Customer Reviews

H&R Block DeductionPro for Tax Year 2003

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I bought DeductionPro because I'd donated a lot of old clothing, furniture and books to charity last year, and I wanted some assistance organizing and valuing those contributions for my tax preparation. DeductionPro allowed me to enter all of this information, provided a table for estimating their value, and prepared the required IRS form for claiming those deductions since they were valued at over $500.

Beyond that, there's not much to this software. Its user interface is not very slick. There fields have limited space to enter information, the error messages are not helpful, there are no good instructions, and it's overall look and feel is pretty amateurish. I wasn't very impressed. However, since it comes free with TaxCut, it was clearly worth the money I (didn't) pay.

There's nothing here that you can't get by simply using tax preparation software. The only real value add is the valuation tables, and they are pretty limited. You can also use it to record cash donations, out of pocket expenses and other kinds of deductions. However, unlike TaxCut, there's limited advise available for doing so, and no obvious benefit to using this software for those things.

On the whole, using DeductionPro benefited me, but it's nothing to write home about. If you don't need the merchandise valuation tables for non-cash donations, I wouldn't spend the time or money to use this software. Your tax prep software will do it all just as well. If you do need help valuing your donations, then this might make your life a little easier, but not much.

This program is basically a simple database that allows you to enter your donations. It will help you value your donations, but it's difficult to do in the program. You need to know which category your item is listed under before you can find it's value in this program. It doesn't let you search for your item to find the value. I don't see any value in this program. Entering all of your donations in this program is a hassle. It's easier to enter them directly into your tax program.

I got it last year for free after rebate. (Well, free after a 6 month battle with H&R Block on them honoring the rebate.) It is quite possible the hardest to use software ever sold. If they gave you an Excel spreadsheet with tables it would be EASIER and more functional. I'm not kidding.

Warning: After successfully saving my file, I continued to input over 100 line items in this program (a very time consuming task). When finished, I tried to save but received an error message. Then when I tried to open my file, the message said it wasn't a valid file format. My file was corrupted and cannot be retrieved, and the technical support had no idea how it happened or whether it could happen again. I am in the process of returning this program.

The non-cash charitable contribution section is a great idea, but it's cumbersome: you have to scroll down a very long list each time (no key words). Plus, there are many every-day items that aren't on the list; bicycle helmet is, but dishware isn't.

I haven't tried the alternative, but this program is awful.

Don't even bother...Even an excel spreadsheet is easier than this. There is no way to enter multiple different items that were given on the same date. You have to type the date for each item individually (not even a copy/paste function). When looking up the value of an item you have to go through multiple menu's that aren't arranged well. Very clunky and disappointing.

I bought the software and the first step it requires you to do is to enter organization name and address. It gives you so little space for both that I can't even enter my church name in a meaningful way. I can barely enter street address of all the organizations. I have to use the TaxCut software to modify the names once they are imported. It's useless! The only good thing is that I do get my rebate so at least it's free.

After installing Deduction Pro 2007, it instructed me to check for updates. I did, and got the following error message: "An error occurred while updating There was a problem updating. Please check that you have an internet connection and have administrator rights. Please try updating again later." After doing all the confirmations requested, trying repeatedly for over a week to check for updates, and then uninstalling the software and reinstalling it, I still got the same error message. I was finally able to contact online Tech Support, who informed me that there are no updates available. Wouldn't that be a clearer error message? I'm trying TurboTax next year.

I bought this software on the recommendation of my father who uses it regularly. I was astonished at the price on jumped on the purchase. To my dismay I purchased a copy for Tax Year 2003. This information should have been listed in the details on the product. Glad I didn't pay too much for it.

Very poorly done. No ability to search for an item type (e.g. 'gym bag') -- need to poke around the categories to see if you find it. Entered items in the 'Other' category and it duplicated them every time I saved, so I ended up with many copies of the same entry. Makes me question other H&R Block software.

I have to agree with the other reviewers... there's not enough space to enter all of the information about a charity, the tables are limited and not searchable (though categorically organized), and the error messages I've received so far ("The charity name was over 37 characters" yeah, so? you want them shorter or something?; "An Error Occurred While Updating. Please check that you have an Internet connection and administrator rights. Please try updating later.") don't really explain how to resolve the problem.

...but what I do like is that it lets me enter all of the donations I've been collecting all year long and I can start getting them entered before I've received my W-2s and 1099's. Gives me a head start while I'm waiting for tax forms. Plus the most common items are already in there and have estimated values. I do think Intuit's equivalent software has a better way of evaluating the value of items, and will reward you better for your donations in the tax return. ...but then I would have to use TurboTax which I was unhappy with for TY2006 and TY2005.

This software is fine as a free TaxCut feature, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it.