aren't worth that at all, things are tighter financially

>this year and I'm looking

>for any way I can to save $$.

>

>Your thoughts, please?

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm a Turbo Tax lover. I've used it since 1993 and started with no tax

preparation experience. My now ex-husband owns several rentals, had an

appliance business on the side and worked a full time job and so did I. Back

in '93 taxes were killing us and no telling what they would be today with

all the millions of forms we had to use. Because the business and rentals

had depreciable assets I was worried that I'd screw things up but luckily

for that first year I was able to figure out the necessary things involved

for each asset by looking at last years forms. I never (knock on wood) was

audited nor did I have any problem with the IRS.

Turbo Tax gives you 1 state software download free, the rest you pay $29

something for and this is well worth it. Their " interview " takes care of

everything you need to cover, there is online help, videos explaining things

and all sorts of references to help with any questions. I'm happy to help

too if you have a question.

They do have " audit flags " that bring to your attention anything that might

raise the IRS's eyebrows and they WILL reimburse you if the program itself

makes an error that causes you to pay a penalty. I haven't had that problem

ever. They also will accompany you to an audit should you receive a notice

from the IRS. I believe their is an additional fee for this but it's very

reasonable.

The very first time you use the program takes longer because you have to

input the basic information like employer info, your SS info as well as that

of your husband and etc. You don't have rentals so you won't have to worry

about Schedule E. Are you or your husband self employed or an IC? That would

require a Schedule C. I'm not sure if you'd have to pay taxes to the 2

states you are employed with or only to Iowa. That would be a good question

to ask. I personally would phone the state taxing authority where I lived

waaay ahead of time and explain my situation and see which state got which

taxes. If you had to use other states, Turbo Tax makes that easy.

I live in New Mexico and our form is simple (IMO) and it took me all of 5

minutes to go thru it with Turbo Tax.

With your prior tax experience and this program I really feel you can do

this with no problem and save a bundle. I got the premier home and business

version. The cost of it (and the state software) is tax deductible as well

One important thing!!!!!! After your taxes are done, save to disk (I'm anal

retentive and saved it to 2 in the event one disk was flawed) the personal

tax file. That contains all the information needed to carry over for next

years taxes.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at robhay@... . I

ought to work for Intuit software, *L*, as much as I believe in their

product.

Robyn

Tax time questions:)

> It's approaching that time again and I need your experienced opinions. I

am

> really tired of paying $200 to $300 annually to have our taxes done!

Since I used

> to do them myself when we first got married, it just kills me! I live in

Iowa and am

> currently employed with a company in Pennsylvania and one in land.

>

> When we lost our parents, we had our attorney do the taxes because of all

the

> estate stuff involved. That stuff is taken care of and basically we have

only our income,

> taxes paid, taxes owed, one child at home and one child in college.

>

> My question is what do you all think of TurboTax or other such programs?

I realize

> when I pay $200 to $300 I am paying for the experience and expertise of

the tax

> preparer and the chance that they may have to accompany us to an audit and

I'm

> not saying they aren't worth that at all, things are tighter financially

this year and I'm looking

> for any way I can to save $$.

>

> Your thoughts, please?

>

>

[Guest guest]

Robyn, For the last four years I had a company called " Fast Tax " do our

taxes. Last year, they screwed up our taxes twice. I am a full-time student

and they forgot to send in the education tax credit form. Got that squared

away and then found out they made an error in computation. I nearly burst

into flames in their office. I am seriously thinking of getting the Turbo Tax

myself. I am still a student and my husband is retired military. I feel

better knowing you are out there to help me. Thanks a mill! Dyan

[Guest guest]

I actually got more money back with Turbo Tax than H & R Block and didn't have

to pay the large fee as well. In 1992 we paid $250 to have our taxes done.

Of course we had Schedule C and several Schedule E's plus all the

depreciations and amortizations etc.

Robyn

RE: Tax time questions:)

>

> ,

>

> My husband tried Turbo Tax last year for the first time. He didn't

trust

> it and we went ahead and went to H & R Block. We ended up getting more

> money back. There were just questions on Turbo that he didn't know how to

> answer. We're in Kansas City, Missouri and paid $181.00 Just so you can

> kind of compare. This year however, I was going to call a CPA and ask

what

> they charge.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have used TurboTax for many years now just for the reason you mentioned.. I

got very tired of paying big bucks to H & R Block. Not only is it cheaper but the

cost of Turbotax is deductible. (Yes paying H & R Block was deductible too).

I would definitely recommend TurboTax

Jan

jantranscribes@...

" Typing is my life. "

" Whoever signs the paycheck makes the rules. "

Tax time questions:)

It's approaching that time again and I need your experienced opinions. I am

really tired of paying $200 to $300 annually to have our taxes done! Since I

used

to do them myself when we first got married, it just kills me! I live in Iowa

and am

currently employed with a company in Pennsylvania and one in land.

When we lost our parents, we had our attorney do the taxes because of all the

estate stuff involved. That stuff is taken care of and basically we have only

our income,

taxes paid, taxes owed, one child at home and one child in college.

My question is what do you all think of TurboTax or other such programs? I

realize

when I pay $200 to $300 I am paying for the experience and expertise of the

tax

preparer and the chance that they may have to accompany us to an audit and I'm

not saying they aren't worth that at all, things are tighter financially this

year and I'm looking

for any way I can to save $$.

Your thoughts, please?

[Guest guest]

Definitely Turbo Tax over H & R Block. I could give you horror stories on how they

DONT " properly train their people.

Tax time questions:)

It's approaching that time again and I need your experienced opinions. I am

really tired of paying $200 to $300 annually to have our taxes done! Since

I used

to do them myself when we first got married, it just kills me! I live in

Iowa and am

currently employed with a company in Pennsylvania and one in land.

When we lost our parents, we had our attorney do the taxes because of all

the

estate stuff involved. That stuff is taken care of and basically we have

only our income,

taxes paid, taxes owed, one child at home and one child in college.

My question is what do you all think of TurboTax or other such programs? I

realize

when I pay $200 to $300 I am paying for the experience and expertise of the

tax

preparer and the chance that they may have to accompany us to an audit and

I'm

not saying they aren't worth that at all, things are tighter financially

this year and I'm looking

for any way I can to save $$.

Your thoughts, please?

[Guest guest]

If you're doing it yourself, I've had great success with Turbo Tax, too,

although last year it didn't like one or two of my business deductions and I had

to manipulate it a bit.

I've always wondered why H & R Block was such a huge success. How can someone who

has maybe 2 weeks of training be considered a " tax expert " ?

Dawn C. §(ºoº)§

M-TEC Student

IC, Ortho - 1+ years, IM

AIM: fasthands47

Tax time questions:)

It's approaching that time again and I need your experienced opinions. I am

really tired of paying $200 to $300 annually to have our taxes done! Since

I used

to do them myself when we first got married, it just kills me! I live in

Iowa and am

currently employed with a company in Pennsylvania and one in land.

When we lost our parents, we had our attorney do the taxes because of all

the

estate stuff involved. That stuff is taken care of and basically we have

only our income,

taxes paid, taxes owed, one child at home and one child in college.

My question is what do you all think of TurboTax or other such programs? I

realize

when I pay $200 to $300 I am paying for the experience and expertise of the

tax

preparer and the chance that they may have to accompany us to an audit and

I'm

not saying they aren't worth that at all, things are tighter financially

this year and I'm looking

for any way I can to save $$.

Your thoughts, please?