good alternative to TurboTax?

[Anonymous]

Already found two places where TurboTax failed to complete a task. In one case I had to install a phone app to make it work, and in the other case, I had to answer a question incorrectly to make progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usually I manually copy numbers over from TurboTax to MD government website, to avoid the $50+ State fee.

Is this the best option?

Wow, they charge $50 to e-file MD state returns? What a ripoff. HR Block charges $20 to file state returns.

No it is $25. I just print and mail it.

+1. I also print and mail, ridiculous to charge like $25 for e-filing the state return. In VA, you don't have to send the entire federal return in when you mail.

Also, I share a copy with my parents and we each pay for half so 50% discount right there. Even more if you share with a sibling although they are making this a little harder by requiring an account.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Already found two places where TurboTax failed to complete a task. In one case I had to install a phone app to make it work, and in the other case, I had to answer a question incorrectly to make progress.

And a spot were I had to delete an entry because TT didn't accept the partial info the W-w reported.

[Anonymous]

I was a longtime Turbo Tax user. This year I tried freetaxusa.com. I learned of it on reddit and honestly the name and that it's free sounded a bit sketchy to me, but I looked into it and it's legit. Federal e-filing is free, state was I think $15. It seemed more straightforward than TurboTax. Not sure if it can do RSUs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anything better than ugh TurboTax for people with wages and mortgage and RSU and 529 and retirement accounts?

H&R Block. Deluxe should be good. We have all of these and self-employment income. Costs us $20 per year for Federal (efile) and state (paper file) for upto 5 people.

A few years ago Turbotax tried to f*ck up their customers by moving features away from the deluxe version to a higher version. We left TT for H&R Block and never looked back.

[Anonymous]

I used FreeTaxUSA. Federal is free and state was $14.99. Very simple to use.

[Anonymous]

If you use the non-online version, do they download the previous year's version?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you use the non-online version, do they download the previous year's version?

They will download the data either from a pdf or if you have their .tax file saved.

[Anonymous]

Other than the $60 you have to pay extra, are you happy with TurboTax? Is it only about price?
If yes, stick with TT for convenience and make your life easier.
You are talking about RSU, do you are probably making more than $400k. $60 isn’t gonna break you.

I have been using TT for 10 years and I’m happy with it. I could find a cheaper or free option out there and save $60. But it isn’t worth my time. I would have to enter info manually.

[Anonymous]

I print and mail my state taxes too. I refuse to pay Turbo Tax another $25 to file.

I waited too long for the best price on the TT software. I am putting this task on my calendar right now for 2025. Sam’s Club usually has a coupon. I justify the cost by allowing my 2 adult children to use my software. TT offers 3 or 4 returns from one software package.

[Anonymous]

Eff TurboTax and Intuit in general.

Did you know they recently settled for $141 million for misleading TurboTax customers about free vs. paid services, among other things? I didn't until this year when I had QuickBooks (also owned by Intuit) do the 2023 bookkeeping for my business. Such a dishonest company - I was shocked that a company of their size can get away with their games.

Apparently, they had to stop the fraud on the TurboTax side because of consumer protection laws in the states. But they continue on with their shenanigans in the QuickBooks division because companies do not have the same protections and would have to sue, and this is generally too expensive to be worth it.

Please, just give your money to any other tax preparer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eff TurboTax and Intuit in general.

Did you know they recently settled for $141 million for misleading TurboTax customers about free vs. paid services, among other things? I didn't until this year when I had QuickBooks (also owned by Intuit) do the 2023 bookkeeping for my business. Such a dishonest company - I was shocked that a company of their size can get away with their games.

Apparently, they had to stop the fraud on the TurboTax side because of consumer protection laws in the states. But they continue on with their shenanigans in the QuickBooks division because companies do not have the same protections and would have to sue, and this is generally too expensive to be worth it.

Please, just give your money to any other tax preparer!

What other preparers will complete our 4 family returns for $45?

[Anonymous]

If they ever stop offering the CD version I will stop using it. Sharing the CD cuts the cost in half and makes it reasonable.