I have used TurboTax for many years, but I'm switching this year. For years, TurboTax has been trying to get people to use eFile. I don't like eFile -- and I don't like paying $9.95 to use eFile -- I prefer to send my forms to the IRS.
So what did Intuit do? -- they now include eFile with TurboTax 2009 whether you want it or not and increased the price by over $10. And I notice that Intuit does not offer the Deluxe version without eFile.
Sorry, Intrut, but I'm not paying for features I don't want and won't use. Looks like it's time to check out the competition. So long, TurboTax!
Despite the Subject line, your note doesn't give pro's and con's of TurboTax eFile feature. It only states someone's objection to eFiling and their objection to TurboTax including the feature within the product price, and not even any reason given for not liking the implementation or the function.
Intuit has taken several approaches over the years to covering the cost of eFiling. If you're getting a refund it makes sense, in my opinion, to efile so that you get your refund sooner. If you owe money, you can still efile and save postage. In both cases, the chances of a mistake being made when processing your return is minimized.
As a more selfish motive, you are probably interested in minimizing the costs of running our government. eFile does that. It is faster and cheaper to file an eFile return. Significantly less paper is used which not only reduces your direct expenses, but also reduces storage and eventually shredding and landfill or recycling expenses.
A fee is imposed for eFiling to discourage fraudulent and harassing filing. If eFiles could be submitted to the IRS at no cost they would undoubtedly be inundated with spam filings just to tie up our IRS systems.
Good luck with whichever software package you switch to. It is also possible to file your return without any software package. All of the forms and instructions are available online, for free from the IRS website.
B wrote in news:hh8c88$ep$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:
To me this is the primary reason to eFile. I've had more than one letter from the IRS or my State dept of taxation informing me of an error, which turned out to be caused by some clerk making a typo when transcribing my paper form. never gad a problem with eFile.
Am I pissed that I have to pay a premium for a process that saves the governmemt money? You bet. But $10 is a lot less than what it costs in aggravation to get a problem straightened out.
So; not much reason to argue with the market place here (get pissed) ... is there?
Don't we frequently pay a premium to avoid a potentially higher cost later? Life insurance. Auto insurance. Health insurance.
I think the only meaningful reason to bemoan saving the government money, is that that all too often governments spend it frivously (and worse) ... but I don't think we can stop that by shortchanging ourselves.
We need to change the mindset that believes that some folks know better how to spend our money than we do ... and should be allowed to spend our money without our consent.
Otherwise, $10 is going to look like an incredible bargain (and that's how it works: $1 each from one hundred million people is a lot of money to the recipient ... and not enough to make it economical to fight about for any of the hundred million individual victims).
There's more to it than that. The IRS as well as various state governments have all fielded proposals to allow lower cost filing, and in some cases, direct filing that bypasses Intuit's commercial product.
Intuit has spent large sums helping our elected representatives understand why this should die on the vine, and these representatives have pressured the various agencies to shelve their plans.
Intuits lobbying costs were 1.5 million dollars this year; over 2 million dollars last year. I'm sure they are just looking out for our best interests as consumers of their product, right?
Our legislators know nothing but feel competent to legislate on anything and regulate everything.
Nearly every law passed and every regulation enacted benefits some party or harms another.
Lobbyists are hired by parties who see that they might receive a benefit or be harmed by pending legislation or regulation to see that their interests are protected.
Who's at fault? The lobbyist or the legislators and regulators?
When you demand that corrupt politicians regulate every aspect of your life, don't complain when you find that there are corrupt politicians regulating every aspect of your life.
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