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View Full Version : Poll: Turbo Tax or Tax Cut



Matt Meiser
01-14-2007, 6:54 PM
Its that time of year. I've switched back and forth between Turbo Tax and Tax Cut based on whatever was the best deal. I tend to like Turbo Tax better, but its been a few years since I've used Tax Cut. Our Microsoft Money could use upgrading and its free with Tax Cut so I'm leaning towards that route. Oh, and did anyone else notice that they seem to be much more expensive this year than in the past?

Steve Clardy
01-14-2007, 7:01 PM
Used Turbo Tax for one year. Remember the 4 1/2" discs? Lol
Then they went to cd.
Couldn't get it to load.
Three different returns, cd's, would not load on two different computers.
I bought tax cut.
Next year, went back with turbo tax. Disc would not load:mad:
Bought Tax Cut again, and ever since. Easy to use

Joe Pelonio
01-14-2007, 7:04 PM
I've always used TurboTax and still will since it so nicely copies everything over from the previous year, especially nice with all of the 1099's I get. I noticed last year it was a lot more money since they now make you get a more advanced version to handle business profit/ost parts.

Charles McKinley
01-14-2007, 7:13 PM
I have used Turbo Tax for several years ans like it. Have never used Tax cut so I can't comment on it.

Jeremy Gibson
01-14-2007, 7:14 PM
I can't do the poll since I use TaxAct. I've used it for many years and always been very happy. They have all the typical services like federal & state returns, e-files, and printed copies. It also lets you import last year's return to fill in the general info like name, SSN, address, etc. It's also available via download, on CD, or a web based online return.

Charlie Velasquez
01-14-2007, 8:01 PM
Another vote for TaxAct online
Both Fed and State

Jim DeLaney
01-14-2007, 8:10 PM
I've used TurboTax for nearly as long as it's existed. Started out with Parsons, then Broderbund, and now to Intuit. Good product.

I used it for corporate tax returns back when I owned the businesses, too.

Bruce Page
01-14-2007, 9:30 PM
Been using TurboTax for years. This years is sitting on the kitchen table right now.

nic obie
01-14-2007, 9:33 PM
I have used turbo tax,

but I don't think that this is the place to promote commercial products.

Bruce Page
01-14-2007, 10:56 PM
I have used turbo tax,

but I don't think that this is the place to promote commercial products.

So now I can't say that I'm happy with X-Y-Z product?
Somebody asks a question about a brand of trucks and we shouldn't respond?
Chill out Nic.

Scott Donley
01-15-2007, 1:47 AM
Matt, I have used Taxcut for many years with no problems. This year you can get Taxcut basic 2006 as a free download if you want to check it out.

Matt Meiser
01-15-2007, 9:10 AM
I can't do the poll since I use TaxAct. I've used it for many years and always been very happy. They have all the typical services like federal & state returns, e-files, and printed copies. It also lets you import last year's return to fill in the general info like name, SSN, address, etc. It's also available via download, on CD, or a web based online return.

Wow, I'd never even hear of TaxAct. They need to spend some marketing money!

Matt Meiser
01-15-2007, 9:12 AM
Matt, I have used Taxcut for many years with no problems. This year you can get Taxcut basic 2006 as a free download if you want to check it out.

Thanks, I might do that before I buy this year.

Steve Wargo
01-15-2007, 9:43 AM
This was a good post. I've been trying to decide myself on this one. I've always used TurboTax, since it imports my Quickbooks info, and can't find anything on Tax cut that says it does the same. But tax cut is about $25 less expensive here. Does anyone know if TaxCut imports the quickbooks files for a sole proprietor business? thanks in advance.

Rob Russell
01-15-2007, 10:40 AM
I've always used TaxCut and have been happy with it. The big thing is to wait until you see what freebie you want offered. That's how I get our annual upgrade to Norton Internet Security - why pay $50/60 when you get it for free with your tax software.

Jim Becker
01-15-2007, 10:48 AM
TurboTax for me for a LONG time...and staying with the same program has advantages, such as auto transfer of carryovers, etc. Those things are particularly important relative to investment sales/capital gains, etc.

David G Baker
01-15-2007, 11:40 AM
Its that time of year. I've switched back and forth between Turbo Tax and Tax Cut based on whatever was the best deal. I tend to like Turbo Tax better, but its been a few years since I've used Tax Cut. Our Microsoft Money could use upgrading and its free with Tax Cut so I'm leaning towards that route. Oh, and did anyone else notice that they seem to be much more expensive this year than in the past?
I want to add another question. Who sells Turbo Tax Deluxe for the cheapest price? So far Wally world is the cheapest I have found at $39.99.
David B

Mark Pruitt
01-15-2007, 2:08 PM
I tend to think that in the event you are paid a "visit" by The Evil Ones it is best to have a professional accountant in your corner.

Steven Wilson
01-15-2007, 2:45 PM
I use Turbo Tax as it has generally implemented more of the tax code than TaxCut. For a few years it was the only product that could handle section 911 of the tax code which is rather important if you're an American working overseas.

Pete Harbin
01-15-2007, 4:50 PM
I started using MacInTax (Mac version of TurboTax) when I took a job with Intuit years and years ago. I haven't been with Intuit in almost 10 years, but I've been using TurboTax every year since then.

I like the carryover and transfer featues, auto conversion for state returns, links to every word in the tax codes (if you're so inclined) and auto updates to implement any changes.

I've not tried any other product, but I've been pleased every year with TurboTax, so I'm not inclined to change.

Pete

Jack Dickey
01-15-2007, 9:04 PM
I flopped back and forth between the two and settled with TaxCut three- four years ago .. I agree price has gone up a lot this year ..

Rob Russell
01-16-2007, 10:45 PM
This was a good post. I've been trying to decide myself on this one. I've always used TurboTax, since it imports my Quickbooks info, and can't find anything on Tax cut that says it does the same. But tax cut is about $25 less expensive here. Does anyone know if TaxCut imports the quickbooks files for a sole proprietor business? thanks in advance.

I checked the TaxCut Import help - it imports TXF (Tax Exchange Format) files. If Quickbooks can export data in TXF format, then TaxCut can read it.

Allen Prell
01-17-2007, 9:11 AM
If your tax situation is not too complicated then I found TaxAct to work as well as TurboTax or TaxCut with the added benefit of TaxAct being FREE. Here's the link: http://www.taxact.com

Mike Circo
01-17-2007, 9:49 AM
I've used Turbo Tax since the days of floppy disks. Then a couple of years ago, they did something with the licensing which installed a package on your PC which acted similar to a virus or ad-ware. The chat rooms, boards and magazines were universal in their hatred for this idea. It lasted only one year as Turbo Tax took a huge hit in sales because of it.

That above mentioned year, I too switched away from TT and tried Tax Cut. I did not like it at all, and in fact received a call from an IRS person about missing forms.

Turbo Tax has a much easier interface. It is easy to navigate, turn on or off the interviews, or forms and pickup where you leave off. Tax Cut did not seem that user friendly. Tax Cut used a lot of legalese talk rather than simple dialog.

Turbo Tax asks very english like questions. Things like "did you receive any money from the sale of foreign bonds?" Then it asks following questions if necessary. Tax Cut asks questions like this: " did you get any income from 1450-x bonds with international 7750-Q form applications outside your tax exempt status?"

For a CPA, Tax Cut is probably great. For an idiot like me, I greatly prefer Turbo Tax.

Larry Browning
01-17-2007, 2:14 PM
I too was a long time TurboTax customer until a few years ago when they changed their pricing. As I remember it, the last year I brought TT it cost $29 for the federal and then you could download the state version for free. The next year, the marketing said "Great news! we have lowered the price to $24" But what they didn't tell you was that the state version was now going to cost $14 (or something like that!) Now to me, that is a price increase from $29 to $38. I got so mad at them for trying to tell me that a price increase was a decrease, (it really was an insult to my intelligence) that I swore I would never buy TT again. So, for me, no matter how much better TT is over any other tax program (and I am not saying that it is) I will never buy it again. I now use TaxCut and am very satisfied with it.
There is a small review of TT, TaxCut, and TaxAct in the latest issue of PC magazine (pg34). they picked Turbo Tax BTW. But, I'm still going with Tax Cut.

Russ Filtz
01-18-2007, 7:28 AM
I've flopped back and forth too. If you're on the fence, or just like TC, I've read where BB has a deal going on where if you buy the $29 version of TC or higher you get a free DVD, $20 value!

I like a free DVD over the usual free software packages they offer.

Chris Barton
01-18-2007, 7:38 AM
I use a large CPA group. I have learned the hard way that there are a few things in which you don't try to find a bargain like, haircuts, surgery and federal tax preparation.

Joe Mioux
01-18-2007, 8:43 AM
I use a large CPA group. I have learned the hard way that there are a few things in which you don't try to find a bargain like, haircuts, surgery and federal tax preparation.

I haven't learned the hard way, but this is the way I go as well, albeit a small CPA firm.

Ray Bersch
01-18-2007, 10:02 PM
Been a long time Turbo Tax user. A couple of years ago I bought Tax Cut - it was cheaper and available. Did not really think much about it at purchase time - after I used it I hated it. It missed things and was difficult to amend and the look up was not very friendly - so went out and bought Turbo Tax - although I paid twice that year, I was confident of the results.

Art Mulder
01-18-2007, 10:25 PM
(Well, somebody needs to give the Canadian perspective...:p)

I used to use Quicktax (from Intuit/Quicken) but 2(3?) years ago I switched to using quicktaxweb. It's the same company, the same well-designed software backend, but it is all on the web. You don't need to install anything on your computer, it's just done over the web. And this means, naturally, that it works for Mac users, Linux users, just as well as Windows' users.

You can print the forms (PDF's) or just use the netfile and file over the Internet with Revenue Canada. Works great. I love filing over the internet. The refund gets back to me 2-4 weeks earlier.

And in a rare display of corporate "good neighbour" behaviour, it is free for anyone who makes below $25,000 per year. Pretty decent of them.

Jerry Olexa
01-18-2007, 10:40 PM
Turbo Tax for many years. Like the carryover of data for the next years return. Very pleased..

Rich Engelhardt
01-20-2007, 8:11 AM
I use a large CPA group. I have learned the hard way that there are a few things in which you don't try to find a bargain like, haircuts, surgery and federal tax preparation.
Hello,
I agree 100% and also use a CPA.
I'd also add changing exhaust systems/mufflers to the list.
Some things are best left to a pro.

Jim Becker
01-20-2007, 10:17 AM
I agree 100% and also use a CPA.
...
Some things are best left to a pro.
Years ago, I felt the same way. However, unless you have some particularly touchy tax situations or have more than incidental hobby income (IE: a real business), the software available today is comparable to the software your CPA is going to use to prepare your return and will do an accurate return. It's going to ask the same questions and spit out the same forms and worksheets. TT, for example, even handles the very complex calculations for less common things like the adoption tax credit.

Perhaps a good compromise is to prepare your return yourself with the software and contract with your CPA to both review it and for them to be available to you if you happen to need to meet with tax man. (You can contract for the same representation via the TT folks, too...for a small fee, of course... ;) )

Jim DeLaney
01-20-2007, 10:36 AM
...However, unless you have some particularly touchy tax situations or have more than incidental hobby income (IE: a real business), the software available today is comparable to the software your CPA is going to use to prepare your return and will do an accurate return. ...

The CPA/Auditor for one of my (former) management company clients told me that he used Turbo Tax - and he also used it for his clients' returns. I figured that if he used it, I might as well (continue to) cut out the middleman and use it myself.

Lee DeRaud
01-20-2007, 10:38 AM
My usual contrarian approach: I've got an Excel spreadsheet I've been using since 1990 or so, has all the entries I normally make to the forms, gets tweaked now and then as new stuff comes up. Up until now my tax situation has been simple enough to allow that, but that may change in the future. Of course it doesn't fill in or print the forms, but I don't find that particularly tedious.

That said, this year I'll probably try the free "basic" TaxCut that came in the last issue of PC in parallel...see how easy it is to use and how its numbers compare to my "manual" results. Probably would have gone the packaged software route earlier, but a couple years back I helped a friend install TurboTax (the year of their "authentication key" screwup) and spent more time doing that than I spent actually doing my own taxes.

Chris Damm
01-21-2007, 8:09 AM
With a small business and rental property, I use the pros. It is so much easier! I've tried Turbo tax before going to my accountant and he also does sooooo much better for me (even after the audits).

Matt Meiser
01-21-2007, 11:17 AM
Well, I decided to go with Turbo Tax again this year. My wife reminded me that our MS Money got upgraded the year before last and that our bank paid for it so we aren't as out of date there as I thought.

Karl Knoernschild
01-22-2007, 3:31 PM
I have used TurboTax since probably 1992. Last year I decided to give TaxCut a try. This year I'm back on TurboTax. I just find it a more friendly and powerful program to use.

Rich Engelhardt
01-22-2007, 6:41 PM
Hi Jim,
Time is my biggest constraint. It's faster for us to just drop off the forms & books to the CPA, spend an hour going over the details and letting hi do the rest.
Should add here that we have rental property that has to be figured in also.

Chris Padilla
01-25-2007, 11:55 AM
Turbo Tax for me. My taxes still aren't complicated enough to have them done by someone else but if my wife and I ever invest in real estate, I will most likely have them done professionally from there on....