TurboTax Premier (2009)
Today's Best Tech Deals
Picked by PCWorld's Editors
Top Deals On Great Products
Picked by Techconnect's Editors
-
Intuit TurboTax Premier (2009)
It was a squeaker this year, but Intuit's TurboTax tax-preparation site gets the nod again. Though TaxAct and TaxCut are breathing down its neck, TurboTax Premier did the best job of combining the math with the capabilities to think critically, think ahead, and think strategically.
TurboTax offers more import capabilities than the other sites, which can be a huge time-saver, particularly at the Form-1099 level (TurboTax can import 1099s from nearly 100 different financial institutions). TurboTax also imports data from Quicken (but only post-2006 PC versions).
Import capability aside, anyone with a lot of Schedule D investment activity should lean toward TurboTax: It was the most sensitive to the intricacies of these transactions without going overboard on the jargon. However, I couldn't see how the actual Schedule D (or any IRS form, for that matter) looked until I had paid.
The thing about TurboTax, though, is that the options and quantity of information offered can be overwhelming and unnecessary for those with simpler returns. Even the help options are a little too numerous: TurboTax presents as the primary source for answers its "Live Community" (basically a Q&A chat board with other users--a potentially dangerous option for tax advice, though TurboTax says its experts monitor the busiest sections for bad information). Other help options include the On Demand Tax Guidance feature, the "TurboTax Help" link at the top of the screen (which links to an online database of articles), the "Ask a Real Live Tax Pro" function (only open during certain hours), an interactive knowledge-base guide called "Ask Tina," and of course the tech support section.
Price is also a growing issue--$49.95 for federal and $34.95 for state. After a grassroots revolt a few months ago that forced Intuit to reverse new printing fees for its desktop products, it's clear that some users think the tax-prep giant has gotten too big for its britches. That said, if you have a relatively elaborate situation or you're a closet tax strategist, TurboTax is about as good as it's going to get.
--Tina Orem
Coupon Codes
-
Old Navy Coupon
Enjoy $9.99 off Pop-Culture Graphic Sweatshirt at Old Navy
-
Prettylittlething Coupon
Get 60% PrettyLittleThing coupon code with newsletter sign up
-
Eastbay Promo Code
15% off your order of $75+ with Eastbay promo code
-
eBay Coupon
$5 eBay coupon for any order
-
Target Promo Code
Target promo code - Save 40% online
-
Walmart Promo Codes
Save up to 70% on new rollbacks at Walmart's winter sale