In previous years, TT would charge for the state Tax Return and Electronic filing but would eventually rebate those fees to the purchaser. This year the state return was a freebie and electronic filing is a fee with no rebate. This will be my first year since I started using TT (2000) that I will not be electronically filing. I will print the forms and use a 39 cent stamp to mail rather than pay a $9.95 or $14.95 fee. I am getting a small federal refund (
I am shooting from the hip here; but I don't think TT ever rebated your state filing fees, did it? I still have an old 2003 TT box sitting around, and it only references the Federal efile rebate. I think one always paid for State efiling fees through Intuit.
Now your comment "The IRS has goals for electronic filing and I think this change in policy is going to negatively impact electronic filings.".... Probably so, but that is a change in Intuit's policy, not the IRS. From what I understand, the IRS per se does not charge for efiling, but requires a certain process (strict software regulations, transmission file types, and the like) that is done by the 3rd party software companies like Intuit as individuals would have an terrible time dealing with the requirements. So your fees are really going to the 3rd parties, not the IRS.
I for one have never seen the true benefit for efiling if it costs me. It is NOT worth my spending $9.95 to get a $500 rebate that much quicker. (That's 2%, more than my bank pays me for my savings account!). If I thought that, I would have planned better during the year not to have given them MY money during the 12 months through deductions only to have to get it back at the end of the year without interest (!). And on the flip side, I certainly wouldn't spend that if I owed money for my return. The only benefit I see is that one does get a formal acknowledgement they received your return electronically before the due date (a certified receipt from the USPS doesn't prove that.)
I don't know if it is possible, but I wish the IRS would allow those of us who use a 3rd party efiler to give us a tax credit on our returns for using efiling. It seems unfair that some people can do this for free through a program they have (with income restrictions and the like) when in reality, using efiling cuts down on their processing and labor costs, but we don't share in the benefit.
I agree 100% and will be doing the same. My state has a very simple secure web interface for filing, once you have the numbers from your federal return. Return comes into your bank account 2-3 days anfter you enter in the numbers, so I never used the state e-filing. My federal return has never exceeded $2K. Sorry - just can't see financing Intuit and the IRS any more than I have to.
Another me too. I used e-file when it was rebated for the federal return and reasonably priced for the state return. For the last two years I've printed the returns and mailed them in. Will do so this year.
"Clark W. Griswold, Jr." wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
I've been efiling for several years and there was always a charge for federal and another charge for state, but Intuit refunded the federal charge.
I'm willing to pay for the efile because there is less chance for errors. Prior to efiling I had two occasions where some clerk keywhacked my return incorrectly which prompted a letter from new Jersey saying I owed more money. Both errors were cleared up with a phone call (and follow up letter) but it was a hassle.
When the federal rebate was included and the state was about $5, it made sense to e-file. I don't remember the fees exactly for last year, and a quick look at the FAQ on turbotax.com doesn't tell me the fees for this year, but I think it was up to $15 for federal, $10 for state.
If one files early, with no priority or delivery receipt, it costs less than $1 in postage fees. Standard mail with delivery receipt is between $3 and $4. It's your choice to give $25 to Intuit or $8 to the USPS.
I also need to file 1041 forms which TurboTax doesn't handle until one gets to the Business version (which costs $100) thus I need to go to the post office anyway ...
A receipt only buys you piece of mind that it got there; there's no legal proof that you mailed a return. (ie: You could mail the IRS a baseball card in such an envelope and still have the receipt.)
As I said in an earlier post, only the e-file is true 'proof'. That is, indeed, one advantage of it.
But if we go back 10 or so years, before there was an e-file option, no one needed this "proof." It seems e-file providers have convinced people that they need this new feature, and pay them for it.
I probably could, but I would bet that my file would get flagged by the IRS, and when I would come around with my receipt not only I would be guilty of not filing my taxes on time, as well as trying to deceive them, which may carry a larger fine.
FWIW, there are no income or age limits to using the VITA Tax-Aide national program. One alternative to paper filing is to do your return in TTax, and print it. Take your return and forms (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) along with proof of identity and SSN to your local Tax-Aide site, and they'll input into TaxWise and e-file it free, including state return, if any.
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to find a nearby site. I used TTax and mailed returns for many years for reasons similar to yours. Also used the Form 1040PC until IRS discontinued it. Now I volunteer in the Tax-Aide program at 2 area sites, and am the e-filer for one of them. .............................. Smash forehead on keyboard to continue...
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