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FORUM ON TAX SOFTWARE

Finding the right tax software is very important and could be a challenging task. There are many tax software products available today and choosing the one that fits your needs is not easy. Should you go with the cheapest one? the most expensive one? the one with the most features? the one that offers live help and professional advice? There are many factors to consider when choosing a tax software and this forum will give you the tools to make an educated decision. If you would like to ask our experts a question related to tax software you are considering, please visit out Tax Questions page, or if you want to start your return using our online tax software please goto our secured e-file page.

Question by: Pam, Location: North Carolina:

I want to do my own taxes this year and looking for a tax software. I have found one that is really priced low but has a very un-friendly user interface. How important is it?

Answer: Selecting a tax software that will do the work for you should be done based on several factors. First is how user friendly the software? this is important because tax software that makes it hard for you to interact with it and enter the necessary data will not be a good tool for you to use when you are trying to maximize your refund. You really want a tax software that offers a smooth preparation process, help and guidance, logical procedures and clear screen structure.

Question by: Anne, Location: New York:

After using TurboTax for 3 years, I am considering switching to a different software. How hard is it to start over with a new tax software?

Answer: Changing a tax software is not that difficult and in fact may end up being something that can save you time and money. TurboTax is a great software and it is based on a "Interview wizard", which means that you have to go through many questions to fill out your tax return. This process is very good for someone who needs extremely detailed guidance that takes time. Other tax software, such as TaxTreasure.com interact with the user through a more "to the point" tax guide. It means that you can focus on the items that are more important to you, instead of spending a lot of time on tax deductions and tax credits that do not apply to you. Our tax guide, allows you to drill down, meaning you see the big picture first (e.g. all the tax breaks available to you by law) and then start to go deeper only to those items that are of interest to you. that saves you a lot of time and assures that you will get the biggest refund possible.

Question by: Josh, Location: Maryland:

In the past my wife and me did our taxes at H&R Block desktop software. We heard that online tax software is much better. Is that true?

Answer: Using an online tax software is different from its desktop family member mainly by allowing you, Josh, the user to access your taxes anytime from anywhere. Unlike a desktop where you must have your computer available, the online tax software is accessible from any computer (not just the one you have installed the software on using your tax software installation CD).

Question by: Tironne, Location: California:

How secured is my personal tax information when using an online tax software to prepare my taxes?

Answer: Any serious and reputable tax software that offers online taxes, use a secure server with SSL encryption to securely transmit your information. In addition, the IRS must approve for use any tax software prior to commercial use. One of the factors that the IRS examines is the privacy of your tax data. Therefore Your personal information is completely confidential and will only be used to file your tax return.

Question by: Martin, Location: Virginia:

It usually takes me two or three sessions to complete my return. How does it work with an online tax software, do I need to enter all the data at once?

Answer: No. You can save your data any time during the process, exit the software and then return to it anytime after that session. Upon reentering the tax software you will be able to continue the return from the exact point where you finished the last time you logged in.

Question by: Malik, Location: Illinois:

How do I know which forms and schedules each tax software support? I want to make sure before I choose a tax software that it can files all the necessary items

Answer: Before you start filing your online tax return, you must refer to the page which lists all the forms, statements and schedules the tax software supports. Make sure you identify the forms you will have to submit and see if they are included in that list. At http://TaxTreasure.com you can find the complete list of forms supported by the software here: http://taxtreasure.com/Forms_Supported_By_Taxtreasure_Tax_Software.asp

Question by: Collin, Location: Washington:

What is the price range for a good online tax software and what does the price covers?

Answer: a tough one. Pricing for online tax software varies by vendor, package and level of service covered by the tax software. What's important to know when you are comparing cost of various tax software packages is that the cheapest is not necessarily the worst solution and vice versa, the most expensive one is not the best. At TaxTreasure.com we believe in fair and straight forward pricing. For that reason we have designed a 1 price package that avoids any confusion and hidden fees. We also offer for additional fees professional review of your tax return by a tax preparer and an expert return package where you are not filing yourself, instead one of our tax specialist will prepare the return for you. Compare our packages here: http://Taxtreasure.com/File .

Question by: Patricia, Location: Texas:

How do I verify that the tax software I am choosing will indeed give me the biggest refund?

Answer: One of the factors you must consider prior to Selecting a tax software is the accuracy of it and the guidance that it provides you, as a user, to maximize your refund. One way to go about it is to examine all the tax deductions and tax credits each software supports and make sure it really covers everything available by law. For example, TaxTreasure.com's tax software supports numerous tax breaks including:

Sales Tax Deduction
Vehicle Sales Tax Deduction
Mortgage Insurance Premium
Standard Deduction
Additional Standard Deduction Amount for Property Taxes
Car and Truck Expenses
Educator Expenses
Tax Deduction for Charity Donations
Home Mortgage Interest
Alimony Paid Tax Deduction
Casualty & Theft Losses
Educator Expenses
Domestic Production Activities
Early Withdrawal Penalty
Qualified Performing Artists (QPA)
Moving Expenses
Self-Employment Tax
Self-Employment Health Insurance
SEP-IRA Deduction
Early Withdrawal Penalty
Alimony Paid
Health Savings Account
Hybrid Car & Clean Burning Fuel Deduction
Traditional IRA Deduction
Job Search Cost
Personal Exemptions
Qualified Performing Artists Expenses
Self-Employment Health Insurance
SEP, SIMPLE, Retirement Plan Deduction
Student Loan Interest Deduction
Student Loan Interest
Tuition and Fees Deduction for College Expenses
Tuition and Fees Tax Deduction
American Opportunity Tax Credit
Making Work Pay Tax Credit
First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit
Energy Tax Credits
Adoption Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
Retirement Savings Contribution Credit
Education Credits - Hope and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits
Credit for the Elderly or Disabled
Child Care Tax Credit & Dependent Care Expenses
Earned Income Credit
Education Credits, Hope Credit, Lifetime Learning Credit
Foreign Tax Credit
Adoption Credit
Hybrid Car Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit

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