Product Description

This is the easiest way to calculate the tip and total for a meal. In under 30 seconds, from start to finish, you can have the correct tip and total for your bill. ... Read more

Product Description

A pocket reference with a unit converter, tipping advice, clothing converter, and more! ... Read more

Product Description

Tax Pro is the easiest and most advanced software for filing your Tax forms. Tax Pro prepares forms W-2, W-3, 1099-INT, 1099-MISC and 1096 and prints them onto pre-printed forms. ... Read more

Features

• Tax Pro prepares forms W-2, W-3, 1099-INT, 1099-MISC and 1096 and prints them onto pre-printed forms.
• Preview on-screen reports. Print a single page or the entire report. Prints by ZIP code, Last name or TIN.
• Context sensitive Help and IRS instructions (view and/or print out)
• Direct data entry onto graphical representations of IRS forms. Includes sample import file. With Tax Pro, you can file pre-printed tax forms.
• Import and export ASCII files. Complimentary technical support.

Product Description

A fast, simple way to calculate a tip with the option to split the bill between your friends. ... Read more

Product Description

Don't know how much to tip the paper boy? the dog groomer? We've got you covered. ... Read more

Product Description

An easy-to-use multilingual tip calculator. ... Read more

Product Description

Know before you go. This gives you precise amounts on what your car payments are before you hit the dealership. ... Read more

Product Description

IslandTips is a tip calculator. ... Read more

Features

• Tax software helps users with tax deductions
• Estimate fair market value of donations
• Automatically import data to TurboTax
• Saves hundreds of dollars
• Very easy to use

Reviews (33)

A good idea, but weak execution
This was my first (probably last) time using ItsDeductible. One rude surprise was that you can't export the data to TurboTax for the Web, which is what I'm using. So after all that painstaking data entry into ID, I have to do it all over again in TTFTW. I have sent a suggestion to Intuit, hopefully they'll get that fixed for next year.

This product would be more useful if it was purchased at the beginning of the year, and you stored all of your donations in it as you go. Instead, I'm spending a half day transferring handwritten notes on receipts into the software... I'm thinking I will use a spreadsheet for that this year, and save the cost of this program.

Another beef is that there are numerous reports shown, but there are only really two! Cheesy.

So, as a learning experience: keep digital photos of your donations, tie them to your data (a spreadsheet or this software), make reasonable estimates on the Fair Market Values, and you will be in good shape in case of an audit. The government doesn't allow much in the way of deductions to the average tax payer, so take advantage of what you can!

Does what it says it will do. No more and no less.
I bought this product in January 2003 and began to enter all donations, both cash and non-cash donations. The product was simple to use and it ended up saving me a large chunk off my taxes. In December 2003 I was ready for the next version, but it was not available, so I bought the H&R Block Version - Deduction Pro, since I had done my taxes using TaxCut (which I preferred over TurboTax - but that's another story). I waited until I had a substantial amount of non-cash donations to make, which was after the 60 day return period. Bad move! The version I bought in December 2003 was for the tax year 2003. The 2004 tax year version is not due to be released until August or September 2004. In order to benefit from either of these products you have to enter as you go, otherwise you will miss out on the value of the deduction. I contacted the H&R Block Customer Service people (via e-mail) to see about upgrading from 2003 to 2004 and they basically told me that I was out of luck and that they had no good idea of when the 2004 version was coming out. Bottom line - It's Deductible is easy, good and, best of all, available for the tax year that you are tracking.

Its A Joke
For years I have bought Intuit products (Quicken, TurboTax, ...) but never before have I been so disappointed. Its Deductible should really be titled "Its A Joke."

Yes, you can track your donations (cash, non-cash, mileage, medical, and other property). And yes, you can print a report
and supposedly import them to TurboTax (I did not try it). But that's it. I bought the product to not only track donations (a fairly simple task) but to also use the "market value" data to properly value all of my personal assets--my home inventory--for Quicken and for insurance purposes. Getting this information out of Its Deductible is essential impossible.

It does NOT provide a report to print out the market values (good/ fair/ poor condition) for a category of items. The only reports it does provide are limited. The only way to get this information is to write it down by hand. Oh, and by the way, the shrunk-wrapped product does NOT come with this market data on the CD. You first have to connect to the Internet. For security purposes (e.g. read about all the PC break-ins lately) my financial software and data are on a computer NOT connected to the Internet. To get anything useful from Its Deductible you'll have to connect to the Internet--a requirement that the box does NOT specify. The program will then proceed to download a 2.9 megabyte update--which on a 26.6 kbyte dial-up connection takes a loooooong time.

Worse yet is that the packaging says nothing about a "basic" version and a "deluxe" version--for an upgrade price. In the box I obviously got the "basic" version which does NOT allow you to download market value data for "Computers and Electronics." Come-on Intuit, how about some resonable advertising on your package? They also don't tell you on the package that the product is only good for one of two calendar years (e.g. 2003/2004). It's NOT a reference product that you could use for a few years. No, you'll have to buy it all over again next year. The box says nothing about that!...

Intuit, you've outdone yourself this time. Its Deductible is-- Its a Joke. I wasted hours wrestling with it to try and pry some useful market data out of it to value my personal property (to better decide what to donate, what to sell, and what to insure). It was a waste of time and a waste of money. As a long-time Intuit customer they are pushing me to the competition. The bottom line--don't buy this product.

Regretfully,
Frustrated Frank

Better than having to look up items on your own
I bought this after reading about it in USA Today. While it isn't all I hoped for, it was very helpful in organizing and valuing most of our many donations for the year. You have to buy an upgrade to value electronics though, which is a pain. Also, the installation is only good for one tax year. Since I picked 2003, it says I need to buy another copy for 2004 (not so much of an issue for 2004 buyers...). It did export nicely to my turbotax.

Oh, one more thing - you can track medical expenses and miscellaneous expenses in it, but you can't export them to turbotax. Its up to the user whether they want to waste their time doing that, but I did not realize that at first.

Year 3 and counting!
This is my third year using this product and I am very pleased with it. If you donate throughout the year and keep track as you go, this will be a great help to you. I could never figure out just how much to claim for things. This program clears up most of it. I don't understand all the people having trouble using the program. It works great for me! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Quicken TurboTax guides users through their returns step by step and is updated with the latest tax laws. EasyStep Interview asks easy-to-understand questions and places answers directly onto IRS-approved forms. It double-checks for errors and overlooked deductions and points out entries that might flag an audit. It also prints IRS-approved forms on plain paper or files returns electronically to get refunds faster.

This version is revised and updated with the latest tax law changes to guide users through their taxes and help take advantage of more deductions. You can import information from last year's tax return so you don't need to reenter data. The Tax Advisor gives custom money-saving tax advice while completing the return. Receive a tax report in the form of a customized, printable action plan you can refer to all year to save money on next year's taxes.

The Refund Monitor constantly displays refund amounts or taxes due, and updates itself automatically while entering new information. To see a snapshot of taxable income and deductions in addition to the user's bottom line, double-click on the Refund Monitor and view the Tax Summary. The new TurboTax features a streamlined interface that puts everything in plain sight and makes doing taxes easier than ever. ... Read more

Features

• America's #1 Tax Software
• Get the deductions you deserve
• Up to date on tax laws

Reviews (30)

Simple interface - walks you through the whole process!
Having used Turbo Tax for the past few years, I can't see why anyone would want to fill out forms manually. Granted my tax situation is not that involved, I can usually have the software complete my entire Federal 1040 form in about an hour. For repeat users, a lot of information is retrieved from last year's returns (assuming you're on the same computer) which saves a considerable amount of typing. And the forms are sent directly to your printer when done. Just fold them and send them to the IRS.
This year (tax year 2001), electronic filing is made even easier with the option built into the software. There's even a rebate that Quicken offers for those who wish to pay to e-file which offsets the cost entirely.
If you decide to purchase this software then be prepared for Quicken to attempt to sell/push other products on you. There will even be a few desktop icons that appear after you install the software. And an additional folder will be added to your "Favorites".
Hope this helps.

At last -- good tax software, right price, simple to use
I've criticized TurboTax for five years (since it bought Personal Tax Edge for TurboTax). It has taken since 1997 for Intuit Software to finally produce a simple to use, fairly priced, clean federal tax software program. They finally did it. This is a good tax software product. It is free of the bells, whistles, other nitwittery, and intrusive on-screen product advertisements of past years. Unless this is your first year completing your federal income tax on a computer and need hand holding, buy this not the deluxe version of Turbo Tax and buy the all-states version (January 27th) of Turbo Tax as well. (The $... tax software is exactly the same minus a talking narrator and lots of extraneous nonsense.) The federal and state integration (at least for PA) is perfect. Don't order the state version on-line from intuit as prompted ... If you buy both federal and state versions from Amazon you'll save a lot of postage and handling costs. TurboTax and a good computer makes tax form preparation for e-filing or print and mail a snap. All tax forms and tax preparation guidance is included. Integration with Fidelity data is perfect - at last.

Overpriced junk made even worse this year!
This software, which is already overpriced junk (I feel even sorrier for Mac-users who get ripped for double the price @ [...]) historically, now leads the pack for the 2003 award for Most Obnoxious Software with the addition of "mother-may-I" copy protection (can't use it without Intuit's express permission on a single machine) and installation of admitted spyware ("C-Dilla" aka, "SafeCast") that stays even when TurboTax is uninstalled! Although the Mac version doesn't have these issues, Intuit charges double for that luxury!

Rats!
I've used Turbo Tax for 7 years, but 2001 was probably the last.
I'd carefully kept Internet Explorer off my computer - no easy feat! Then, I install TurboTax 2001 and it installs IE! No asking if I wanted it, no "cancel" button, just a program I didn't want. (Which incidentally [fouled] up my internet connection.)
But that's not all. While running, Turbo Tax splashes advertisements for all kinds of garbage on the screen. I don't know about you, but I find doing taxes unpleasant enough without having to plow through supurflous adverts.
Maybe they should charge a little more up front and quit the bogus hucksterism.

the Turbo Tax Download
This is the first time I have used TurboTax. I had trouble with Mutual Funds and went to a professional tax preparer for the last three years. I was anticipating difficulty with it and had some anxious moments, but it turned out beautifully. I got more money back in refunds than I ever had. I felt I had to sign up for Audit Protection because TurboTax sent so much back. The one problem I had was that I didn't know where to enter charitable donations. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Complete your state tax returns quickly and easily with TurboTax State. This easy-to-use program works with TurboTax 1040 programs to transfer your federal data to your TurboTax State return. An interactive interview tool asks you questions, places your answers directly onto state-approved forms, and automatically performs all calculations for you. There's also a built-in feature to check your return for errors and omissions to help ensure that it is accurate and complete. State-tax electronic filing is available for 41 states plus Washington, D.C., so you can get your refund faster.

Note: TurboTax State is for use with TurboTax, TurboTax Deluxe, TurboTax Premier, or TurboTax Home & Business. This version is for California state taxes only. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Tax returns made less taxing
Turbo Tax state is an essential addendum to the federal version. With the same ease of use -- in Q & A format -- as Turbo Tax, Turbo Tax state transfers your data from your federal return to the state. It takes the mental taxation of the process and turns it into a few easy keystrokes.

Audit advice, deductions and charitable contributions are also an option when you do your state taxes with TT state.

My one complaint is that there is an electronic filing fee -- why isn't this free? If Turbo Tax can file my return online, why can't I do the same thing -- by emailing or transmitting an electronic file through my franchise tax board? ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

TurboTax Deluxe for Mac is a tax planning and preparation solution that provides everything you need to file your taxes quickly and easily. The EasyStep Interview process guides you through your return step by step, then double checks for errors and overlooked deductions. Plus, TurboTax Deluxe for Mac delivers a complete set of interactive tools to help you uncover tax-saving opportunities. You'll benefit from smart tax strategies, expert guidance, and a comprehensive tax library.

With TurboTax Deluxe for Mac for tax year 2002 working for you, it can be easier than ever to make the most of the changing tax laws and claim the tax breaks you deserve. Plus, the package includes one free download of a TurboTax State for Mac and a rebate for one free electronic filing.

TurboTax features instant data entry that automatically retrieves W-2 wage data, 1098 mortgage interest, and 1099 investment data from participating employers and financial institutions, then enters it in the right forms, eliminating manual data entry and simplifying tax preparation. Import Quicken data (2001 or later) and bring in separate categories of transactions, like deductions, and preview your entries one at a time.

Note: Free download of TurboTax State is good for one return only. Additional copies are needed for additional states. One free 1040 e-filing is also included after rebate. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Good product gone bad
I used TurboTax in 2000 and 2001; it was simple and error free. But 2000 was a nightmare in several respects. When I tried to locate the self-employed health deduction location, for instance, I simply got a message telling me what had to be done and the software didn't take me there. I had to do a manual override. It kept telling me there were errors (I was using EasyStep) but when I would fix the ones it found it would tell me there were more than before. I opted to download the current upgrades, which, it said, would take just a "few minutes." At 56k it too an hour and a half. Then it printed the quarterly estimated tax vouchers for 2003 with letter across it saying that they required a software update to print properly. We're in July of 2003 and they aren't ready? They have turned a relatively simply and effective application into an abomination. It took me 5 hours to do our simple taxes, and I eventually had to just send the forms off with "error" still being reported. The prior two years I spend about 2 hours using TurboTax.

On the down slide
Many errors, awkward. I've used Macintax and turbo tax for many years. This year was the most problem filled one yet. Ane they make the filing rebate harder and harder to collect.
My last year with this.

Worked nearly flawlessly for me
I have used both Kiplingers and TurboTax products in the past with good results, and this year's effort using TurboTax for Mac was no different. Installation and updates were easy, and with broadband access, I had no problems with download times (including the download of the state version).

Yes, there are a few ads scattered throughout, which was a bit annoying since I'd paid for the product (as opposed to an ad-based online site). But that was a very minor annoyance to me that was no worse than the average web site ads we've all learned to ignore.

I did wait until mid-March to file, in part so as to take advantage of any product updates & bug fixes. That meant starting and stopping work on the return several times, and it was very simple to pick up where I'd left off. I e-filed and got my return through direct deposit in about a week.

The only problem I have is a result of my own carelesness: I lost the rebate form for the state program, and so far cannot find a downloadable rebate form on the Intuit web site.

All in all, I'd have no reservations at all about recommending this product or about buying it again next year. (Used on a G4/400, 384mb RAM, broadband access)

2002 OSX Version a Disaster
I have used Turbo Tax on a Mac since 1997 with good results. I don't know why the 2002 version was such a disaster but perhaps it is related to this being the first one written for OSX. ...

In short, probably my worst software experience in 25 years of using computers. ...

OK, but takes too long to set up.
After installing Turbotax the download of the update took about 1 hour and 45 min. on a 56k
modem. Makes one wonder if there was anything on the original disk. ... Read more

Features

• Tax software guides users through IRS returns
• Interview-based wizard system
• Up-to-date with latest federal tax law
• Checks math and audit flags
• Includes investment, retirement and deduction advice

Reviews (3)

Last minute buyers should avoid
TurboTax Premier would not install on my XP system. It just hung during the part where fonts are installed. This bug is known to tech support but nothing they told me or sent me worked. Getting help was arduous. I'm going back to TaxCut.

Not as good as last year's
I was very happy with last year's version for 2002 tax returns. I own rental property and using TT helped guide me through depreciations and other considerations that I had done differently on my own. This year's edition of TT has become confusing and even completely passes over the deductions for automobile use. I've read a couple dozen of the many reviews for the Deluxe version and the same problems exist here. You'll have to download a fairly large update and you'll likely have problems with fonts. I realize the tax code has changed dramatically, but that doesn't let Intuit off the hook. Read the reviews of the Deluxe version and you'll likely be scared away.

Free support is non existent.
Not worth the price. The State entries depend on the Federal entries and if wrong cannot be corrected and filed electronically. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Taxpayers who have progressed beyond the 1040EZ know that money can'tbuy happiness until after April 15. TurboTax 2001 Premier can't deliverhappiness, but it can make federal tax preparation a lot easier for just abouteveryone.

Installation of TurboTax Premier is quick, and a linked series of wizards helpsusers compile all the information they need. Back-and-forth navigation issimple; the software keeps track of which steps have been skipped and returns asnecessary. Users who must pay state taxes need only type in their informationonce if they use a TurboTax state package (free after rebate with TurboTaxDeluxe, Premier, or Home & Business).

First-time users would be well-advised to ask a knowledgeable friend to helpout. Although much of the hard work is done automatically, some decisions arefar from intuitive and may require some detective work. The copious online helpfunctions are both smart (they often answer questions before they're asked) andthorough; this goes a long way toward easing users' troubled minds. Data entryis relatively painless, especially for returning users, who can port in lastyear's information and edit as needed. When it's all over, every form is printedout complete with everything but signatures, or users can opt for easyelectronic filing.

If you own rental property or are a big investor, TurboTax Premier is probablyyour best option when it comes to tax prep software. Extra guidance forinvestors helps you handle capital gains and losses, while the Deduction Finderand new Audit Alerts are geared toward property owners who file Schedule E. This beefed-up version of TurboTax also includes an Office Expense Advisor forthose who work out of a home office.

New features such as the 401(k) Maximizer help balance retirement investmentsand take-home pay so well that some users will find that their savings pays forthe software many times over. The savings in stress and time are also well worthit for the rest of us. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Tax Software for the Do-It-Yourselfer
I have used Turbo Tax for at least ten years and it gets better every year. Once you start using it, you will never have to enter your personal information again. It reads last year's file and enters all the tedious name, address, SS# and other repetitive data automatically. You have only to verify that it is still correct.

If you have rental property or other depreciating assets, those balances are also brought forward to the next year's return. For a Schedule C business, this is hard to top, carrying forward last year's business info. It also picks up all the previous year's W-2s and 1099s so you only have to fill in the new numbers. One helpful hint - try to have all your income and expense data handy when you start working, it will make the process go more quickly.

Although I never use the data import function from Quicken, I did create categories in Quicken that corrolate to the Schedule C categories on turbo tax. If you are meticulous about categorizing all your transactions in every account you use in Quicken, the import function will work quite well. I cross check a categorized report from Quicken and the enter the totals manually.

There are two approaches to use: the interview, which asks you questions about your sources of income and picks the forms you need, helping you fill them out by answering questions; and the forms method, which lets you just pick the forms you need and fill them out like they were in a typwriter. I prefer the interview method in general, but it is easy to toggle back and forth if you suddenly find a receipt for something you should have entered earlier. There is also a progress checklist that you can refer to to see where you are in the overall process.

One step that you should always do at the end is the error check routine. This will pickup any missing answers, even if they have no calculated value. This helps ensure an error-free return when you go to print or send it. You can file electronically and pay your taxes with a credit card this year.

The tax reference materials are great. You can look up the code and interpretations with court precidents to help guide you with expenses, deductions and the like. There are a few less-common forms missing from the software, but links to download them are available. I had poor luck finding the one I needed at Intuit, but it was, of course at the IRS site.

I can do a 30 page return in several hours, rather than the several days it took me to do it with paper, pencil and calculator in the pre-tax-software era. The faster you get it done, the more time you'll have to cry before you send another check to the government.

Big Problems In TurboTax Land
I found a serious problem in one of the forms in TurboTax. This problem would not allow me to complete my return. I verified the problem using Lasser's Tax book and also the IRS. Yet when I informed the maker's of TurboTax about the problem, they repeatedly refused to acknowledge it and, of course, would not agree to fix it. Wow! What an attitude.
This makes me doubt all of the calculations in TurboTax, and gives a reliability rating from me of zero.
In addition, there are several other problems as soon as one tries anything out of the ordinary. Here are some details of two of many problems in the program:
*On Form 8824, using an example straight out of Lasser's, if you enter the date 5/7/01 on line 4 and then enter the date 7/1/01 on line 5, the program will give you an error, saying that more than 45 days have elapsed. This is WRONG: exactly 45 days have elapsed, and this is confirmed by the example given in Lasser's.
*If you have a 1031 exchange, it is impossible to get the program to correctly calculate the appropriate depreciation for the new property in 2001. The program suggests you split the new property into two properties for the purpose of depreciation. This won't work because it can not deal with the fact that the relinquished property started depreciating long before the sale date, but only depreciation starting at the sale date counts for this calculation. Sound complicated? It is, and this is just what a decent program should help you with. Who needs a program for the simple stuff?
If you have anything but the simplest of returns, forget this software.

Like having a financial advisor on call 24/7
It is just NOT possible to keep up with tax law changes and the intricacies of deductions without some kind of software. I've tried several competing tax softwares and I have definitely settled on TurboTax. Not only does it link seamlessly with Quicken, but it has a lot of extras that are extremely valuable.

Even if you have a tax accountant or tax preparer, TurboTax helps you understand your tax situation and organize your paperwork to make the most of the preparer's time (time IS money, after all.) And, since most of us have to manage our own retirement funds, the Premier edition has some incredibly useful tools to forecast tax and investment outcome not only this year, but down the road.

If you own rental property or take special deductions, the deluxe version allows you to run a "what-if" to see how robust your deduction is.

The premier version has much more help for the investor. Since most of us must manage our 401(k), the Maximizer, Year-to-Year Deduction Manager, and 10-Year Tax Forecaster are quite helpful--especially if you are nearing retirement age in a decade or less. It also helps you reduce the tax impact of your investments with vital information about capital gains and losses.

I think this is the best version yet. ... Read more

Product Description

From the manufacturer: We are a progressive online tax service provider. Our founders believe that people should have a quick and easy way to file their taxes. Our team has years of experience in the tax software industry, and we are dedicated to providing you with the simplest and easiest way to file your taxes. What makes us better than our competition? Our competitors such as TurboTax and H& R Block have a number of extraneous features that increase the complexity of the tax interview process. Their process is poorly organized, and they ask too many questions that are not relevant to you. You will find that our software is much easier to navigate, and we ask the fewest possible questions to get your custom tax return done in only 10 minutes! We are the easiest and fastest alternative. We have a dedicated staff committed to the needs of our tax clients. Our award winning service team is easily accessible by e-mail, phone or 24/7 live chat. We guarantee that you will be satisfied with the product, or you will get a full refund. Once you purchase and download this product, it will link you to our tax service. After our short tax interview, your Federal Tax Return can be filed electronically. You will then be given the option to file a state return for an additional charge of $19.99. You may also ask for additional services such as a rapid anticipated refund loan, audit protection, or a professional review. ... Read more

Features

• Powerful tax preparation software that guides you step by step.
• Faster and easier than TurboTax.
• Done! In only 10 minutes.
• Check for errors and makes sure you get your maximum refund.
• Complete satisfaction or your money back.

Amazon.com Product Description

TaxCut Platinum Home & Business 2002 features the new TaxCut Platinum product for your personal taxes. It offers all of your favorite features from TaxCut Deluxe, plus it's packed with new assistants for capital gains, stock options, and depreciation, to name a few. TaxCut Business 2002 contains all the forms you need, plus a new W-2/1099 reporter and preparer function. The interview-style process is enhanced, and more than 45 new tax tips are in the FAQ section, all to make your business taxes easier than ever.

H&R Block financial planners assist you in determining if your investments support your financial goals and if your asset allocation matches your risk tolerance. You can also create what-if scenarios for future savings. Nine-year tax preview shows you all the ways that the tax legislation of 2001 will affect you now and in the future. Home Office Assistant walks you through a series of questions to see if your home office qualifies for tax purposes. Retirement Savings Enhancer provides ways to increase your tax and retirement savings to ensure you get the most out of your 401(k).

Rental Property Assistant helps you maximize your rental property tax savings by providing tax tips and reminding you of overlooked individual rental property expenses. Capital Gains Assistant, powered by GainsKeeper, helps you maximize your tax benefits and minimize your tax liabilities. The new Stock Options Advisor offers a central location to find answers to all your stock options questions, including the consequences of your transactions. Get help and advice regarding all types of options--such as incentive, nonqualified, and even employee stock purchases. Business Expense Assistant helps sole proprietors enter, track, and report business expenses to maximize deductions. It also provides additional tax tips and answers to frequently asked questions.

TaxCut for Business 2002 features all the forms you need, including form 1040 for sole proprietorships, form 1120 for corporations, form 1120S for S-corporations, form 1065 for partnerships, form 941 for payroll returns, form 1041 for fiduciary returns, and form 990 for nonprofit organizations. In addition, the new W-2/1099 reporter and preparer saves you time and money by printing out W-2s and 1099-MISCs for employees and contractors, and the associated IRS reports. ... Read more

Features

• This powerful tax tool features the applications & advice you need for timely completion of all your tax forms
• Get expert advice from Kiplinger and H&R Block for controlling your debt, buying a home, investing and planning for your retirement
• Built-in business assistant gives you tips on depreciation, expense deductions, and other business considerations
• It also features complete forms for your convenience -- just fill them in & print them out
• Includes the following forms -1040, 1120S, 1065, 1041, 990, 940 and 941

Reviews (13)

Business module very weak
I've been extremely pleased with the personal TaxCut for several years, moving over when TurboTax got too bloated and Intuit too cocky. However I've stayed with Business TurboTax because of the import capability from QuickBooks.

QuickBooks, now also bloated and chock full of full of Intuit product promotions, has infuriated me with Intuit products in general. After reading about their fiasco with product reg protection in the personal TurbopTax, I decided to make the jump this year, import convenience be damned.

TaxCut Platinum made sense since I'm using their personal module and I frankly expected the same level of polish on the business version. However running the 1120 module reminded me of the old DOS tax programs I used way back in the late 1980s. It really is sloppy and non-intuitive. As the others mentioned, I'm shocked that re-opening a company doesn't take you to an auto bookmark, but instead to the first interview page. And forms management is non-existent.

It's nice to have a live Q&A window on each data entry sequence, but it's tiny and non-scalable. And maybe it's a registry bind with my XP Pro system, but I can't resize or minimize the program window - it's full screen or nothing.

But it did prepare the return, and did so at half the price of Intuit's offering. Still, Block really needs to go over this thing though, because it's no where near the quality of their personal module.

Don't use it
I give it 0 stars. We used it for a small business and it was a pain in the neck. It wasn't easy to use like TurboTax. One example: Our business didn't require one of their forms to be filled out...because of that form being blank, it wouldn't let us continue. Therefore, we ended up printing out what we had, filled it out by hand and then we got our money back. Oh, and the local H&R Block was not willing to help us even though their product wasn't working right. Next year, we use Turbo Tax.

Only software that makes TurboTax look good
For several years up to 2002, I used TurboTax from Intuit - both the business and personal editions. Using TurboTax has been a pretty sucky semi-manual process that I've never been happy with. Believing some erroneous reviews (thanks for nothing Walt Mossberg from the WSJ), I vented my frustration by using TaxCut this year. It is horrific. It probably would have been easier to do my business returns by hand (even with having to look up calculations for depreciation). The other reviews cover most of the probs: it starts with trying to update the program and having it crash, continues through worksheets where you have to manually enter info that has already been entered elsewhere and a completely unintegrated (nonexistent?) help system, and ends where I had to go to the IRS and CA FTB sites to find the addresses to mail the reurns to.

Much Better Than Expected
I decided to take a chance on this product after closing another intrusive pop-up sales window in Intuit's QuickBooks program and fearing the problems I heard about on this year's edition of TurboTax. I am so glad I did! The home side was easy, updating was no problem and it discovered that my accountant had placed me in the wrong school district (a quick call to a school official confirmed this). I have a VERY small business with two employees and the program was fine for that, however I can see where some people would question the 'robustness' of the product for larger businesses. The Business side also discovered two errors my accountant made on last year's return (glad I dumped the accountant). I am more than satisfied.

Will Cost $15 more than you bargained for
The program will not update. I purchased it April 9, and sat down on the 14th (procrastination is a strong suit of mine)to do my taxes using the business edition. Whenever I tried to download the latest forms It kept freezing up. You cannot submit it until it is updated. I visited the web site, did everything it suggested. Spent an hour on the phone with "tech" support, who basically walked me through what the web site said. Then said well you will have to call customer service to get the update cd. Customer Service Charged me [$$$] to overnight it to me. I understand they have to recoup CD and Shipping costs, but just put it somewhere where I can download it and I would be happy. The personal solution is good, the business is poor. Don't buy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

TaxCut Platinum Home & Business comes complete with forms for home and business tax filing, including Form 1040 for sole proprietorships, Form 1120 for corporations, Form 1120S for S corporations, Form 1065 for partnerships, Forms 940 and 941 for payroll returns, Form 1041 for fiduciary returns, and Form 990 for nonprofit organizations.

For preparing a personal tax return, TaxCut's interview asks simple, direct questions tailored to the tax situation. Based on the answers, TaxCut does all the calculations and selects and completes the necessary forms. Or skip the interview and go directly to the forms. TaxCut double-checks the results and reviews the return like a personal accountant, checking for missing data, pointing out deductions that might have been missed, and flagging entries that might set off alarms at the IRS.

For a business return, get the same helpful features, but tailored for a businesses' tax needs. All forms are IRS approved. Complete the forms right on a computer while the software does all the calculations and carries entries to other related business forms. The interview feature helps avoid mistakes on the return. Expert tax help is built into the interview, and official IRS publications and instructions are available at the click of a mouse. Multimedia tutorials guide users throughout the preparation of their returns. TaxCut also lets users plan ahead and maximize deductions with the built-in Tax Planner. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Steer Clear of Tax Cut for Business
I purchased this product because the price tag was right (half the price of the comparable Turbotax product). As the saying goes you get what you pay for---except in this case you get less!

I had to download over 200 forms from the website, the program crashed several times while doing this. Some of the shortcomings include:

The program doesn't remember you to where you left off in the interview process so you must start at the beginning or manually find your location

More detailed tax explanations are cumbersome to get and often must be downloaded from the site

The program also would "forget" information that had been input. For instance, the depreciation worksheets would accept data, not do corresponding calculations, and at the end of the input process, behave as if you hadn't just created that item's record

It's almost as if the program were created for people who already knew what they were doing, but just wanted some automated assistance (minus the outright bugs of forgetting inputted data). In any case, as a Turbotax user from previous years, I'd recommend that product hands down over Taxcut.

I haven't used the personal tax portion of this package, and I'm not going to.

Don't buy this product
It is awful. The interview process asks all the easy, basic stuff, but when it comes to the tough parts like filling out schedules, you're on your own.

The "free state software" is not the business edition. It's for personal taxes. Pure deceit. And guess what? The only place you can buy the Business Tax State edition is through TaxCut for another [$$$]. Pure greed.

Won't use again
I found this software package to come up very short. I purchased this edition only to find out later,in the very very small print, that I needed the business all-state edition to do the state return. (Intuit's is downloadable.Taxcut is not.) The personal state tax software won't work either. I searched every office supply and computer store in raleigh and could not find a copy of the business all state edition.

I did not like the process to fill out the federal return either, nor the way it printed the form. I found it very cumbersome and impossible move around during the "interview".

It was my mistake though, I have alternated every year between turbo tax and taxcut for the last 12 years, I cannot seem to remember that intuit is the one that I like so well. I hope I don't make this mistake again.

I have found the purchase of TaxCut to be very inconvenient.

Business return disappointing
(I have not yet used the state yet, but) using the business return was very frustrating. Program would unload on every error, so I would lose my work and have to go back. The interview always started from the beginning. I could not name my return (it just saved somewhere). I deleted a worksheet, but the entire 1140 form was deleted.
For the money I saved, I burned it in labor. I will go back to Intuit next year.

Disappointed
While the personal return, both federal & state were OK, they were difficult to get accustomed to and even after doing several returns, difficult to navigate around in. Also had a hard time printing which may or may not be related to the program, but don't usually have a hard time printing.

The Business software was appealing because it had fiduciary (1041) forms. It did, but it didn't do much other than let you type them in and do the math for you.

It was also very maddening to find that in order to get state forms [an additional fee] was required, even though I only needed one state. What's with that???? The advertising info says that state forms are included... it doesn't say only for personal returns. A "chat" with HR Block, was a relative waste of time.

I might use thier personal tax software next year, but I sure won't buy the business package again!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

TaxCut State automatically transfers your federal data into your state return. Error Check thoroughly double-checks your return to make sure it's complete. You can e-file your state return to get your refund in record time (not all states allow electronic filing). Get your TaxCut State program free after mail-in rebate when you purchase TaxCut Deluxe, TaxCut Platinum, TaxCut Platinum Home & Business, or TaxCut Platinum for Macintosh.

The improved tax-prep process presents only those questions specific to your situation, and allows you to navigate more quickly and easily to the forms you need. The Click and Fix Auditor checks for missing deductions and flags items that might trigger audits. The Refund/Owe Meter provides up-to-the-minute status of your refund or amount as you enter data. ... Read more

Features

• It works by transferring your federal tax data into a state return
• From there, it's a simple matter of double-checking your data to make sure it's accurate
• Once you're done, just E-file your return to get your refund in record time
• Doing your taxes has never been easier!

Reviews (19)

Did what I needed it to do
I thought this product did a workman-like job of doing what I needed it to do. I liked that it interfaced well with the Federal version.

Don't bother if you live in Oregon.
The software doesn't support electronic filing for the state of Oregon. What a joke. Last year I used Turbo Tax and it had no problems filing my state return electronically. That's a lot Block.

TaxCut is very user unfriendly
I had lots of problems with this software. The most user unfriendly software I have ever used. There were lots of forms that were not updated and need to be downloaded from the web. I would not buy this software again.

Terrible tax software
Only after double and triple checking every line could I be sure that my state return was accurate. I would have saved time by using pencil and paper. While the Taxcut Federal software I used was semi-respectable, this is a disgrace! Many entries are not calculated automatically (at least for the DC version), you have to calculate a value youself and enter in the box! Unless your return is very simple, I guarantee you will file an incorrect return if you trust this software blindly.

can't beat pencil, paper, and calculator
Using the CA edition. I have used TurboTax in the past and was used to them asking me questions to see if a tax rule applies to me. Many times, TaxCut State has just referred me to the CA instructions (not always included electronically), which makes me wonder why I even bought the software. The help system is substandard. For example in the interview, "California provides special credits and acceleration write-offs which may cause the basis of an asset to be different for California and federal depreciation." That sounds lovely, but the help system does not explain these special differences and I can find nothing explaining them on the California government tax sites. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that I don't get audited. ... Read more