TurboTax Sucks
7I just finished filing our 2018 tax return, and I’m a little pissed because we owed more (we live in a high tax area, and can’t deduct all our sky-high property taxes this year).
While finishing things up though, I realized that I hate using TurboTax. I use it on a Mac. It is slow to open, sometimes crashes, has hundreds of MB of updates to apply every time I open it.
Buying it is expensive, and then they also charge you to file your state return ($24.99), and God help you if you can’t afford it because then they really sock it to you ($44.99) to pay for it out of your refund.
The software continuously asks me to register, which I don’t want to do because whenever I have they spam me all year with crap I don’t want.
When filing our return, they require my driver’s license info and my wife’s to prevent fraud (OK), but then when filing state returns they ask for the same info to be entered again. -That’s not preventing fraud the second time - it is just being a pain in my ass!
So bottom line is that i Have used TurboTax for 18 years, and it took me that long to realize how much I hate it.
What do you use to file your taxes, and do you have any ideas for a cheaper/better option I could use next year?
We have a fairly complicated return (rental property, schedule K-1 for farm income, stock sales, inherited IRA RMDs, etc.), but there must be other options.
I’m considering just doing them by hand next year rather than pay to use software that I hate. Any other ideas?
- 25 comments, 19 replies
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https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free
/giphy free tax return
@eonfifty
It’s also worthwhile to note that the Free File Alliance version of Turbotax linked above is not the same as the free edition offered on their website and advertised on TV all the time.
The latter will charge you if you need anything beyond the basic 1040, and a few other forms, whereas the former makes everything free, as long as you qualify.
@Narwalt
Yes. The “free” part is not guaranteed by all your choices there. The one I used cost me $29.95. They offer state tax returns, if your state requires you to file, but I do my state return myself.
/image free not free
I use to use tax software for years everything went well. As children and other issues came into play and the taxes became more complicated I ran into problems. Two years in a row, the software had some check glitch and certain aspects of the returns were audited two years in a row. I had to pay whatever they said and a small penalty to boot (I wasn’t even lying on the taxes!). Damn software said everything was ok.
I just find it easier to have someone do them for me. It’s expensive, but I never ever have anything come back to me anymore. I will take less of a refund for less stress.
@mfladd - And you can deduct the cost as an expense the following year, eh? Is that still true?
@aetris I think it is.
Yes. As does Intuit.
Used H&R Block’s products recently.
Hate thatfar less.
@f00l We’ve been using H&R Block tax SW for several years. My wife (who does the actual work on the filing) seems happy with it.
@f00l
Should perhaps clarify thoughts, not that it matters much …
TurboTax as SW had been mostly fine as tax SW, when I have used it.
(They had really obnoxious and nasty copy protection for some years’ releases.)
And some of their other small biz and personal SW is fine as SW.
But the philosophy and behind-the-scenes conduct of the parent company, Intuit, contains a long list of known despicable choices and behavior.
I dislike Turbotax mostly because I dislike Intuit.
I just use turbotax.com for free!
@clonetek I do, too, but my return is a basic 1040 with nothing more complex than some 1099 DIVs, and I know I’m taking the standard deduction.
I don’t know how it would work with a more complex form.
But I filed on a Sunday and my refund was in my checking account on Thursday.
H&R Block is the one tax software (online) that royally screwed up my taxes the one year I used it. I got a letter from the IRS that I underpaid and owed $3600. Turns out, H&R Block marked my income as self-employment income when it wasn’t.
@liquidbluenight I’ve used H&R Block software long enough to know that’s a PEBCAK issue.
@cinoclav Nope. It was because the entirety of my income that year was “misc” and H&R Block just assumed that meant self-employed. It didn’t give me the option to indicate otherwise.
@liquidbluenight If it didn’t give you any other option, you should have questioned it and not completed the filing. That’s why they offer help and guarantees.
@cinoclav Jeez, do you work for H&R Block or something?! I completed the same process, with the same weird income situation, with TurboTax and TaxAct, and H&R Block was the only one to screw it up. Just putting my two cents out there.
Used web file TurboTax this year. It was fine.
@medz Same here. I actually didn’t realize they still did installable products.
That being said, I used TaxSlayer last year and it kinda sucked, and have used TaxAct at some point in the past and I don’t remember it being too bad.
Haven’t used it yet, but Credit Karma has a free tax filing service. The free Audit Defense sounds interesting.
https://www.creditkarma.com/tax/
@heartny I’ve used credit Karma Tax for 3 years now, with no complaints. they even file my state returns for free.
now granted, i have about the simplest taxes, single employer, no investments aside from my 401k, etc.
I could probably get by with the 1040EZ if that’s still around…
@earlyre @heartny As of this year (2018 tax year) they’ve eliminated the 1040EZ and the 1040A. It’s 1040 for everyone!
Always do my own taxes. Which at times has included such things as a K-1, stock sales, etc. The first couple of times it took a while to figure it all out, but now it’s pretty routine. Took less than two hours to do both my federal and state this year. I mail in hard copies rather than filing electronically. Doesn’t really delay receiving any refunds due much. YMMV.
@lordbowen This is definitely the way I am leaning for next year. Between buying the software and filing, it cost me $80 this year!
I could have gotten 20 vibrating scalp massagers for $80.
Vibrating scalp massagers fall under schedule M3h - losses pertaining to absurd expectations.
@lordbowen @zachdecker I use a free xls form; kids, self employed, business… yada yada… and it is pretty nice… I used it for the last 5 years’ returns. I haven’t tried the 2018 spreadsheet yet, just the beta version.
http://www.excel1040.com
I’ve hired a tax CPA for years when things were complicated and H&R Block when they were simple, taking the free extra 5% cash back on Amazon deal on sale. The 5% CB paid for the software and then some.
ABS: Always Be Stacking.
Work in a CPA firm, so that’s the route I take. May be more expensive, but these people have your back if things come up later.
My taxes are complicated, and I’ve used TurboTax every year for at least 20 years. I tried it once on a Mac, and took it back to the store, and traded it in for the Windows version. Funny to think it was originally developed on the Mac, but that was a long, long time ago.
I just used it this past tax season, and it was fine. It probably took me two weeks or more to do it, but that was my fault, since I don’t have the kind of attention span that would keep me paying attention until it was done.
I’ve used H&R Block’s software for years and don’t have any complaints. My taxes are relatively uncomplicated. Seems the last few years I’ve been reading a lot more complaints about TurboTax.
I’ve used Taxact for a few years now. It’s entirely browser based, so no downloads and no boxes to buy.
My return is fairly simple, but it seems similar to TurboTax.
Just watch slickdeals in January. Then use the link to lock in the deal price. My fed + state was $35 this year.
CPA… enrolled agent.
My mother-in-law is a CPA. I haven’t done my own taxes since 1984. Everybody just needs to get a CPA relative. Problem solved.
Here’s what I do. I do my taxes by hand. Unless you have some crazy situations (owning your own business for example) it’s really not that difficult.
I also e-file for free using freefillabletaxforms.com which is kind of like Taxact/Turbotax minus the easy to answer questions. They won’t help you with your filing but if you know what you’re doing it’s not a big deal.
I also calculate my taxes through Taxact but I don’t pay to actually file them. I just use their calculations to verify mine, and if they don’t match what I came up with then I can research where I messed up and fix it before I file.
I can do this because Taxact doesn’t make you pay until the very end when it’s time to actually file, and although they also won’t supply you with an actualy 1040 form to mail in, they do give you a tally of your totals you can use to compare.
Sure it might take a bit more time but I have two things going for me… for one I’m cheap… and for two I actually have fun doing my taxes every year.
I should also add that my State doesn’t have a free e-filing option so I’m forced to mail in that return. Oh well… can’t win them all!
I use taxslayer. Since our situation changed last year it took longer than usual. Husbands job has him living and working in another state, could not find any way to file married/joint without getting screwed on state taxes. So I then went to turbo tax and did me as head of house. They wanted $99 for my taxes. Went to tax act, they wanted $89. Set up a second account at taxslayer $66.
These aren’t anything major, but because of what I pay in to retirement gives some credit and my 18 year old student they made me upgrade to premium, then of course the charge for state. I could have looked for cheaper, but by that point I was tired of taxes and wanted it done. My federal refund should be deposited this week. Then I just have to submit my husbands stuff, wanted to make sure the change of status didn’t throw up any red flags. Of course then I’m sure I’ll pay another $66 to get his federal and state filed. But it will be over with until next year.
My dad used a couple of the online programs but ended up doing it by himself because he didn’t trust their numbers.
I work for a CPA, so I use the professional software to do my rinky-dink returns.
I’ve used Turbotax the last few years, though not with their software. Mostly because I’m poor enough it’s completely free
I’ve used TurboTax every year since I started working and never had any issues. Granted, I just do a 1040 and use the free version. If I had anything more complicated I’d just pay someone else to do it
Intuit used to be a good company making decent software. Emphasis on used to be…
For other reasons to dislike TurboTax check out this:
How the maker of TurboTax fought free, simple tax filing
I switched from TurboTax to H&R Block around 5 years ago, mostly because it was significantly cheaper than Turbotax. But Intuit’s increasing attitude of “our customers are thieves, and must be treated as such” was also a factor.
The Deluxe + State version is what I’ve been using, since I have to deal with a small amount of stock transactions. It’s $30 from Amazon, but you can get it for $20 if you look for early (Nov-Jan) sales.
Don’t ever take the “renewal” offers from Block though, they’re pretty much full retail price.
I have used TurboTax for mine and my parent’s taxes for several years and never had any trouble with the software (though I am running it on a Windows laptop). Wife is a student (again) and does an ACT prep class a couple of times a year for 50+ students. I am an hourly employee, so I get the Home and Business version and so far I haven’t ever gotten audited or had any trouble with the SW. Like the fact it pulls my data (or my parents for their forms) from the previous filing. Use the free e-file for whichever set of taxes is due a refund, make hard copies and mail any others. Get my SW from Office Depot essentially free by using the rewards I earn by recycling ink/toner cartridges and price matching any lower price I find from the current competitors list.
TLDR: TurboTax FTW
I used TurboTax for years until they produced two errors in one year’s return. Both errors were reproduced by their help desk. One was a wrong question and one was an error with how the program handled data. After the confirmation of the errors, I was told those errors were not their problem and I need to check my return. After escalating the issues, I was told the same thing. I’ve never used TurboTax since and recommend anything but that to anyone who will listen.
@Wookee heh… same thing happens if the IRS advises you and they’re wrong… your prob. Including penalties and interest. Once you’re pulled thru the wringer by the IRS with their little sit downs and meet and greets… I want a CPA’s signature on that paper and an enrolled agent in case there’s a fight. I don’t care how simple the return is anymore.