expired Posted by Mythiir • Dec 1, 2024
Dec 1, 2024 5:41 PM
expired Posted by Mythiir • Dec 1, 2024
Dec 1, 2024 5:41 PM
TurboTax Deluxe 2024 Federal/State Download, Includes $10 Credit In-Product - $45.99
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It is more universally used and so we automatically assume it is a better product. Also, once you are in that system, it is easy to upload the last year's taxes to populate many info fields rather than start all over with a new software package. And familiarity with how to use it.
An extra $20 in cost is not going to change my mind when my tax refund is over $10k or more.
Taxes are one of the most stressful parts of adult life (I get a knot in my stomach every Jan 2 knowing I have to deal with them.). Why not make it as easy as possible?
I can pay $85 for TT Home & Business, use Sams Club Credit Card and maybe also a cashback site will consider it as an eligible purchase. As a sole proprietor I file state taxes in 3 states this year and although I mail all of them to save on "filing fee" I still need to buy each of them so this $10 credit is not a lot, but always something. Then I always buy an audit protection as well ($60) - that brings my total spent on taxes to around $225 (plus minus one state - depends on a year)
Would really Block be cheaper in that situation? And is it so convenient as TT is?
The tax preparation industry has absolutely nothing to do with the complexity of the code and if anything should be thanked for creating software such as this that can tame the complexity eneough for someone dumb as me to do my taxes. In the seventies I knew many that paid preparers thousands to do what I can now do for $25-$50, sitting at home in the evening. Damn they even give you representation if audited for that price. You always for killing that goose? How very ungrateful and entitled we have become when we do not even want to pay a pittance or some little respect to the people that make our life easy.
That code is constantly being changed and amended and must be kept up with by every tax preparing firm or software package. It was so bad that the last few that the tax filing companies and the taxpayer had to sit on their hands as the code was being changed and mani[ulated right up to filing time.
I hear others say that the software companies take advantage of the taxpayer by charging $40 for a software package to help fill and file a return and that that should be turned over to the IRS as to be efficient and less costly. If we ignore the power and money grab that the IRS, an administration and certain members of Congress were attempting we still see that when the IRS fills out your return for you a it will cost, by their estimate, near $1,000,000 per return. yes that is one million and the $20 I pay ssemss areal baragin in comparison. You have to remember that that agency that took in 14 billion to operate just last year is still running computers and software on floppy disks. If you would like to know more about power grab and waste and abuse that the IRS has gotten away with to this link and letter below. Lets just say the government in general and the IRS in particular hate anybody and were ready to slander, penalize and even criminalize them for trying to help or represent the US taxpayer. Meanwhile they send 94 million in child tax credits to one address in Atlanta and another 58 million to another.
My goodness even medieval peasants realized the taxman doing the bidding of the kings' court was not their friend and here we have a supposedly educated Americans being clueless at as to how stuff works at the most fundamental of levels. Here you are trying to insinuate the industry that lets many file for free and charges low prices to do very complex returns as being corrupt and greedy and yet you support incompetent corrupt, and greedy agency heads, Congressman and bureaucrats doing the same at $1,000,000 per return. You propose and support $1,000,000 as a fix to have to spend $20. Get them eyes open my friend you are apt to be taken in any situation if you can not see this simple scenario clearly.
July 31, 2024 • Original Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance, led their colleagues in a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Danny Werfel blasting the IRS for wasting taxpayer dollars on an illegitimate and unnecessary direct file tax preparation program.
In the letter, the senators highlight how this program was never authorized by Congress and is a massive expansion of the power of the IRS.
"We write with serious concerns regarding your agency's recent unilateral and unauthorized action to create a permanent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File tax preparation program… The American people do not want an all-encompassing IRS acting simultaneously as the tax collector, tax auditor, tax enforcer, and tax preparer," the senators wrote. "Taxpayers already have access to numerous free tax-filing options and dozens of national non-profit entities offer tax preparation services at no cost…The IRS does not have unlimited resources and should focus on improving information technology systems, data privacy, and long-standing customer service issues."
Co-signers include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).
Full text of the letter can be found below:
Dear Commissioner Werfel,
We write with serious concerns regarding your agency's recent unilateral and unauthorized action to create a permanent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File tax preparation program. Despite numerous problems and objections from members of Congress, the IRS announced the launch of its permanent Direct File program on May 30, 2024.
This program was not authorized by Congress and is a massive and ill-advised expansion of the power of the IRS. The recent ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo calls into question administrative actions that go beyond the clear intent of Congress.
The IRS was not authorized to launch a new tax preparation program, despite legislation to do so having been previously introduced. It was given the narrow authority and funds to study the feasibility of a Direct File program. Public Law 117-169, which was jammed through Congress on a partisan basis, gave the IRS $15 million to conduct an unbiased study that would examine the feasibility, taxpayer interest, and cost of a Direct File tax return system. Instead, the IRS hired a partisan think tank and professor, who were already on record as being supportive of a Direct File program.
Immediately following the completion of the study, the IRS moved forward with a Direct File "pilot" program to prepare tax returns for the 2024 filing season. Now, in the face of widespread concerns and criticism, the IRS has decided to make this temporary and experimental program into a permanent government tax preparation scheme. The American people do not want an all-encompassing IRS acting simultaneously as the tax collector, tax auditor, tax enforcer, and tax preparer.
Serious legal questions exist about the IRS Direct File launch. Many of these issues have been raised in congressional letters, statements, and inquiries. Notably, the Attorneys General from 13 states raised their concerns about the Direct File program in a letter to the administration saying, "Treasury's attempt to establish an IRS-run Direct File system side-steps Congress' constitutional authority and the will of the American people by unilaterally establishing a new government program and further empowering an IRS that has repeatedly targeted some of the most vulnerable taxpayers." We, as elected lawmakers, share the same view.
On top of these serious legal concerns, we also have policy and implementation concerns about Direct File. For example, despite rhetoric from the agency and proponents of Direct File, as well as a sustained media and outreach campaign, the initial pilot program fell short of its target metrics. Less than 140,000 taxpayers utilized the program, far short of the expected 300,000 participants – and even further short of the potential user pool. Of the estimated 19 million eligible tax filers from 12 selected states, only 0.7% of taxpayers utilized the program.
Additionally, the IRS Direct File program is not adequately equipped to support tax returns for the tens of millions of Americans who have anything other than extremely basic returns. For example, Direct File excluded many categories of taxpayers, such as those who own their own businesses, collect income from property and investment, or work as independent contractors, such as ride-share drivers and delivery workers.
Further, Direct File is not fully integrated with state-level tax filings, forcing taxpayers to file state and local taxes with other providers (or by paper). This resulted in Direct File participants having to spend more time and additional resources to complete their tax filing this season. Under an expanded and permanent program, this particular issue would be exacerbated. This is one reason why 21 state financial officers, representing 18 different states, penned a letter to the IRS and Department of Treasury pushing back on the Direct File program. They wrote, "We urge you to terminate Direct File following the current pilot program, as Direct File will create challenges for taxpayers and state treasurers and the costs of Direct File far outweigh any potential benefits it may confer to taxpayers. Regrettably, Direct File is a solution in search of a problem."
There are also questions and concerns regarding the actual cost, and cost estimates, of the program. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), in an assessment of the IRS Direct File pilot program said, "…when we asked the IRS for documentation supporting how it arrived at these various cost estimates, it could not provide us with any. As such, we could not evaluate if the IRS's cost estimates were reasonable." The Government Accountability Office (GAO) agreed with TIGTA's assessment. The GAO concluded the pilot was not capturing information that would improve the IRS' cost/benefit analyses of Direct File.
The IRS, by its own estimate, believes the Direct File program could cost in excess of $249 million annually. This is in contrast with various successful free filing options offered or supported by the private sector which impose no cost on taxpayers. Other government websites and platforms of similar magnitude and complexity have cost taxpayers billions of dollars, such as the Obamacare enrollment system which was subject to numerous failures and crashes. As the IRS seeks to expand the Direct File program and displace free private sector options, we believe the costs associated with the program would skyrocket.
Taxpayers already have access to numerous free tax-filing options and dozens of national non-profit entities offer tax preparation services at no cost. More than 30 million taxpayers annually utilize these services, which are far more effective. The IRS does not have unlimited resources and should focus on improving information technology systems, data privacy, and long-standing customer service issues. It should not be focused on unilaterally expanding its own power, without congressional approval, through a permanent government tax preparation scheme that is unnecessary, problematic, costly, and illegitimate.
We request written responses to the following questions no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 14, 2024:
1. What is the specific statutory basis for the IRS launching and maintaining a permanent Direct File program?
a. How does this cited authority demonstrate Congress' clear intent that the IRS permanently undertake such a program?
b. How does the IRS respond to the claim that the recent ruling from SCOTUS (Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo) reaches situations of administrative overreach, like the unilateral creation of a Direct File program?
2. What funds does the IRS believe Congress specifically appropriated for the purpose of launching and maintaining a Direct File tax system?
3. Did the IRS reallocate or otherwise redirect funds obligated to or originally anticipated to be spent on other programs and initiatives, like Taxpayer Services, to pay for the creation of the pilot and permanent Direct File programs?
a. If so, please provide information detailing how much funding and which accounts the money was shifted from, as well as which accounts money will be shifted from in the future.
4. Does the IRS believe that any of its current or anticipated future employees will be hired into, reassigned, or otherwise redirected to support the Direct File program?
a. If so, please provide information detailing the IRS' estimates for the next five fiscal years of the number of such employees, the sectors from which they are moving, and the reasons for (or causal factors contributing to) the employee joining the Direct File program.
5. The IRS claims the Direct File pilot program was a success despite TIGTA's report from June 25, 2024, which found that the IRS met only three of seven of its self-identified key requirements for Phase A of the Direct File pilot program. GAO also found that the pilot would not collect data to adequately inform cost/benefit analyses of the IRS running a Direct File program. How could the IRS claim its program launch was a success when it fell short on key metrics and requirements, or that its reviews of the merits of the initiative are reasonable when both government oversight agencies tasked with reviewing the IRS have flagged them as fundamentally flawed?
6. What is the IRS doing to address concerns raised by 21 state financial officers who believe taxpayers might be harmed from the impact the Direct File program will have on state and local tax filing?
a. How will the IRS address the scope of the Direct File program to interact properly with the state and local tax filing process across numerous tax jurisdictions?
7. The IRS has repeatedly sidestepped concerns about the inherent conflicts of interest in operating a Direct File program, many of which have been previously raised with you publicly (including in unanswered questions for the record to you from your last hearing with the Senate Finance Committee) and privately. To hone a few of these:
a. How will the IRS act with respect to taxpayers whose Direct File-prepared returns are subject to audit or judicial review?
b. For example, what position will the IRS take when a taxpayer asserts that he or she was reasonably relying upon the advice provided by Direct File (or an IRS employee or contractor supporting Direct File)?
c. How will expanding Direct File to include additional taxpayers (and tax filing situations) change the IRS' actions with respect to the taxpayers described in (a), if at all?
8. Does the IRS have plans to expand the scope of its Direct File program for taxpayers filing returns for pass-through business income or corporate income?
a. Have there been any discussions about expanding the scope of the Direct File program to business tax filing?
b. How will the IRS account for taxpayers who may have investment income?
It is more universally used and so we automatically assume it is a better product. Also, once you are in that system, it is easy to upload the last year's taxes to populate many info fields rather than start all over with a new software package. And familiarity with how to use it.
An extra $20 in cost is not going to change my mind when my tax refund is over $10k or more.
Taxes are one of the most stressful parts of adult life (I get a knot in my stomach every Jan 2 knowing I have to deal with them.). Why not make it as easy as possible?
I can pay $85 for TT Home & Business, use Sams Club Credit Card and maybe also a cashback site will consider it as an eligible purchase. As a sole proprietor I file state taxes in 3 states this year and although I mail all of them to save on "filing fee" I still need to buy each of them so this $10 credit is not a lot, but always something. Then I always buy an audit protection as well ($60) - that brings my total spent on taxes to around $225 (plus minus one state - depends on a year)
Would really Block be cheaper in that situation? And is it so convenient as TT is?
I never pay for Block Premium or Business as the Deluxe version does all the same forms.
Is you business just 1099 or self employment income? If so you may be able to drop a version even if you still want to use Turbotax. I believe they play the same upsell games Block does which make you think you need a higher version when you really do not. The charts, tables and click throughs basically lie to you as to what version you need.
You tell me if the cost difference is important to you but your costs are 1000% more than mine.
I do not know what you mean by convenient but I have never run into a tax situation I can not handle pretty easily. I mostly just go with the step by step guidance and prompts but at times over the years may have had to do a little digging or research to figure out something. I can usually do that right in the software package as it has links and reference to almost everything
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Edit: Update: looks like TurboTax f-ed us. They soured their deals. Instead of the usual $10 back on $20 or more spend, it's now $20 back on $39 spend and $5 back on $25 spend
They basically made it unusable with a pre-purchased deluxe desktop version like this 😒
Fact them
Also membership required??
https://www.hrblock.com/online-ta...zo9XY2HbOB
Also, unless I'm mistaken, that link says you need h&r premium for stocks
https://www.hrblock.com/online-ta...zo9XY2HbOB [hrblock.com]
Also, unless I'm mistaken, that link says you need h&r premium for stocksD
I'd advise to get it down as it can have someone paying more for an online version that does less.
Online versions are basically a ripoff and upsell that gives you less functionality and limited forms. You can happily put in all your info and suddenly find out near the15th that you have to pay again for some form you may assumed came with the online version, that can end up costing double or more whet the installed version would. You end up with a time delined choice to pay what they ask or go look for deal on the software atthat point and they get the money out of most people. You may find the same with many of the supposed free tax filing services out there as they have limitations on forms or income
With Block and TT you have to take all the marketing with a grain of salt as it deceives in hopes of pushing the upsell.
As to retail versions and what version you need both Block and TT play games and deceive to get the upsell.
If you pick up a Block Deluxe box version of Block you will not see business & rental income or investments listed on it, if you go to their website and look at one of the charts or click through questionnaires advising what version to get it will lead you to a Business or Premium versions if you have self employment, 1099 income or investments. Deluxe does all those things it is just not lsited in the marketing
The marketing works well and it causes much confusion. People snap and yell at me me like I am lying if I tell them deluxe does business income and I regularly see people here on SD commenting like you did that I am mistaken and Block Deluxe does not do Schedule C, rental income ot or even investments, when it does. I know that not true as I use Deluxe every year and have been for about 15 years to do all that.
The only difference in versions is the amount of guidance or add on help you may get, they all do the same forms. Basic, Deluxe and Premium all do the same forms. If you are incorporated or in a partnership you do need a different and true business version capable of filing corporate taxes. Most home based businesses are passthrough income and Schedule C handles it. That is even true for many LLCs and Deluxe handles their taxes
I believe TT plays the same games Block does but do not want to swear to it as I have never used TT.
This all started many years back when TT tried to take 1099 and Schedule C out of their Deluxe version and force a higher version purchase on users. They kept quiet about removing it and users that had been using TT deluxe for years and decades found out that it no longer did their business income when they opened the no returnable package around tax time. There was a major uproar and TT did back down and add it back in. I assume that Block had the same plans but both companies to stay in their users good graces deCIded to practice price discrimination and get newcomers thinking that they needed higher versions by way of just making it appear you needed a higher versions. People that knew Deluxe did business income just keep buying it and kept using it knowing it di business income and the new packaging and charts now guide new users to higher versions. It is genius if you think about it. I do know at one time Block did have Business income listed on the box but subsequently took it away. They did not change or take anything away in the the software just the box and marketing. Instead of really taking it out they just fooled people into believing they did. It actually startled me when I became aware of this as everybody here on SD was saying Deluxe no longer did self employment.When I opened my newly installed version it did business income as it always had and I realized why so many were confused.
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https://turbotax.intuit