Tax software woes

[nlbarber]

I set out to buy TurboTax 2005 today, in the hopes that I would at least start my taxes as I got ready to pay my 4th quarter estimated tax. In the ideal world, I'd get far enough along with the return to see if I really need to make that 4th quarter payment.

Found the TurboTax display at Office Depot, noted that the Mac and PC products are now packaged together on a hybrid CD, and took a quick look at the package. And found the big problem, from my viewpoint: TurboTax has dropped their rebate for online filing. Later research found the ostensible reason on their Web site: people don't send in for the rebate, so they dropped it. (But didn't lower the price of the product, IIRC.) Having gone through their rebate procedure many times, I certainly can understand why people don't do it...

I will strongly consider reverting to paper filing because of this change--I've always felt that the IRS should be subsidizing online filing because of the savings it gives them, and my expression of protest is to refuse to pay the third-party filing fees. I don't see why I should pay extra to save the IRS money, and as I don't generally get a refund, there's no incentive there either.

TurboTax is the only game in town for the Mac this year. TaxCut has dropped their Mac version, and recommends that Mac users go to their Web version--not an option for my fairly complicated taxes. Boo on Intuit!

Comments

[gumdropgal.livejournal.com]

Ok, this has nothing to do with TurboTax, but I like your icon!

[nlbarber]

That's the current cat residents, which I use by default. I'll tell them you like their pic!

I see you're in Decatur, too. Actually in the city? I'm not--it's the Post Office that says I'm in Decatur. I'm in the Oak Grove area around Lavista Rd.

[gumdropgal.livejournal.com]

I actually know where that is because I went to a party in that area last night. No, I'm much further south (below Agnes Scott). Do you know where E/W Hill Street is? I'm right in there. I just moved here in August--still don't know my way around town. *Sigh*

[filkferengi]

Find the courthouse [the one near the Marta station, near which there is never any parking]. The Coldstone Creamery is right near there, with the Crescent Moon diner not very far away. As Mr. Keats once opined, "This is all ye know, and all ye need to know."

Well, it's a good start, anyway.

Welcome to the Atlanta area! I recommend checking out http://www.asfs.org/ [the Atlanta Science Fiction Society], especially their mailing-list, for news of fannish interest, the occasional free movie pass, etc. Their newsletter has an extensive calendar of meetings of local fannish groups, book clubs, anime clubs, etc., along with listings of conventions around the region.