This has been mentioned in a couple of other threads, but I thought it was important enough to warrant it's own subject.
Every so often, Intuit really shoots themselves in their foot. Going back a few years, trying to impose authentication on their software. More recently, the idiot owner of Mint who was dumping on all their PC based software users. Even the latest Quicken version that requires a "Quicken ID."
Seems like they've just done it again. Starting with the 2014 versions, TTax users will be pleased to find out that Intuit has "made some changes this year to give you the best possible experience."
What that translates into is that all support (including forms mode) for Schedules C, D E and F have been removed from TTax Deluxe. You now must buy either the Premier or H&B version.
The droids staffing the Intuit help forum are doing their best to spin this as a positive move. They aren't suceeding.
I've just downloaded H&R Block Deluxe from Amazon for $24.95.
If you are an Advantage member (annual subscription), you can get a free upgrade this year due to the product changes. If so, you can upgrade in the program by running TT and clicking on the Upgrade option at the top of the screen, and then using your Advantage log-in ID to verify.
I wonder what Intuit's return policy is, for example, if someone buys Deluxe this month (still November) but then finds out in April when they actually might starting USING the product it doesn't work for them as in the past.
Probably gets credit towards an "upgrade" of course, but what if they wish to cut the cord, get their money back, and use TC?
The very confusing TT (HR Block) web site implies massive changes in that product as well. There is only an "online" version advertised, and state is no longer included, for a pretty dramatic price increase.
and no sooner did I post this then I found Tax Cut Deluxe + State for $29 at New Egg with free shipping! So I bought it... ==========================================================Order Summary
Sales Order Number: xxxxxxxxx Sales Order Date: 12/1/2014 10:59:24 AM Shipping Method: Super Eggsaver (4-7 bus. days)
1 x ($29.99) H&R BLOCK Tax Software 2014 - Deluxe + State (PC & $29.99
Subtotal: $29.99 Tax: $0.00 Shipping and Handling: $0.00 Total Amount: $29.99 =============================================================== Hmmmmm, deal is gone now, it's back to $39.
As soon as it comes I'll install and do an import from last year's TurboTax, I'll post back with results.
But if I recall correctly, H&R Block Deluxe does not download transaction information from your broker, or does it now? That has always been TurboTax's trump card for me.
If importing is the same as last year HR Block Deluxe and TT Premier imported Schwab's data into the tax programs without any problems. At least for me.
Schwab's site saying it will still work HR Block & TT.
Per their site "H&R Block(R) Tax Software
Connect and download to H&R Block(R) Tax Software from Schwab.com
Turbo Tax
TurboTax Desktop-follow the simple onscreen instructions from within the Turbo Tax software to access your data."
Hope you don't mind me jumping into this conversation, but here's my experi ence with the new versions of TTax. I upgraded from the Deluxe to Premier v ersion of TTax because schedule E had "DO NOT FILE" in the upper right hand corner of the form just below the year. But with the Premier version insta lled the "DO NOT FILE" was still present. So I upgraded to TTax Home and B usiness, but the "DO NOT FILE" was still there. Is the "DO NOT FILE" markin g Intuits way of telling me a higher version is needed? The same marking is seen on schedule D and several other forms that require an upgrade. The TT ax titlebar reads "TurboTax Home and Business" but the forms still show "DO NOT FILE."
I called TTax support and they were pretty helpful. They said the "DO NOT FILE" marking means the final version of the form is not ready yet. They al so said that the only was to determine what version you need is to do the i nitial interview and indicate what income sources you had in 2014.
Do Not File has always been present on versions prior to mid January or so, and later on forms that were expected to change, so that isn't a good indicator of which version of TTax to use.
The advice to use the TTax initial interview to determine which version to buy is also a bit of a canard. It's true this year, but hasn't been in the past as you could always use forms mode.
It appears that Intuit has made the decision to remove forms mode to force people into more expensive versions of the software. Hopefully that decision will blow up on them.
Right! That marking has been on output forms for the past several years. It does not indicate version-upgrade status, but only alerts the user to hold off actually filing the return until the IRS has released the actual form and TTax has finished integrating into the program.
We can read the table on the back of every TTax DVD box or online. But I found the captions too vague to tell me FOR SURE whether Deluxe could handle capital gains and other investment transactions. As I (and others) said above, in previous years I used Basic and chose the Forms mode to enter details for such items and TTax handled them with no problems. But when I tried this with 2014 Basic, I didn't find a way to force Forms mode. MAYBE the final TTax Basic version will let us Import investment transactions, but I wanted to do some year-end planning and Basic wouldn't let me insert some of my estimated income items.
Maybe I just didn't look hard enough; maybe Deluxe would have let me do the planning. But I caved and bought the upgrade to Premier, and found Forms mode and places to use Override to plug in some estimated numbers for planning purposes. Based on what I saw for my situation, I was able to figure out which stocks to sell before year-end and sold them with a week or two to spare. While I'm still grumbling about the $90 cost of Premier, it was a lot less than the tax dollars I was able to save - or at least to manage.
When the final (or near-final) TTax version arrives, and when my 1099's and other official forms are here, I can delete the override numbers and complete my return. Like the other users, I'm disappointed in Intuit for forcing this upgrade, but TTax is still the best method for filing returns. so far as I can see. Switching programs is seldom a good idea, especially for a single year. Besides the learning curve, there is loss of continuity and often things "fall through the cracks" during the switch - and again during the switch back that often follows.
RC
-- -- R. C. White, CPA San Marcos, TX (Retired. No longer licensed to practice public accounting.) snipped-for-privacy@grandecom.net Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010) (Using Quicken Deluxe 2015 R3 and Windows Live Mail in Win8.1 x64)
Hope you don't mind me jumping into this conversation, but here's my experience with the new versions of TTax. I upgraded from the Deluxe to Premier version of TTax because schedule E had "DO NOT FILE" in the upper right hand corner of the form just below the year. But with the Premier version installed the "DO NOT FILE" was still present. So I upgraded to TTax Home and Business, but the "DO NOT FILE" was still there. Is the "DO NOT FILE" marking Intuits way of telling me a higher version is needed? The same marking is seen on schedule D and several other forms that require an upgrade. The TTax titlebar reads "TurboTax Home and Business" but the forms still show "DO NOT FILE."
I called TTax support and they were pretty helpful. They said the "DO NOT FILE" marking means the final version of the form is not ready yet. They also said that the only was to determine what version you need is to do the initial interview and indicate what income sources you had in 2014.
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