taxcut

Homeowner? Investment income? H&R Block At Home Deluxe is for you

Taxpayers with simple returns have had lots of choices when it comes to preparing and filing their taxes online, including free options. But you get what you pay for, generally speaking, and those whose taxes require a bit more work have been forced into more-traditional (and expensive) options such as a visit to the offices of a professional tax preparation service or expensive, complex tax software that sometimes still involves CPAs and service fees. H&R Block's online service, H&R Block At Home, offers several options for taxpayers, including a free service. The Deluxe service costs $… Read more

Get a jump on your taxes with these TurboTax-powered apps

Sorry to burst your bubble, folks, but it is fully tax season. So, if you haven't gotten your W-2s, 1099s, and 1040s all compiled and organized, you'd best get moving.

In any case, here are a few tax apps that you should check out, no matter where you are in the tedious filing process. Download them and enjoy. They will definitely make your life a bit easier. And who knows? They might even make your tax-filing experience fun! Maybe.

TaxCaster (Android | iOS) If you're not quite ready to file, but you want to see what your return … Read more

Snap a pic of your W-2 with SnapTax

If your tax situation is simple (no children, don't own a home, income under $100K, and so on), then you are likely filing a 1040EZ this April. If that's the case, then you may want to think about filing your taxes right from your mobile device.

With the TurboTax SnapTax app, you can fill out your 1040EZ tax form right on your phone or tablet. The app can even enter income information using your device's camera.

Before getting started, SnapTax asks if you'd like to create an account. You can work without one, which is nice, … Read more

Forecast your refund with TaxCaster

Intuit's TaxCaster app can quickly estimate your federal tax refund based on just a few bits of personal information. Even for the most inexperienced taxpayer, it's incredibly simple to understand and use.

At the top of the screen is a meter that displays your estimated tax refund. As you make your way through the app, it considers your answers and recalculates its estimate accordingly. And of course, the more answers you provide, the more accurate its estimate gets.

Three main tabs sit just below the meter, each housing a different category of questions: About You; Total Income; and … Read more

Big on service

If you have tax prep needs, chances are H&R Block has you covered. The company is offering a total of eight options for the 2010 filing year: four software packages and four online prep services.

Like most other solutions on the market, H&R starts with a Free Edition as its entry-level product. This version, which is only available online, offers basic federal filing as well as a number of other free services, such as free advice and audit support. Moving up from there you have the $19.95 Basic Edition, which adds the ability to import … Read more

Taxes 2009: TurboTax vs. H&R Block vs. TaxAct

We know, tax time is the pits, but if it makes you feel better, we did ours six times while researching the pros and cons of TurboTax (Windows|Mac|Online), Tax Act (Windows|Online), and H&R Block At Home (Windows|Mac|Online), formerly called H&R Block Tax Cut. So we know a thing or three about taxes. (And we hate them six times more than you do.)

Obligatory disclaimer: We tested both the online and desktop versions of the Deluxe version of TaxAct, TurboTax, and H&R Block At Home (called Ultimate Bundle in TaxAct, since it includes the State return). We prepared our Federal and California state taxes online and on a Windows 7 computer, using our real W-2s and tax forms, so our experience may not reflect your personal situation.

What you need to know about tax prep software

Which one?: Most software comes in four levels of guidance covering simple returns (the 1040 EZ form) to the complex. Most people go with Deluxe, which walks you through deductions for things like home owners and renters, investment income, dependents, and charitable donations. Premier or Premium adds on home ownership, rental property, and more complicated investments and deductions; Business keeps an eye on small-business owners after going through personal investments and deductions. E-filing versus printing: E-filing can net you a refund in as few as 8 days, whereas refunds on tax forms you print and mail can take up to 6 weeks. Most programs include at least one free Federal e-file for one tax return, but additional e-filing costs rack up after that. Many packages charge extra to e-file State returns or returns for additional family members. Online and desktop: All three programs offer online and desktop versions. H&R Block At Home and TurboTax support Windows and Mac; TaxAct is Windows-only. Online versions mostly mirror desktop versions, but with minor differences. Desktop software is typically licensed for up to five free Federal e-files (you can print off as many as you'd like), while online tax prep usually includes one free Federal e-file. Online tax returns are encrypted and stored on the provider's Web servers. Desktop returns are stored locally on your computer.

TurboTax vs. TaxAct, vs. H&R Block At Home: What's the difference?

When it comes down to it, the actual content of the tax interview--the questions and sections that the tax apps guide you through--is nearly identical in these competing programs, including the online and desktop variations. Clarity in language, extra tools, and help and support features are key differentiators, not to mention the price. We sum these up below. See more pricing charts here. Read full reviews on TurboTax, TaxAct, and H&R Block At Home.

… Read more

Big on service

Don't bother looking for H&R Block's TaxCut to prepare your 2009 taxes. You won't find it. Sixteen years after Snapping up TaxCut from Kiplingers, H&R Block is girding its own brand by doing away with TaxCut and renaming the product H&R Block At Home.

As with the rest of its desktop cohort, H&R Block At Home takes a few good minutes to install, scan for updates, and download those too before you can get going on the desktop version. You'll need to only wait for a secure connection … Read more

Big on service

Don't bother looking for H&R Block's TaxCut to prepare your 2009 taxes. You won't find it. Sixteen years after Snapping up TaxCut from Kiplinger, H&R Block is girding its own brand by doing away with TaxCut and renaming the product H&R Block At Home.

As with the rest of its desktop cohort, H&R Block At Home takes a few good minutes to install, scan for updates, and download those too before you can get going on the desktop version. You'll need to only wait for a secure connection … Read more

Big on service

Don't bother looking for H&R Block's TaxCut to prepare your 2009 taxes. You won't find it. Sixteen years after Snapping up TaxCut from Kiplinger's, H&R Block is girding its own brand by doing away with TaxCut and renaming the product H&R Block At Home.

As with the rest of its desktop cohort, H&R Block At Home takes a few good minutes to install, scan for updates, and download those too before you can get going on the desktop version. You'll need to only wait for a secure … Read more