If you’re a member of a business partnership, own a C corp or S corp, or are a part of a multi-member LLC, you may want to opt for TurboTax’s Business plan. There are two versions of TurboTax Live, which we’ll explore next. Kevin Mercadante is professional personal finance blogger, and the owner of his own personal finance blog, OutOfYourRut.com. He has backgrounds in both accounting and the mortgage industry. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and two teenage kids and can be followed on Twitter at @OutOfYourRut. Covers stocks, bonds, employee stock plans, and other investment income. TurboTax Premier includes all of the features of the Free and Deluxe versions.

Heres Why I Like Tax Prep Software

It also doesn’t hurt that importing my data from Quickbooks Self-Employed reduced some room for error. Within a couple of minutes, I received a call on my phone and was able to explain what the issue was. Up until this point, it all seemed pretty standard but what happened next was actually kind of cool. At the same time, one minor issue I prepaid expenses had with TurboTax was that fixing a small error would often mean going through several prompts instead of being able to go directly to the relevant input. I believe I had a similar complaint about Credit Karma Tax, so I guess this is just standard operating procedure. These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser.

TurboTax has a large database of tax-related information that you can access. retained earnings balance sheet You can also get online answers from TurboTax specialists or other customers.

Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Ryan Guina is the founder and editor of The Military Wallet. He served over 6 years on active duty in the USAF and is a current member of the IL Air National Guard. Every personal return is also backed by the TurboTax Audit Support Guarantee. TurboTax Free Edition is free for people who are only filing a 1040A or 1040EZ. Pricing will vary, but traditionally it is less expensive to file early.

It is specifically for those who have investments in rental property. If you used TurboTax last year, all turbotax reviews of your information will automatically be transferred into the current year, simplifying tax preparation.

When she isn’t writing about personal finance, she’s studying for the CPA exam. in Business Administration and a slight obsession with all things money. She contributes to Listen Money Matters to share what she’s learned with more than just her husband and their cats. Check which version of TurboTax you need and how many add-ons you include. You could be in the range that a CPA or EA would charge, and you’d still have to do everything yourself. If you’re self-employed and want to try QuickBooks Self-Employed, paying the fee for TurboTax is worth it to get the free subscription. While some of these questions can help you regardless of which company you use, the advantage goes to those who use TurboTax.

Turbotax Live

Once you’ve entered all of your pertinent information the software will do a review of what you entered, and check for errors. If it finds things that need to be updated or fixed it will let you know. When entering income, expenses, deductions and so on TurboTax will often give you a snapshot view to compare the current year to last year. That way you can compare and make sure that things are in line with last year’s totals, and help you make sure you haven’t forgotten to enter anything. On one of these screens this year I realized that I had forgotten to enter some deductions that I was eligible for, and was then able to enter it. Prepaid card will be mailed — While you can start spending your prepaid Visa card online sooner, your physical card should take five to 10 business days to arrive in the mail. Not available in all states — You’re not eligible for the loan if you’re filing an Illinois, North Carolina, Rhode Island or Vermont state return.

Handle technical support questions via phone, with video capability. Quickbooks has been a great help in keeping me on track with my personal finances but still haven’t tried to use this tax bundle, thanks for the review. The technician asked me to hit a combination of keys on my computer, which then provided me a code I could read to them. Once I did this, I could see the tech on my screen and they were able to highlight things on the screen.

What you do see is expert help in the form of simply worded explanations of tax concepts throughout the process. Many tax websites, including TurboTax, start the season at lower prices than they finish it. Our reviews are based on list prices rather than deal pricing, which is subject to change as the tax season progresses.

Sasan Goodarzi is the current CEO and has stressed the importance of social awareness and fair representation. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, https://www.bookstime.com/ government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy .

It’s common to see a question like “Where do I enter self-employed mileage? ” There’ll be an answer saying exactly how to find it, so you don’t have to wait for tech support’s help. This was the case even though I tried to answer questions incorrectly to knock off some of the applicable credits and deductions. Don’t worry about missing out on credits and deductions either.

This was actually a feature I was looking for when back when my father was doing my taxes, which led me to discover it was reserved for Tax Bundle customers. Needless to say finally having access to such simplicity was exciting but there are some things to note about it. Ryan uses Personal Capital to track and manage his finances.

After entering your credit card information it will charge you for using the software and then allow you to e-file. TurboTax has gone through quite the metamorphosis over the years, and while their interface has changed, one thing that hasn’t is how easy it is to file using their product. Auto, homeowners, and renters insurance services offered through Credit Karma Insurance Services, LLC (dba Karma Insurance Services, LLC; CA resident license # ). You won’t have to do anything extra to repay your loan because it will be automatically paid back once your refund is processed by the IRS. Any remaining refund amount will be placed onto your prepaid card. Certain forms make you ineligible — If you need to file Forms 1310, 1040SS, 1040PR, 1040X, 8888 or 8862, you won’t be eligible.

• TurboTax is available for both federal and state income tax returns.
• The software is designed to guide users through their tax returns step-by-step.
• The company offers no-interest refund advance loans at the beginning of the tax season.
• Loans range from $250 to $2,000 and are based on your expected federal tax refund.
• The TurboTax software provides taxpayers additional support for their self-prepared returns by offering Audit Defense from TaxResources, Inc.

Support

It runs $45 to $60 and includes features such as identity theft monitoring, loss insurance and restoration help. Here’s a look at the various ways you can find answers and get guidance when filing your return with TurboTax. The Self-Employed version also offers a neat expense-tracking feature through QuickBooks, including the ability to store photos of your receipts and track mileage from your phone.

With the Free Edition, I was still asked the same questions about itemized deductions and could have switched to the Deluxe version if I needed to. This means you could select TurboTax Deluxe and then never actually use the additional forms you’re paying for. And if you aren’t a tax pro, you might not realize the difference between which forms you’re paying for and which forms you need. If you need a more advanced package, you’ll bookkeeping get $5 off any federal product. If you have student loan interest, educator expenses, Health Savings Account contributions, or other similar deductions, you can’t use the Free edition. 100% Accurate, Expert-Approved Guarantee – This one is similar to the 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee. If any of TurboTax’s CPAs or other employees make an error on your return, TurboTax will pay the resulting penalties and interest.

How Turbotax Stacks Up

Here’s my take on when you should ditch the software for an experienced professional. If you’re looking for a one-stop tax shop that can handle almost any type of tax situation, TurboTax is probably a good choice. With the TurboTax Live Assist & Review plan, you’ll have unlimited on-screen access to a certified CPA.

No credit impact — Applying for a TurboTax Refund Advance loan won’t hurt your credit scores. Your eligibility is based on your anticipated refund amount and other noncredit factors. Get our best strategies, tools, and support sent straight to your inbox.

The 2003 version of the TurboTax software contained digital rights management that tracked whether it had previously been installed on a computer by writing to sector 33 on the hard drive. This allowed it to track if it was on a computer previously, even through reinstalling the operating system. This also caused it to conflict with some boot loaders that store data there, rendering those computers unbootable. In 2008, Intuit raised the price of TurboTax for desktop customers by $15 and included a free e-filing for the first return prepared. On December 12, 2008 the company announced that it had rescinded the new policy. In accordance with FTC guidelines, we state that we have a financial relationship with some of the companies mentioned in this website. This may include receiving access to free products and services for product and service reviews and giveaways.

The military discounts are based on your rank and verified by your W-2. Simply use your military W-2 to verify rank and your discount will be applied when you file. gives you the inside scoop on the best ways to save money when shopping, traveling, or doing any of your everyday tasks. Elisabeth Natter is a business owner and professional writer. She has done public relations work for several nonprofit organizations and currently creates content for clients of her suburban Philadelphia communications and IT solutions company. Her writing is often focused on small business issues and best practices for organizations.

H&R Block is also user-friendly but its questions and explanations are not always as clear as you would hope. Part of its popularity is due to the fact that it’s owned by Intuit. Intuit also makes a software called Quickbooks, which millions of companies use to manage their accounting. But TurboTax is also popular because it offers a user-friendly design and straightforward step-by-step guidance. The forms included with each of TaxAct’s filing options are very similar to TurboTax and H&R Block’s.