Customer Reviews

TaxCut from H&R Block 2001 Deluxe Filing Edition

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

I bought it in 1999, 2000 and will again this year. It has been the easiest to use and I love how it mimics all the forms. In 1999 I tried one of the 'other' tax software. I been doing my taxes for years and this 'other' tax software left out things and was totally different than the tax forms I had just penciled in. I knew it was wrong and not easy to use. The same day I downloaded Taxcut and presto - the taxes I figured by hand was exactly what Taxcut figured and it even found some of my errors! What a tax tool!!!

My tax situation is very simple. I could easily do my taxes by hand, but since the software is cheap and I prefer eFile, I thought I'd give TaxCut a try. I haven't been too happy.

First, I had problem w/ crashes. Crashing actually wasn't too bad as I didn't lose any work.

When it came time to eFile, it refused to send. Contacting technical support was little help. They are very slow getting back to you and don't seem to know how to fix anything.

Well, instead of messing w/ tech support, I emailed my saved file to work and installed it there. The eFile went through, but I accidently had the file set to read-only. When I quit the program, it asked if I wanted to save. I click on Yes, get an error and the program closes. No save. Now when I go back into the program, it does not know about my eFile and won't let me check the status. As far as I can see there is nothing I can do about since the interface won't let you move to steps if it thinks you don't belong there. Now I'm going to have to run the gauntlet of tech support again. *sigh*

I think I'll try a new product next year.

Very intuitive and easy to use product. Superior to "other" tax software because explanations are more detailed and easily understood in comparison. Interface tends to be a little more awkward though. This software is also a steal and far less expensive than TurboTax products. TaxCut Deluxe comes with free State software rebate (must purchase in addition) and rebate up to $34.95 on Microsoft Money 2002 Deluxe. ...Microsoft Money Deluxe 2002 has won every recent comparison I've seen in both personal finance and computer magazine reviews. In the end, you get three great products for an unbelievable price...

TaxCut is an OK piece of tax software if your taxes are not complicated.

My income consists of a W-2, some interest statements, some dividends, and some capital gains/losses. For the most part, it handles this no problem.

The software seemed to really lack in the area of educational tax credits. TaxCut is really vague about tuition assistance programs and when and when not to claim the tax credit.

If you get into not so common areas, such as married couples that worked and lived in separate states for part of the year, forget it!

For fun, I tried to give myself some of the uncommon tax credits, and the software was almost no help. I pretended to be eligible for some alternative energy tax credit and the software told me to fill in the form myself, no questions, no hints, and no easy access to the IRS publication (I had to open another screen and go back and forth)

If your taxes are straightforward for the most part, feel free to use the software, but if you are experiencing unique circumstances for the year, go to a professional.

If you don't belive my previous post that this is the better tax software, cehck out PC Magazine's review in their Jan. 29, 2002 issue. TaxCut beats all contenders and gets 5 stars from them.

I've used TurboTax for several years, but this year I bought TaxCut because of the free MS Money offer.

This software is designed to drive you in the arms of an HR Block store. I had to manually go to the child care expenses worksheet, because it never asked during the interview. When you search help and click on 'child care credit', you get the help for 'child care expenses'. THESE ARE DIFFERENT!

Anyway, there is a couple of more errors or potential pitfalls I ran into after using the software for only two hours, now I have to figure out which ones I might have missed.

I've been using Taxcut for 4 years and with the exeption of an online-version fiasco a couple of years ago I've been pretty happy. This year the software was buggy, the UI was misaligned and difficult, and the printouts (supporting docs, not the Actual forms) were terrible. (On a Win2k system) Add to that the fact that with the deluxe version you still have to shell out another $(...) to get your state program and Efile (...) and then try and get $(...) back from 2 seperate rebates and it's just NOT WORTH IT. Avoid it.

When using this product, I had added the same dependent twice (same ssn). I had a hard time removing the duplicate. Plus if you finish one section, the software will not allow you to go back using the back button. The software stores '&' as '_'. I have a benefit account plan where day care expense is removed before taxes. The system keeps stating that my employer provides the daycare, even though, I have told it differently. The system will not allow me to override this and use efile. This product needs to be better tested. The advantages to this product are the price and it has some good tax tips.

I went through Tax Cut and answered every question honestly and truthfully, but if I had actually sent in the return it prepared for me, I would be on my way to jail!

Just a sampling of the problems:
-- Even though I entered that I had contributed to a ROTH (non-deductable) IRA, Tax Cut still deducted my contribution from my income. I had to fix the problem manually. If this gross error had slipped by, I would have certainly been audited and penalized.
-- Tax Cut did not ask me if any of my work-related education expenses were reimbursed by my employer (some of them were). Again, this required a manual fix, and could have resulted in more trouble from the IRS had I actually sent the erroneous return in.
-- Tax Cut totally hosed up importing my capital gains info from Quicken. This took me HOURS to recalculate and enter manually.
-- Even though I told Tax Cut during the interview section that I had no deductible medical expenses, it took my imported Quicken medical expenses and tried to deduct them anyway. If you still (foolishly) decide to use Tax Cut, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT TRY TO IMPORT DATA FROM QUICKEN!!!

On top of everything else, this product is loaded with advertising tie-ins to try to get you into an H&R Block for more business. I cannot say enough bad things about this program. It is awful. It is more than a waste of money -- it may cost you thousands in penalties.

This software is the best Tax Software available for the average Tax filer also if you spent a few hundred dollars at a Tax prearer(HR Block) last year and this years return is similar to last you have a template available already to do it yourself. Only difference is you type in the new numbers rather than having them do typing for you. Is it worth the (...)dollars extra to have someone else type in the info you had to gather up anyway for them to type into their computer? You decide. If you are comfortable using a computer and have a good idea of what your taxes should look like from previous years tax returns then it is a good deal and fairly simple, and take advantage of free state software!! I have used it for the past two years and find it adequate for my basic needs.