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I guess they keep trying diff variants of the same-ish deals over and over. H&R in general goes for $18-$25 on deals and last several years it has dropped to $20 with a $5 gift card or something netting it for $15.
This is a silly "deal" for a net $20 cost assuming GC=Cash. I just bought from Amazon for $25 last week and had some digital credits bringing it down to under $20 and be done with deal hunting for a better deal which this isnt one...
Original person was saying (poorly worded) that the merchant should sell the gift cards themselves and sell the software to us for the listed price (minus the value of the gift cards). Which is just dumb because obviously they are compensating the discount they are offering by giving promotional gift cards (that they are able to get at a discount, increasing their margins on the discount they gave).
But everyone is (rightfully so) thinking they are saying to buy this and sell the software and keep the gift cards. Something we would have the power to do, but which there is literally advantage in doing.
First time I read it, I was in the 2nd camp, thinking it made absolutely no sense. Then I reread it and realized they at least kinda have a point, it's just not one based in reality.
Still amazing that that post is top thumbs in the thread. #Merica
Do you have problems with reading comprehension? I said nothing of the sort. I said to sell the software for $20 by itself without a gift card. Your condescending comments are pretty juvenile.
Do you have problems with reading comprehension? I said nothing of the sort. I said to sell the software for $20 by itself without a gift card. Your condescending comments are pretty juvenile.
That's *literally* what I said you said 🤣. But it's an ignorant concept as you are assuming that the $20 gift card is worth $20 to them and that they could just as easily sell it to you that way. They are incentivised by the merchants to bundle the gift cards by getting the gift cards at highly reduced prices to be promoted/bundled here. Which is why they are offering this deal...
Weird. I've done that multiple years and the amounts were always the same
That's been my experience as well. Every year I do our taxes via two methods. Used combinations of Turbotax, H&R Block Taxcut, Credit Karma tax/Cash app, etc., usually with one of them free and other one paid and I've gotten the same results every time. The interview styles change between some of them in the order of questions or how they are phrased or how much supporting information the software provides but eventually they all agree provided you entered your information correctly in both.
Last year was no exception. I got the free version of TT Premier from Fidelity but had already paid for H&R Block via SD deal. There was a discrepancy at first in how I reported my backdoor Roth IRA contribution due to language of TT being less explicit than H&R Block for the conversion (got confused with rollover language- was my bad). But once I entered correctly in TT, both ended up exactly the same.
I'd bet that outside of update timing issues (shouldn't be an issue if you don't file before say mid-February when all forms are final), and user input errors, that's 99% the typical experience. The marketing of one of them being able to get you a bigger refund is overblown in my experience. They rarely miss deductions/credits outside of extremely rare cases at this stage of maturity of their products. Maybe in a year when there are significant changes to tax laws, you could see more differences but for 2023 I doubt it.
The only exception in my experience is Cash App which was wholly inadequate for handling my tax return last year. Credit Karma tax was borderline but decent for its costs before but its transition to Cash App made it a lot worse in my specific experience.
I used TaxAct for a decade, H&R Block for the past four years and TurboTax twice from a friend to test it. Here's my take....they all spit out the same number. If not, then user error of missing a question or checkbox somewhere. If anyone tried two, like one user, and got two different numbers, curiosity would make you look at what caused the difference on the actual forms to spot WHERE which leads to WHY it's different and find where in the Q&A wizard to correct it. When switching to HR Block initially, for example, I missed a checkbox that one of my investments were non-taxed. This is another reason to stick to one software as you'll fly through it knowing the usual things to check off.
To me HR Block and TaxAct looks and behave very similar. This made it quite easy for me to switch when TaxAct nearly 2x-3x up their price as they came popular.
TurboTax looks nicer designed. But that's it, and why pay over 2x the price for a software you'll use for an hour or two only and then delete. You're temporarily renting these softwares. If tax software was buy once use every year, I would say sure go with TurboTax, but this an annual costs and you're on SD so it's not even a consideration.
Given you'll need to buy this annually, go with one as it makes it easy to import previous years taxes to avoid re-entering you and your family's names, address, employer's info, bank info, investment info, etc. Of course some you can import other brands, but stick to one and for me that's HR Block as it can be purchased for under $20 each year easily.
Also some states, like NY, has free e-filing the state returns. And if you reallly want to avoid paying for e-filing fees, consider taking the numbers from the software and manually filling it out onto your states PDF to mail in. NY's fillable PDF even does the math and lookup for you. One last bonus tip if you made it this far, this is a digital product so shipping address doesn't matter so a tax-free state provide an extra saving.
That's *literally* what I said you said 🤣. But it's an ignorant concept as you are assuming that the $20 gift card is worth $20 to them and that they could just as easily sell it to you that way. They are incentivised by the merchants to bundle the gift cards by getting the gift cards at highly reduced prices to be promoted/bundled here. Which is why they are offering this deal...
No you "literally" said my original comment was "poorly worded". It was worded just fine for everyone but you. I am blocking you for being one of THOSE people who come here simply to nit pick the comments of others and provide no benefit to the topic. Buh Bye.
Last edited by hy_tek December 1, 2023 at 02:27 PM.
It says it includes state, but not the efile fee. I can't seem to find the amount of the efile fee. I've been using FreeTaxUSA for some years now without issue.
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Yup. Tax software are merely tools. If you have complex return than need to know basic tax codes for given year. It is also notorious when filing single or multi state returns. And it is always funny when I see whoever goes to accountant find more refund. Only easy trick I have seen accountant use is say lets put some donation deductions. Yeah no proof required until audited. And with current congress out to kill IRS funding allocated under inflation reduction act of 2022 I don't see too many audits. And why we even need software to file? IRS should have simple online filing free for all like so many countries do.
The IRS uses software to look for abnormalities to trigger audits so be careful with that. They have no problem with going after the little guy because the little guy doesn't have the money to fight them
Yup. Tax software are merely tools. If you have complex return than need to know basic tax codes for given year. It is also notorious when filing single or multi state returns. And it is always funny when I see whoever goes to accountant find more refund. Only easy trick I have seen accountant use is say lets put some donation deductions. Yeah no proof required until audited. And with current congress out to kill IRS funding allocated under inflation reduction act of 2022 I don't see too many audits. And why we even need software to file? IRS should have simple online filing free for all like so many countries do.
I'm just old enough to remember going to the public library and getting a free paper copy of my 1099EZ form for my first job. Then going home and filling it out with a pen and a calculator. lol The next year, Turbo Tax came out with their first version. Realistically, all these programs do is automate some of the process and do the math for you. Most of us could just do it the old fashioned way, but this makes it quicker, neater and helps us not f' up the math by missing a line or carrying a digit/decimal/plus/minus symbol.
I'm just old enough to remember going to the public library and getting a free paper copy of my 1099EZ form for my first job. Then going home and filling it out with a pen and a calculator. lol The next year, Turbo Tax came out with their first version. Realistically, all these programs do is automate some of the process and do the math for you. Most of us could just do it the old fashioned way, but this makes it quicker, neater and helps us not f' up the math by missing a line or carrying a digit/decimal/plus/minus symbol.
Probably about 90% of Americans can do that and it should take about 20 minutes, but they are all currently moaning and crying that Block or the IRS will not do it for free for them.
The IRS uses software to look for abnormalities to trigger audits so be careful with that. They have no problem with going after the little guy because the little guy doesn't have the money to fight them
There is an audit risk feature built onto the software that warns if things look weird that could trigger an audit. Have never had it trigger for me, but I assume that the software would assist and guide if it happens. I do advise everybody using the software to still have some general idea what their basic tax picture is and how it all works together with the product. Back in the day it could be hard to dig up info about some off in the weeds tax thing, but it is much easier now.
Last edited by DonV1962 December 2, 2023 at 12:01 PM.
It says it includes state, but not the efile fee. I can't seem to find the amount of the efile fee. I've been using FreeTaxUSA for some years now without issue.
It was $20 to e-file a State return for H&R Block last year.
Newegg emailed a software download link that directs me to some crapware download and never gets to the actual software. Did anyone else successfully download?
Update: The link in the "Digital Orders" tab on my Newegg account page worked OK.
Last edited by manerac December 3, 2023 at 02:01 PM.
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This is a silly "deal" for a net $20 cost assuming GC=Cash. I just bought from Amazon for $25 last week and had some digital credits bringing it down to under $20 and be done with deal hunting for a better deal which this isnt one...
Shahhere
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Original person was saying (poorly worded) that the merchant should sell the gift cards themselves and sell the software to us for the listed price (minus the value of the gift cards). Which is just dumb because obviously they are compensating the discount they are offering by giving promotional gift cards (that they are able to get at a discount, increasing their margins on the discount they gave).
But everyone is (rightfully so) thinking they are saying to buy this and sell the software and keep the gift cards. Something we would have the power to do, but which there is literally advantage in doing.
First time I read it, I was in the 2nd camp, thinking it made absolutely no sense. Then I reread it and realized they at least kinda have a point, it's just not one based in reality.
Still amazing that that post is top thumbs in the thread. #Merica
Last year was no exception. I got the free version of TT Premier from Fidelity but had already paid for H&R Block via SD deal. There was a discrepancy at first in how I reported my backdoor Roth IRA contribution due to language of TT being less explicit than H&R Block for the conversion (got confused with rollover language- was my bad). But once I entered correctly in TT, both ended up exactly the same.
I'd bet that outside of update timing issues (shouldn't be an issue if you don't file before say mid-February when all forms are final), and user input errors, that's 99% the typical experience. The marketing of one of them being able to get you a bigger refund is overblown in my experience. They rarely miss deductions/credits outside of extremely rare cases at this stage of maturity of their products. Maybe in a year when there are significant changes to tax laws, you could see more differences but for 2023 I doubt it.
The only exception in my experience is Cash App which was wholly inadequate for handling my tax return last year. Credit Karma tax was borderline but decent for its costs before but its transition to Cash App made it a lot worse in my specific experience.
I used TaxAct for a decade, H&R Block for the past four years and TurboTax twice from a friend to test it. Here's my take....they all spit out the same number. If not, then user error of missing a question or checkbox somewhere. If anyone tried two, like one user, and got two different numbers, curiosity would make you look at what caused the difference on the actual forms to spot WHERE which leads to WHY it's different and find where in the Q&A wizard to correct it. When switching to HR Block initially, for example, I missed a checkbox that one of my investments were non-taxed. This is another reason to stick to one software as you'll fly through it knowing the usual things to check off.
To me HR Block and TaxAct looks and behave very similar. This made it quite easy for me to switch when TaxAct nearly 2x-3x up their price as they came popular.
TurboTax looks nicer designed. But that's it, and why pay over 2x the price for a software you'll use for an hour or two only and then delete. You're temporarily renting these softwares. If tax software was buy once use every year, I would say sure go with TurboTax, but this an annual costs and you're on SD so it's not even a consideration.
Given you'll need to buy this annually, go with one as it makes it easy to import previous years taxes to avoid re-entering you and your family's names, address, employer's info, bank info, investment info, etc. Of course some you can import other brands, but stick to one and for me that's HR Block as it can be purchased for under $20 each year easily.
Also some states, like NY, has free e-filing the state returns. And if you reallly want to avoid paying for e-filing fees, consider taking the numbers from the software and manually filling it out onto your states PDF to mail in. NY's fillable PDF even does the math and lookup for you. One last bonus tip if you made it this far, this is a digital product so shipping address doesn't matter so a tax-free state provide an extra saving.
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Newegg emailed a software download link that directs me to some crapware download and never gets to the actual software. Did anyone else successfully download?
Update: The link in the "Digital Orders" tab on my Newegg account page worked OK.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
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