If you do your own taxes do you use software or pen and paper?

PrairieRose · 02-26-2006, 02:58 PM

Or do you file it online with TaxAct or something similar? My youngest dd needs to file her's. I've always done it for her but this year I'm going to make her do it for herself. Just wondering what's the cheapest way to do it right? It won't be complicated, she didn't make much but should get back what was withheld.

madhen · 02-26-2006, 03:08 PM

I use TurboTax.

canadian gardener · 02-26-2006, 03:46 PM

we use Quick Tax from Quicken.

Michelle · 02-26-2006, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by madhen
I use TurboTax.

Me too

KKCondrey · 02-26-2006, 06:39 PM

We've used Tax Act for the last 5 or so years. Federal returns are free and state is like 8 or 9.95 to file. I use to just use pen and paper to do mine and Joes but taxact is so much quicker.

QuilterMom · 02-26-2006, 08:03 PM

Pen and paper.

baxjul · 02-26-2006, 08:16 PM

Pen and paper. Very old fashioned!

inneedofhope · 02-26-2006, 08:56 PM

I used Turbo Tax this year.

dndylfe · 02-26-2006, 09:22 PM

Your state might also let you use tele-file which is, obviously, very simple and on the phone. I did that one year.

My dad made sure that we knew how to do it on pen and paper though so that we knew the basics.

But now, my husband does them on turbo tax freedom, or something like that (it's free if you've made under a certain amount)

Renee-2kids · 02-27-2006, 01:05 AM

DH does them with pen and paper.

Pepper · 02-27-2006, 04:56 AM

I do our taxes with pen and paper. This might be a good thing for her to do, just to kind of understand a little better how it works. Of course if it is her first time, I would make sure to look it over

bridge · 02-27-2006, 11:53 AM

I use this site
http://www.freetaxusa.com/

I have for 3 years I really like them.
I then use my states Free site to do my State taxes.

Mine are free thru free tax also, depends on your income!!

littlemotherhaywood · 03-01-2006, 02:06 PM

In the past we've purchased and used turbotax and taxact. I recommend going to the IRS site as they list several companies that will let you use their software and file online for free. If her tax return is going to be simple, why pay for anything

pkellyc · 03-01-2006, 10:03 PM

Go to www.irs.gov. Anyone who makes $50,000 or less can e-file for free. The site lists several. I use turbo tax it is so easy. I have to pay for mine but we did do our dd's this way.

dcompton · 03-01-2006, 11:47 PM

This is the first year I have filed on line and also the first year I had to do self-employment. I went to the IRS site and the first two companies I tried were impossible -- I could not get them to calculate the self-employment tax correctly, or even to let me enter it in a sensible way. They both came up with $200 more on the refund than I knew I should be getting. Finally I tried TaxAct, and it worked perfectly, within $1 of what I calculated with pencil/paper. It was very easy to use, and seemed to have a more logical flow than the other two. Also easier to get around in. I'm sure others, maybe even the two I tried to use first, are good, but I would recommend TaxAct.

Donna