Customer Reviews

TurboTax Basic 2003

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

This is my sixth year using Quicken TurboTax and it will be my forth year using the state tax version. Intuit listened and dropped the product activation this year. I know that it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth but I'm glad they dropped it. Still, I can't imagine going back to pen and paper to do taxes. The program takes you step-by-step through the tax process by asking you questions about the various sections of the forms. It also prompts you to make you remember about things that may have slipped you mind, like other deductions. And, it makes suggestions for deductions that you may not have thought about. At the end of the process you can print out the forms for mailing in the traditional format or in a format that's easy for the IRS computers to read. In addition, you can opt to file electronicly. The help section IS very helpful. It actually makes sense of the rules and instructions for filing your taxes and explains the relevant sections of the tax code in easy to understand language. My one suggestion is that you have all your papers with you before you start the process. You can, of course, save your work and come back to finish or edit it, but it is a pain to be half way through and remember that your mortgage statement is two floors away.

I tried Taxcut last year because of the product activation on TurboTax. I had problems with it right off. It stated on the box that you could import TurboTax files but when I tried it wouldn't let me. The Taxcut web site suggested that this was a common problem and that you had to edit your TurboTax file (with TurboTax) to bring it down to a certain size. Still, it didn't tell you what that size was ok or really give you any idea on what to cut out. (I thought all of the our tax info was important).

My advice: TurboTax is still the best tax prep software. Don't do your taxes without it.

it wouldn't import from ItsDeductible.

However, for $20.00, it does everything I ever need it to do. Their website is easy to follow (I've never needed it, though). The only reason to get the next model is if you want money advice. This one does forms, it's just too easy. It thinks of things you wouldn't have, etc, etc. What can I say, I've used this since 1998, tried TaxCut once and it was horrific! I just get my papers out and sit down and answer the questions. Woohoo!

I have used TurboTax for years (except for last year, when I used TaxCut due to rumors that Intuit's installer program ended up leaving spyware on your computer). I am self-employed and use a home office, and TurboTax was always easy to use even with those added details in my tax return. HOWEVER, this year, the Basic version was NOT nearly as simple, straightforward or user-friendly as in the past. For the life of me, I couldn't get the "EasyStep" interview to take me directly to the section on entering home business expenses. I had to go at it backwards, which made the entire process more confusing. I spent hours longer doing my taxes than I ever did in the past. A friend of mine also had the same problem, so it wasn't just me. I have no idea what they did: I am wondering if they've cut down the features on the BASIC program so that those like me are forced to use the more expensive versions (which was never the case in the past -- the BASIC was just fine before). In any event, I most definitely will be less inclined to use TurboTax next year and will try and pore over reviews of other tax preparation products to get something more simple to use.

I see the same problems that plagued TurboTax 2002 are right back in 2003. I'm speaking of the "One-step Update". Sure, the program gets updated, but then becomes completely unstable. In my case, the program locked up anytime I tried to print the form. The program is also filled with other bugs that are annoying, like rounding off values in one place, but not the other. If you override values to correct them, then you can't file the return electronically because you overrode values! Well folks, I overrode them to make them correct! D'uh!

A little tip: If a program update causes the program to become unusable, back up your tax file to a safe folder and uninstall Turbo Tax. Then re-install it from your CD and copy your tax file back. At least you can get back to square one before the online update hoses you again.

This is clearly a case of poor quality assurance. If you want more horror stories, see the reviews for Quicken Deluxe 2004. I can really empathize with these people who have used a flawless product for years and are now faced with a clearly defective product.

Has this company been so entirely consumed by their greed? I don't know, but their customers are really suffering and it's a crying shame that Intuit has lost touch with their customer base and has ruined so many of their good products. If I was the CEO, I'd be ordering extra pink slips this year.

After reading the reviews on this page and on TaxCut's page, I almost decided to go back and do the taxes by hand. Fortunately, I didn't do it and instead I bought TT Basic and thought I'll give it a try, before putting it down.

From the beginning, I have to say my taxes were pretty straightforward, except for the confusing Schedule D. Turbo Tax worked great, the questions were easy to understand, going back and undoing was very easy and your current calculations were always displayed in the top right corner.

Before starting, the program updated 29 files, which temporary freezed my PC (even at 384 MB RAM, running XP). However, the program didn't crash and after updating I was able to continue from where I left. Saving after a number of steps is also very useful, since the program will restart from this point on. I have not met the condition where you have to reconfirm some steps, but it may be because I saved by 'chapters'.

The only issue i found was one where the program would refuse to print, saying that it does not have the right fonts. A note on Intuit's site was saying to uninstall and reinstall the program until this is corrected. If that is true, then I can be an IT guy at any time ... Since it sounded really silly, I chose not to do it and instead I saved these files as pdfs, then printed them with no problems. Actually - one other issue here - the pennies are not displayed on those forms you print and I was not able to find a way to setup the page better, so that the full numbers enter on page.

One other interesting thing - the program runs without needing the CD in the CD driver. May be a good thing, if it would allow to instal it on multiple PCs, but I have not tried to do it.

Other bad things - some software you don't want will be installed on your PC and you have no control over it. Fine prints also show their ugly face from time to time (like for example, if you choose to have your e-file fee deducted directly from your refund, you have to pay $12 - but there is also another path, where you can pay by credit card, without additional fees).

Overall, I was satisfied with this program. I did not have to use their Tech Support and besides Schedule D, I didn't have anything complicated. If this is your case, then, well, it looks like it's working, so go for it!

One final note: Do the State taxes by hand! Takes 5 minutes and it's certainly not worth paying $30 and waiting 8 weeks to get them back.

I've used Turbotax for years, but had several issues with the software this year:

1. I was pitched additional services thoughout the program, including it's deductible, state forms, audit protection, tax review and worst of all tax advice. The tax advice was the worst because they charge you $19.95 per CALL for advice that the IRS gives you for free. The IRS advice by the way is quick, professional, and confidential. While using the program, I felt like I was at a time-share sales meeting.

2. The program kept asking me to calculate the cost basis on my IRA even though I am 41 years old and will not take a distribution for at least 25 years. I finally plugged in 0, but am concerned that this is now baked into my taxes somehow?

3. Each time I opened the program, I had to repeat the easy step interview. My prior answers were still there, but I had to waste time confirming them all.

4. To question the IRA basis, I was offered the choice of looking through the FAQs on-line (not there), paying $19.95 per CALL for tech support, or "chatting" for free. I chose to chat. The person responded to me only 3 times in 16 minutes and was unable to answer my question. She was clearly not a native English speaker (maybe she didn't understand my question?). At the end of the chat, she said, "when you close the chat window, you will (sic) asked to complete a short survey. Can we agree that my answers solved you (sic) questions?". I said they did not, and surprise! I did not get a survey.

Turbotax has not responded to my emails on these issues.

I hope it did my taxes correctly - fortunately, they are simple enough that it would be pretty hard to mess them up. If your situation is more complex, I wouldn't risk it.

This used to be a premier product but it's getting plagued with more bugs each year - the comments here confirm it. I've used Turbo tax for the last 10 years and aside from the last 2, it worked flawlessly. Last year I spent hours on the chat line with peolple who would apologize but never gave a correct answer. This year - no better. Each day I try to complete my return with the one click update but I get "Update not available". Checking the web site it says it will be available 2/15. Well, I tried on 2/15 and no update. After a 40 minute wait, The person on the chat line said it would be available on 2/16. Guess what - It's 2/16 and no update. This is just sloppy on Intuit's side. They obviously don't care about customer service if they don't even update their website with such important dates. I'll switch programs next year - I suggest others do the same.

We have been using Turbo tax for last several years and have been happy. However, this year's version is full of bugs. To give an example, it believes that we are filing an "amended tax form". We go and uncheck it but it checks it right back. We have had three long conversations with their customer rep. The first two asked us to start from the beginnings. The suckers that we are we followed their advice. It is only later that we realized that it is a quick way out for them -- they do not stay on the line while we go through this time consuming process; We become the next rep's problem :( We finally put our foot down with the third rep. His solution was more creative. He told us that we are fine. The elctronic file has gone through and it just takes a while for us to find out about it. All our objections "but the screen says that we can not file because we have an amended tax return; and why does it think we have an amended tax return" met with a cool "do not worry, the IRS servers may be overloaded."

Ordered my copy of Turbotax Basic on a Sunday along with some other stuff. Got the free shipping and it arrived on the following Wednesday. Thanks, Amazon! I installed it in mid-January and applied the updates via the internet. It carried over the data from last year perfectly. Some of my financial data was not available yet so I saved where I was.

Later in the month I entered the remaining data and an error that showed up in the final review. Somehow the program rounded up the cents on my qualified dividends to the next dollar while total ordinary dividends were captured in dollars and cents. Thus, in the comparison at final review, the qualified dividends exceeded total. While getting ready to complain to TurboTax, I applied the one-step updates again and the problem was fixed (at the end of January).

Total time to complete my pretty complex return was about 45 minutes (compared to the many hours I used to spend when doing my taxes manually years ago). I would highly recommend this product.

I was hesitant to buy Turbo this year after having left to buy TaxCut last year when Intuit had the arrogance to put spyware into their product and add a disturbing activation process. I had always been a Turbo user but was so incensed at last years shenanigans by Intuit that I switched to TaxCut (and would do so again, should they initiate the same nonsense as they did in 2002). In any case, TaxCut in not even remotely as user friendly or robust as Turbo and given the opportunity to have Turbo as it was in 2001 and prior I have gladly come back. After reading the reviews on Amazon I hesitated, but am glad I gave it a try. The installation (on a Win 98 machine)was flawless (except for a minor glitch of it crashing my system when updating the software the first time). Useability is as good as always, in my opinion, which as I've said is light years ahead of TaxCut. In light of the options available on the market, Turbo is the clear choice (unless you want to suffer with a lesser product like TaxCut -- which I will grudgingly do again if Intuit plays games like they did in 2002!)