Tax Season 2017
- Thread starter Music Nfluenced
- Start date
I've always done my own taxes. Used to do them by hand and that was a nightmare. Stumbled upon turbo tax back in 05 and have been doing them that way ever since. Have never had an issue. Been doing my parents taxes too. Those tax guys are using the same software as turbo tax so why pay them? I can wait 2 weeks for my refund.
If you are self employed or an independent contractor then there are definitely good reasons to use an accountant, but otherwise it's fucking cake with TurboTax. You just answer a bunch of straightforward questions about your life over the last year. If you continually use TurboTax every year it gets easier since it fills in most of the shit for you using the previous year's info.
@Rasan
I think I would probably rather drink bleach than do my taxes by hand. I'm good with math but that would make me go insane.
@Rasan
I think I would probably rather drink bleach than do my taxes by hand. I'm good with math but that would make me go insane.
I used turbo tax for years and then one year i thought my return was lower then usual.. i imported the turbotax info into h&r block, got almost $1000 more and have never went back to turbo tax.
The plus side to doing taxes online is you just input your id # from your w-2 and all the info is filled out
The plus side to doing taxes online is you just input your id # from your w-2 and all the info is filled out
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If you are self employed or an independent contractor then there are definitely good reasons to use an accountant, but otherwise it's fucking cake with TurboTax. You just answer a bunch of straightforward questions about your life over the last year. If you continually use TurboTax every year it gets easier since it fills in most of the shit for you using the previous year's info.
@Rasan
I think I would probably rather drink bleach than do my taxes by hand. I'm good with math but that would make me go insane.
@Rasan
I think I would probably rather drink bleach than do my taxes by hand. I'm good with math but that would make me go insane.
Why do you need identity theft protection?
If it's bank related usually your bank will just notify you of something and you wont be liable for it; they'll just freeze your debit card and then have you come in and get a new one. If not you can just alert them directly and they'll handle it. Credit card companies are usually the same way, so that's already two levels of protection that are being provided that the identity theft services usually don't even really actively guard against, even the higher tiered priced ones.
Also you can easily just go online to Transunion, Equifax, or Experian and do a free 90 day Fraud Alert which will make anything credit related pop up an alert and require more levels of scrutiny and identification to go through for a thief. Or do it by phone. Alerting one of these will automatically alert the other two. From there you can view your credit report for free and see if there was fraud, or escalate it to a 7 year Fraud Alert through mail, or even a Freeze. If you are active duty you can do a 1 year Active Duty Fraud Alert. Most of this is free.
If it's Social security number related contacted the Social Security Administration and they'll let you know what to do. Also it'd be a good idea to contact the IRS if it's social security number related.
If it's mail related you can apply for a P.O. box online or in person then forward your mail to the P.O. box
And why do you want to give multiple agencies that are operating for profit all of your most sensitive information? Do you think turbotax or H&R block or Lifelock or any of this stuff can't be breached or they won't just decide to sell off that information or something lol
If it's bank related usually your bank will just notify you of something and you wont be liable for it; they'll just freeze your debit card and then have you come in and get a new one. If not you can just alert them directly and they'll handle it. Credit card companies are usually the same way, so that's already two levels of protection that are being provided that the identity theft services usually don't even really actively guard against, even the higher tiered priced ones.
Also you can easily just go online to Transunion, Equifax, or Experian and do a free 90 day Fraud Alert which will make anything credit related pop up an alert and require more levels of scrutiny and identification to go through for a thief. Or do it by phone. Alerting one of these will automatically alert the other two. From there you can view your credit report for free and see if there was fraud, or escalate it to a 7 year Fraud Alert through mail, or even a Freeze. If you are active duty you can do a 1 year Active Duty Fraud Alert. Most of this is free.
If it's Social security number related contacted the Social Security Administration and they'll let you know what to do. Also it'd be a good idea to contact the IRS if it's social security number related.
If it's mail related you can apply for a P.O. box online or in person then forward your mail to the P.O. box
And why do you want to give multiple agencies that are operating for profit all of your most sensitive information? Do you think turbotax or H&R block or Lifelock or any of this stuff can't be breached or they won't just decide to sell off that information or something lol
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Ya I don't understand why you would need identity theft protection for doing taxes through TurboTax. If TurboTax gets hacked it doesn't matter if there was identity theft protection through them. That's more of a bank service to make you not liable for charges you didn't make. Millions of people use TT every year so you shouldn't worry.
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Rasan and Rasan
Well like I said you have protection against that through your bank or CC company. TurboTax has been around forever and has safeguards to protect your info. That would be lame if they made you pay extra to make your info extra secure.
Here's more info on their security:
TurboTax(R) Security & Fraud Protection, How TurboTax Protects Customer’s Data
Here's more info on their security:
TurboTax(R) Security & Fraud Protection, How TurboTax Protects Customer’s Data
Never use H&R or any of those thieving companies that charge an arm and a leg for some $11/hr moron to push buttons on the keyboard without even understanding tax codes.
I used turbo tax a looooong time ago until I took them to an accountant who amended them and got me more money. Then, I noticed discrepancies between turbo tax and doing them myself, where turbo tax was not giving me all of my money. I only do them on my own now, no turbo tax, no accountant (my small business income is not large enough for an accountant, yet), no thieving companies besides the gubmint. The less hands in the cookie jar the better.
Turbo Tax prob really owned by the gubmint.
I used turbo tax a looooong time ago until I took them to an accountant who amended them and got me more money. Then, I noticed discrepancies between turbo tax and doing them myself, where turbo tax was not giving me all of my money. I only do them on my own now, no turbo tax, no accountant (my small business income is not large enough for an accountant, yet), no thieving companies besides the gubmint. The less hands in the cookie jar the better.
Turbo Tax prob really owned by the gubmint.
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The IRS will provide you with a big list of software, all free of charge depending on your income, as an alternative to TurboTax:
Free File: Do Your Federal Taxes for Free
Doing it yourself is the best bet but it still may be a good idea to use a free software as a guide or tool during the process.
TurboTax is kinda shady, they've been involved in numerous scandals over the years. I use it though myself.
Free File: Do Your Federal Taxes for Free
Doing it yourself is the best bet but it still may be a good idea to use a free software as a guide or tool during the process.
TurboTax is kinda shady, they've been involved in numerous scandals over the years. I use it though myself.
I went to H&R Block it's only $55. I've gone to the same guy like 7 years in a row now he's like 80. When he dies I'll do turbo tax lol
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