Just filed federal using TurboTax' freebie.
As a heads up to anyone who plans to do the same, they try to bamboozle you in to using their pay state service (30 clams). The only way you can opt out is to click on state return then click on delete.
I wish i could use freebie, too many employers and extra income, but no state income so wouldn't have to deal with that aspect anyways.
I owe the government money. :(
I am not required to file. -_-
Turbotax used to be ok. I used H&R Block last year (my taxes are simple, so it's always a freebie version), but this year they had some jack-assed load of questions regarding Roth IRA contributions that wanted me to lay out my entire contribution history current value. Fuck that.
Went back to Taxslayer (free for military, at least) this year.
Quote from: Jaron on February 12, 2012, 09:59:55 PM
I owe the government money. :(
Yeah, this is the first time I've ever had to pay out. Which is why I'm putting it off until April 14th.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 13, 2012, 01:58:54 AM
Quote from: Jaron on February 12, 2012, 09:59:55 PM
I owe the government money. :(
Yeah, this is the first time I've ever had to pay out. Which is why I'm putting it off until April 14th.
I believe we have until the 17th or 18th this year.
EDIT: Yep pretty sure it is the 17th. The 15th is a Sunday and IIRC April 16th is a holiday in DC so there is no mail service.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 13, 2012, 01:58:54 AM
Quote from: Jaron on February 12, 2012, 09:59:55 PM
I owe the government money. :(
Yeah, this is the first time I've ever had to pay out. Which is why I'm putting it off until April 14th.
Same. :P
If I was getting money back that form would already be efiled, but since I'm not their asses can wait until I'm damn good and ready. :P
I started working on my tax return yesterday, but will wait until Feb 15, when my stock brokerage allows electronic importation of my statements into TurboTax.
Quote from: Ideologue on February 12, 2012, 10:10:45 PM
I am not required to file. -_-
You might qualify for Earned Income Tax Credit.
Also putting it off until the 14th. The buttraping gets worse every year.
I always use Turbotax. Their web interface is very nicely done, even if it is kind of pricey. I think my bill was $80 for federal and state.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 13, 2012, 11:58:39 AM
Quote from: Ideologue on February 12, 2012, 10:10:45 PM
I am not required to file. -_-
You might qualify for Earned Income Tax Credit.
Negative. Didn't get paid till January.
Hopefully, the ironic thing will happen, and I'll have to pay extra taxes on my subalternoid wages next year.
Quote from: Berkut on February 13, 2012, 12:50:12 PM
I always use Turbotax. Their web interface is very nicely done, even if it is kind of pricey. I think my bill was $80 for federal and state.
Same here. It's familiar, it's easy to use, and the aggravation it saves me is valued at so much higher than $50 or so that it doesn't make sense to nickel and dime it. I even buy the (grossly overprice, I'm sure) audit protection, just because I'm a very risk-averse actuary.
I use TaxAct online; it's free for Fed and state package is like $19, and for a nominal price $6 or so, they maintain something like your last 6 years' returns on their server. Never had any issues with it at all.
The best way is to lose everything in a messy divorce, then tax filing becomes a lot simpler.
I'll be getting money back, mortgage and some medical bills out of pocket this year to add to it. After a rather large Federal return last year, I decreased my withholding taxes so I'd get a little less taken out of my paycheck, since I was paying a bit too much apparently. Hey, I ain't Warren Buffet!!
Quote from: PDH on February 13, 2012, 02:16:21 PM
The best way is to lose everything in a messy divorce, then tax filing becomes a lot simpler.
Homeless people have it so easy! :weep:
I ditched TaxCut last year & went with TurboTax & will do so again this year. We gave away a buttload of clothes again last year (particularly accumulated baby/toddler clothes, given how we're at the end of a hand-me-down chain) and the TurboTax donations calculator helps immensely.
So far it's looking like we stand to get back way more than we had before, with two kids and some day-care expenses we can actually claim. We're also just past the threshold to deduct medical expenses for 2011, so it's been a doozy just gathering all the info for that.
TaxCut was so buggy for me-- if I left an item (or just one field) to complete later and then actually went back & completed it later, it would still throw errors telling me something was missing & I'd end up having to do the whole damned thing from scratch.
I only have to minimally alter the returns pre-calculated by our IRS. Their software gets it right more often than not.
Quote from: Iormlund on February 13, 2012, 04:59:23 PM
I only have to minimally alter the returns pre-calculated by our IRS. Their software gets it right more often than not.
We've been outdone in efficiency by the Spaniards. We suck.
And the Greeks are even more efficient. They just don't pay taxes at all.
Quote from: Iormlund on February 13, 2012, 04:59:23 PM
I only have to minimally alter the returns pre-calculated by our IRS. Their software gets it right more often than not.
That's cool. How complicated is a typical Spanish return?
It is fairly easy as far as I can tell, although being a single guy with no mortgage mine are as easy as you can think of.
You get sent a pre-calculated draft with parameters set in advance (income, mortgage, pension contributions, people who depend on you etc). If you want to change something you can use an application on their web page to modify or redo the whole thing.
In addition pretty much all taxes are levied by the central government, which then distributes the money to regional administrations. I'm guessing that simplifies things quite a bit.
Hmm, the Spanish system seems quite streamlined. I would wish the US would start streamling and simplifying its tax code. But hey, our legislators do talk threaten about doing that all the time. But we may want to be carful though, as we may get what we wish for, simplification, and not like it.
I was doing my state, so had to look at the federal pdf. Found out that I got a $200 credit for contributing to my own retirement while poor. :w00t:
Thanks Barry, I feel stimulated. :cheers:
The thought of my 2011 taxes MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL.
Quote from: KRonn on February 13, 2012, 06:55:28 PM
Hmm, the Spanish system seems quite streamlined. I would wish the US would start streamling and simplifying its tax code. But hey, our legislators do talk threaten about doing that all the time. But we may want to be carful though, as we may get what we wish for, simplification, and not like it.
In my last job I had to research lots of tax systems. Without exception the US was the most difficult and unpleasant to deal with in terms of getting the information and degree of complexity. I mean even lots of the websites looked like they'd not been updated, or used since the 90s.. I always wonder if Americans don't like government because they're really, really bad at it.
QuoteThat's cool. How complicated is a typical Spanish return?
Most Euro-countries don't need returns unless you're self-employed or have more than one source of income.
Already? My employer hasn't even started mailing the income statements.
Hopefully, I won't have to pay up this year but I'm doubtfull, very very doubtfull.