Costco Members: TurboTax 2023 + $10 Add-on Credit: Deluxe (Federal + State) Expired

I totally agree and am in the same boat (I need some of these features, so I've given in and purchased TurboTax). If anyone is intereseted in some references, I posted more information on the other TurboTax thread, and it received numerous upvotes. For many of us, it's a necessary evil to give in to these corporations (free and "free" solutions don't provide adequate functionality), but I think it's important to understand what we're funding.

For anyone that's new to TurboTax, note that the software does lots of sleazy things to try to get you to provide more information and/or buy more unnecessary and/or useless services. Starting from the very first page on launch, you can skip providing all of your personal information (that has nothing to do with the return itself; it's just for Intuit's benefit).

There's audit protection, offers to upgrade to higher versions with confusing wording, etc. Regarding the latter, they clearly use confusing language to make it sound like you need the Premier edition for automatic downloading of investment information (I fell for this for years, but Deluxe works just fine; supposedly the more expensive version provides "assistance" in this area, but I've never noticed it). Also, almost any meaningful "support" you'll get from Intuit is from volunteers who help users troubleshoot on their forum. Finally, if you like to file early, beware that they've had many substantial updates to the software just prior to (and even after) April 15, 2023. Sometimes, this is the fault of Congress/I.R.S. delays in clarification, but it's often the fault of Intuit and the dozens of bugs in the monster it helped create.

And, for those that can stomach it, here's an oveview of reasons tax filing is so painful in the U.S.: Tax preparation in the United States - Wikipedia. Combined with persistent under-staffing and under-funding for decades, the I.R.S. can barely operate basic functions (clearly, to prevent audits of the wealthy); "we, the people" end up covering those costs (one reference). Perhaps, worst of all, it has been shown that money put into IRS enforcement pays back tremendously well; it's one of the best performing investments the U.S. could possibly make (recent reference).

Full disclaimer, I use this software like millions of others, but if you get bored read up on how heavily the tax software companies lobby politicians (on both sides of the aisles) to keep the federal government from making similar software to allow you to do something you are legally required to do every year. Unless you were already aware, it will blow your mind. IMO, one of the biggest political stories in modern history that nobody seems to care or do anything about.

Amazon version has $10 gift card. I'd prefer that method.