Filing Taxes: turbo or H&R?

[PMJ]

We have always filed through H & R Block b/c of our Financial situation. (Lots of moving - so multiple filing in diff. states, a rental property etc). I think both DH and I are LAZY and don't really understand how to do this. I know I def don't.

I'm a bit nervous to go on-line and file through the Free turbotax or another one I recently saw on tv. What are your thoughts on this? I'm leaning towards this this year, b/c it will save us almost $500.... ( H & R costs).

thanks

[katydid1971]

I took the H&R class one year and I learned a lot. After taking it I realized that Turbo tax is the way to go. They use basically the same software. If you don't feel comfortable using the online site you can buy the software pretty much everywhere for $40-$50. It comes with free federal e-filing. You would still be $450 ahead.

[AnnieW625]

I have always done Turbo Tax since we got married (prior I just filled out a paper 1040 EZ) and never had a problem. When we moved here I did ask my co worker who has an accounting degree, owns a vacation home, and used to own a business who he used and he said he just uses Turbo Tax. That year I thought Turbo Tax was a little out of whack (because we had moved, DH had a part time job and they didn't take out enough taxes, and then was hired on full time late in the year so we had a huge jump in income from the prior year where he had just gotten unemployment) so we had to pay money so I spent another $50 and got the H&R Block Tax Cut program and saved an additional $150 or so and wrote off the costs of buying the program. We have since gone back to using Turbo Tax, and I have never been audited, but then I never give to charity more than the $500 per year (to an individual charity) you can write off without receipts so I am always a low risk. I am also bad at keeping receipts for stuff (I write it down in my calendar when I donate) so I think that is why I am so hesitant to use a service, and honestly why I don't use a service.

Instead of H&R Block can you find another CPA who does taxes and might charge less? My parents are actually going to use H&R Block (my dad's friend does taxes there) for the first time because my dad is now employed as an independent contractor and he thought they should try it because all of his income has been a 1099 vs. the regular W2.

[daniele_ut]

We use an independent CPA. Our taxes are a little complicated because dh is employed FT AND he also teaches music lessons and does a lot of gigs for which he gets 1099 forms. He has a lot of expenses that we claim against that income as well. I screwed it up one year and after that we decided it was worth it to pay someone. It costs us about $200.

[ohiomom1121]

I have used the H & R Block At Home computer program for the last 4 years and it's really easy. I think I started with that because my dad told me Turbo Tax installs spyware on your computer. (may have changed, this was years ago). I think it's pretty comparable to Tax cut. I paid $34.99 for it and it includes 5 federal efiles.

[oneontheway]

Turbo tax. We buy it at Costco or BJs. Its cheap and very easy. It walks you through the whole process. We have a rental property too and don't have any issues.

[wellyes]

H&R Block is in my mind a service for people who can't use Turbo Tax....ESL, nervous with computers, elderly,etc. I know an employee there who says many of his clients could not figure out a 1040EZ on their own. It is not something I would pay for unless I really had to.

[Pear]

Some gets our taxes are complicated. The multiple-state thing is a big headache. Add in something else and it can be worth having someone else do the taxes.

This year things are simple for us. We did turbotax online. We didn't qualify for the free service, but the cost was very reasonable. Our taxes took less than hour and I am confident they are correct.

[jenfromnj]

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Instead of H&R Block can you find another CPA who does taxes and might charge less?

I was going to suggest this, too. Our CPA (he's a family friend, but we still pay his regular rate) charges us less than the $500 you mentioned being charged by H&R, and we have both NY and NJ as well as federal, have a tenant/rental property and a few other things that make our return more complicated than it used to be.

[ladysoapmaker]

I prefer TurboTax and am so disappointed DH & I no longer qualify for their free service. My dad's a CPA and H&R just rub me the wrong way.

I will probably going and picking up a copy of it soon as we need to get them filed for our FAFSA asap.


Jen

[icunurse]

We have used Turbo Tax online since 2000 and haven't had any issues, despite unemployment, adoption credits, etc. In fact, last year the IRS was adament that we were supposed to get $500 less than TT had figured out. I called and spoke with someone and TT ended up being right!

[kbud]

I use TaxAct and have for years. I use the deluxe version for $9.95 since it imports all my info from the previous year. This is the first year I've had income from doing some independent contracted and received a 1099. It was super easy. We also cashed in a whole life insurance policy. TaxAct easily walked me through it all. I'd never pay someone that much to simply plug the numbers in software. Maybe if there was a very complicated situation but I haven't found anything so far too complicated for the tax software.

[BabyBearsMom]

I'm a CPA and I use Turbo Tax (shhhhh....don't tell the other CPAs, I may be kicked out of the club!). It is very easy to use and I can tell you that when we have owed taxes, I'm always convinced that Turbo Tax has made a mistake, so I pull out all my books and do my taxes myself. Usually, I come up with the exact same number as TT and a few times TT found a deduction that I missed :oops: Anyway, I think its great software and unless you have a really complex taxes, an excellent choice.

[klwa]

I have used the H & R Block At Home computer program for the last 4 years and it's really easy.

Yep. Been using TaxCut (what HRBlock at home used to be called) ever since my mom quit workign at my aunt's H&R Block store. Haven't had a problem with it. Got an even better deal than usual on Amazon this year. Woohoo!

[MissAndi]

TurboTax is great. We both used to use H&R Block. We ended up getting audited and owing lots and lots of money because the HR employee messed something up. (Yes, I know we are ultimately responsible for our own taxes, BUT if you go to a professional who is supposed to know more than you... pffft).

We've used TT since then, and it's been super easy. This includes: moving to different countries and states. I love that it can import our information from our banks and investments firms. I love that it automatically imports the information from our last year's tax returns. Right now, our taxes take about 30 minutes.

[BabyMine]

I usually use H&R online but I have done both of them to compare what their totals were. I think I'll do that again this year.

[septmama2b]

Yep. Been using TaxCut (what HRBlock at home used to be called) ever since my mom quit workign at my aunt's H&R Block store. Haven't had a problem with it. Got an even better deal than usual on Amazon this year. Woohoo!

We got H&R Block on the Lightening Deal on Amazon this year too, it was a great deal. I have been using this software for 6 years at least, and have not had any problems. I was self employed and claimed a home office and it guided me through the whole thing. I found it very easy, and reliable.

[SpaceGal]

We use Turbo Tax Deluxe...we itemize deductions and what not. Its pretty simple and I've used it for the last 6 years...every since we bought a home and what not just to help figure things out. It was pretty straight forward to do this year...as DH didn't buy/sell stocks and all that jazz. When he does it gets a little complicated but Turbo Tax is good and takes us through step by step.