The below only applies to the Download and Retail versions (both the "Digital Download" and the "Key Card" are the same version and both must be downloaded, the only difference is the delivery method of the product key). The Block Online packages of the same name have limited forms compared to the download version.
There is much confusion about versions as to what does what and I thought I'd post this to try to clear things up. Many believe that you need Premium or better if you are self employed or have rental income. That is not true. Self employment income and even LLCs along with rental income can be done with Deluxe or Basic. If you get to, corporations, Scorps and Partnerships you will need true business versions
Many mistakenly believe based on the charts and wording that Block puts out that you need Premium for things such as Schedule C, D & E. Deluxe handles all those forms but if you go by a chart or version picker on Block's site you will be guided to the higher version.
Block likes to upsell you on the versions and there are almost outright deceptive marketing, wording and charts that cause much confusion about what version does what. Deluxe or even Basic will do the vast majority of returns even quite complicated ones. They all support the same forms. The only difference is in the amount of guidance and extra features you get.
Some free options to try first...
https://www.freetaxusa.
https://irs.treasury.go
https://myfreetaxes.com/
https://cash.app/taxes
https://www.olt.com/
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Here's my history for Deluxe without State, including tax:
2021 - $14.93
2022 - $16.00
2023 - $19.20
Prior to 2021 I had to buy the Premium version, so that's less useful to compare.
In fact, all versions Basic, Deluxe and Premium have and fill in the exact same forms. The only difference is in the amount of guidance you get. I have never found deluxe to lack any guidance to do any business income and expenses. It does everything from depreciation, business vehicle expenses, to the home office deduction and has more than enough guidance.
You can parrot what the marketers say and link to misleading marketing materials or you can listen to somebody that knows. This comes up every year and I warn people of it every year and even created Wiki that explains the situation.
This all caused me great concern one year when I saw people saying here on SD that Deluxe does not do Schedule C. I had already purchased a boxed version as I had been using Deluxe for many years to do my taxes and thought they had made some change. Long story short the only thing that changed was their marketing strategy, the software did just as it had all the previous years.
Not trying to be rude but please don't come out swinging like that when you are sharing misleading information supplied by the people that want our money that you have not researched and verified yourself. This is SD and it is supposed to be for the consumer, we don't share misinformation that makes other members pay more for something that is not needed.
I can understand it and excuse it as Block does its best to make you think you need a higher version when you don't but as a SD member and supposed smart consumer you have the responsibility to find out for yourself and not take a salesman's word for it before you start spreading misinformation that can cost somebody else. I am not worried about an apology, but it would be a courtesy to everybody that may be new here to get your post down as to not have somebody in these tight times be wasting money.
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Is it possible to just buy 2 Deluxe and State packages for $20 each and save having to buy the extra state directly from H&R? Has anyone actually tried this? It would save $20.
Is it possible to just buy 2 Deluxe and State packages for $20 each and save having to buy the extra state directly from H&R? Has anyone actually tried this? It would save $20.
What exact thing do you fear that somebody could miss or that could have them lose money?
We saw a few comments back that when switching from Block Premium to Deluxe had the same exact walkthrough and guidance, for a more obscure deduction. Him switching from TT also really brought no difference and I'm sure the marketing guys at TT would have played up fears and been short on specifics like you. Care to explain why he should have taken your advice and upgrade too again to Premium to be safe when real life use of the product showed no difference?
What deduction or credit do you think someone will or could miss? Let me know and I could do test run through to see if you imagined fears, are reality. Wouldn't it be better if you can point to some specifics so we can know? Do you even use the product would also be nice to know? If you are using Deluxe you can tell as I can see what it does and can do but seem very unaware of how it works. Where int he walkthrough guidance do you see some possible miss? Let us know something about your real experience versus your imaginings. That is what the community here does to help other members.
Is it possible to just buy 2 Deluxe and State packages for $20 each and save having to buy the extra state directly from H&R? Has anyone actually tried this? It would save $20.
ETA: I'm going to buy the two digital pkgs each separately.
What exact thing do you fear that somebody could miss or that could have them lose money?
We saw a few comments back that when switching from Block Premium to Deluxe had the same exact walkthrough and guidance, for a more obscure deduction. Him switching from TT also really brought no difference and I'm sure the marketing guys at TT would have played up fears and been short on specifics like you. Care to explain why he should have taken your advice and upgrade too again to Premium to be safe when real life use of the product showed no difference?
What deduction or credit do you think someone will or could miss? Let me know and I could do test run through to see if you imagined fears, are reality. Wouldn't it be better if you can point to some specifics so we can know? Do you even use the product would also be nice to know? If you are using Deluxe you can tell as I can see what it does and can do but seem very unaware of how it works. Where int he walkthrough guidance do you see some possible miss? Let us know something about your real experience versus your imaginings. That is what the community here does to help other members.
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I put my cards on the table and laid out my evidence, I am asking you to do the same. Do show us specifically what your imagined fear is. I must assume you are using Premium show us where a mistake preventing section is or guidance is. You are the one making the unsubstantiated claim and that needs to prove it has any validity. I think it more likely that whatever personal dislike for me and what I write of below has you so in need of being right that you mind are dizzy and can only imagine disaster if you do not listen to or doubt your corporate masters. The fact that you can't or refuse to answer simple questions or provide any proof of what you say I think validates that you got your mind in a mess over some sleazy marketing just intended to fool you.
Deluxe at one time had self-employment and rental income checked as being handled. After TT had tried to strip self-employment income and failed, that disappeared off the boxes of both TT and Block Deluxe yet when I installed, they were the same as they had been with all the same guidance and prompts. I assume some fell for the box marking and marketing scam and other new to the software did the same and suddenly people started it could not do this or that, yet it did just as it always did when the company advertised it as doing so. By your logic the year before the change in box redesign and marketing materials I would have been safe in using Deluxe but when they came up with deceptive charts and took some text off the box it cannot longer do my taxes safely.
That brings us to something else you obviously have not thought about or know about. You miss the big elephant in the room which is the companies use price discrimination to basically sell the exact same product to different people at different prices.. The old users, that know that Both TT and Block Deluxe do small business income, purchase it cheaper and have no complaints that anything was taken away. Those gullible and that fell for the change in marketing materials buy Premium now and new users spend more based on the new marketing changes only.
They cheaply and easily placed fear in your heart by redrawing a chart and taking words off a box and have you paying more for a box with some different text so you feel safe and secure, brilliant marketing strategy BTW. Both companies do everything they can do to keep that fact hidden or insinuate that you are getting much more for paying for the higher version. Marketing blurbs will make users think they are missing something. Your "Premium is a great insurance policy for guaranteed maximum savings/guidance.' is great one by the way, is that theirs or did you actually do that bit of dirty work for them?
Companies do that all the time it is why you can walk into BB and buy a stereo that may be identical to one can be had for half the price. One customer feels more comfortable and safer getting it at Best Buy while the other has to take chance on some less known clearing house or claimed refurb that is not a refurb at all but new with maybe less warranty or something. Corporate America has well trained its consumer and you can see even see socialists getting in fights over how you better like Apple or you are a failed human.
You show it all true, their manipulative marketing has so instilled the lies and fear that you ignore and fight against truth. To admit it to yourself would make you feel foolish, and your mind grasps for some reason that you must be right. It is akin to Stockholm Syndrome and has you telling the story and the lies they gave you.
$19.99 for Deluxe/State combo with 1 year of ESET antivirus: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Co...bo.4592169
$24.98 for Deluxe/State combo with 1 year of Norton antivirus (requires giving credit card with annual subscription auto-renew): https://www.newegg.com/Product/Co...bo.4589223
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