|
2010 Tax Year
Issues
Ever-changing
Software, Varying Taxation Results
Here
is my letter to the California State Franchise Tax Board,
advising them of the unending TurboTax changes, which EARLY
filers are NOT subject to -
From: xxxxxx
xxxxxxxx
SS#
xxx-xx-xxxx
PO
Box xxx
Tax Year 2010
xxx,
CA 9xxxx
To: Franchise
Tax
Board
CC: Department of the Treasury
PO
Box 942840
IRS Service Center
Sacramento,
CA 94240-0009
Fresno, CA
93888-0002
Dear
Franchise Tax Board and IRS,
TURBOTAX
IS GARBAGE - Here's why.
Since I
have an ongoing issue with Wells Fargo regarding my
Inherited IRA account, I delayed filing my 2010 tax return -
this was a big mistake. A complete report on THAT issue may
be found, by searching Google for "inherited IRA
nightmare". My page is the #1 result -
http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/economics/wells-fargo-inherited-ira.htm
During
this delay, TurboTax has lost its mind.
On 4-14-11 - I filed an extension, CAREFULLY using the
TurboTax data EXACTLY.
This was right after receiving HUNDREDS of updates
from TurboTax.
Unfortunately, I did not save the old files as proof, but
the state should have my form.
I can't recreate it, because they CHANGED EVERYTHING - how
convenient.
They told me I owed $2,420 to the IRS, and $2,042 to
the Franchise Tax Board.
I complied immediately. I SHOULD HAVE PRINTED OUT MY
RETURN AT THAT POINT.
On July 4, 2011 - I wanted to check my status.
Turbo Tax told me to download all their changes FIRST.
They changed 293 files - I saved all the old ones
from my trash.
On Oct. 14, 2011 - I wanted to print out my tax return for
mailing.
Turbo Tax told me to download all their changes FIRST.
They changed 123 files - I saved all the old ones
from my trash.
They told me I owed $2,420 to the IRS, and
$2,727
to the Franchise Tax Board.
Must I send the state an additional $685, due to
TurboTax bungling?
QUESTION #1 - What happens to all those folks who had
already filed their return on time, and were NOT
SUBJECT to the hundreds and hundreds of subsequent
updates?
QUESTION #2 - Are all of them going to get a NEW TAX
BILL? Or just me?
QUESTION #3 - How can TurboTax continue to exist, with
errors of this magnitude?
QUESTION #4 - I never had to file est. tax payments with the
state before - why now?
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE TURBOTAX.
Here are my online notes on TurboTax -
http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/economics/turbotax-review.htm
Thank you very much for your time.
Best Regards,
xxxxxx xxxxxxxx, Google
turbotax lawsuit, for futher insight.
top
of page
|
|
2008
Tax Year Issues
Data
Transfer Failure
EVERY year, TurboTax screws up something. DISASTER
STRIKES AGAIN!
Last year, I praised TurboTax for automatically
transferring the previous year's data.
So this year, I did my tax using TT. But, where was last
year's data?
So I Googled it, and found this -
http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/kb/import-and-transfer/import/594.html
Guess what it says?
"If you
decide to transfer after you begin your return, follow these
steps:
Important: It's best to
start with a new return because when you transfer, TurboTax
removes
any existing information you've already
entered."
ARE
YOU KIDDING ME? It is not "best" to start with a new return
- it is 100% MANDATORY!
It
WAS automatic, and now it is NOT automatic?
WHY
didn't you tell me this BEFORE
I STARTED my return???
START
OVER - DO EVERYTHING AGAIN.
TURBOTAX IS CR@P. PERIOD.
Whoever would make
software not work like this IS AN IDIOT!!!
And if they can't get the simplest things right, one can
only imagine how badly they are mangling the
numbll
the user that HE made the error, AFTER THE FACT! IDIOTS!
This will
be the second year in a row that I have had to go through
the entire process TWICE!
TURBOTAX S*CKS!
top
of page
|
|
2007
Tax Year Issues
Now, in March 2008, TurboTax has turned into a fiasco for
Mac users.
THE DISC THAT YOU BUY IS USELESS FOR THE MACINTOSH,
BECAUSE -
YOU CANNOT DOWNLOAD THE STATE TAX SOFTWARE, BECAUSE -
THE DISC IS UNABLE TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET, AND -
YOU
CANNOT SAVE ANYTHING YOU DO - ALL DATA INPUT MUST BE
REDONE.
YOU MUST GO TO THE TURBOTAX WEBSITE, AND DOWNLOAD THE FIX
-
INDEPENDENTLY, BY NOT USING THE DISC.
NOTHING
on the disc or the box gives you ANY CLUE TO ANY OF
THIS.
Here is
the first thing I got, while I was ONLINE -
If I had any brains, I would have stopped right there. But I
had faith, thinking that I would update the software later.
After FIVE HOURS of slaving away, I found out that not only
wasn't the software doing ANY saving of my input,
there was NO WAY to get it to save my input. It was
trapped in RAM, and it couldn't get out.
.
.
.
I was asked to save my input -
.
.
Then I clicked "Save", and got -
I performed this task an embarrassing number of times (beta
tester mentality, or just plain Taurus bullheaded
stupidity)
.
.
.
.
So I manually went to the TurboTax website, searched, and I
found the page for the -
2007
TurboTax Macintosh Fix
So, what is
the fix? The first thing the "Update" tells you is:
"Do
not run TurboTax from the product
CD."
That's helpful, after I have wasted 5 hours.
In other words,
DON'T EVEN TRY TO USE IT!
Except
that you just got the message a little too late.
1. Not only does the disc not work (can't save anything),
but
2. It is UNABLE to connect to the Internet for the update.
UNBELIEVABLE.
I AM ONLINE, but the software is TOO STUPID to realize
it.
These folks have obviously not done any testing on the
Macintosh computer.
"Always empty your trash before you update."
I have long experience on the Mac. I have NEVER encountered
any situation where the contents of the Trash can affect
ANYTHING whatsoever outside of the Trash. Intuit might
improve their programming techniques which are affected by
Trash contents, or perhaps their communication skills. What
are they talking about?
The more I tried to make it work, the more piffed I
got.
Retail
Price:
2007 TurboTax Home and Business - $89.95 -
State
included
Costco
Price:
2007 TurboTax Home And Business - $72.99 -
State
included
top
of
page
CONCLUSIONS
- 2007 Tax Year Software
When you
spend $90 for tax preparation software, you expect it to
make things easier. This is not the case with Intuit
TurboTax. It makes everything more difficult. You must spend
hours of extra time, just trying to figure out all of the
interface glitches, calculation glitches, and saving
glitches. IF A VENDOR CANNOT PRODUCE A DISK CAPABLE OF
SAVING THE USER'S INPUT, AND IS ALSO INCAPABLE OF CONNECTING
TO THE INTERNET, HOW CAN A USER POSSIBLY EXPECT THE COMPLEX
CALCULATIONS TO BE IMPLEMENTED CORRECTLY? Do not think that
you can depend upon everything about TurboTax.
The
2007 TurboTax box needs to have a BIG, BOLD warning which
says, "DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THIS DISC - YOU MUST VISIT THE
TURBOTAX WEBSITE FOR WORKING
SOFTWARE."
Comparing all of your 2007 entries with those of 2006 is an
excellent TurboTax feature. Except that it reveals that many
of your entries for 2007, show a corresponding 2006 entry of
ZERO, which was not the case. This indicates that each of
these deductions was MISSED in 2006. However, taking all of
these missed deductions into consideration, STILL did
not account for all of my overpayment of $1,400 (unexpected
IRS refund).
top
of page
|
|
2006
Tax Year Issues
Computation
Errors
The error checking seemed to be good, but how can I know for
sure? TurboTax checks my data, but who checks TurboTax?
Nobody.
That's why I got a surprise refund of $1,400 from the IRS,
for OVERPAYMENT
of tax. I paid exactly what TurboTax told me to pay.
BEWARE!
I was extremely diligent when inputting my
data!
Can't Print Vouchers
Also, no matter what I did, I could not get it to print out
my 2007 estimated tax payment vouchers. It couldn't be done.
More hours wasted.
Costco
Price:
2007 TurboTax Home And Business - $72.99 -
State
included
top
of page
|
|
2005
Tax Year Issues
Forced
E-filing
File by mail, or file online for $14.95 PER RETURN. This was
not made clear by the TurboTax software, but could only be
read about at the TurboTax online support forums. You were
given no clue, and no warning. But even worse, after a
certain UNSPECIFIED date, the ONLY option they allowed is to
file online. WRONG!
This was a questionable-business-practice attempt to collect
an extra $15 from the user.
Disconnected
from IRS Forms
My biggest
complaint, is the circuitous manner of entering data.
Nothing is intuitive. I cannot feel "connected" to the IRS
income tax forms. TurboTax is doing my forms in the
background, but I can't watch. I can only review the form
after having input all the data into TurboTax. I missed
deductions by not being able to see the actual forms. I
would like to enter (edit) data directly on the form - but I
can't do that. I am forced to use the catchall "Where Do I
Enter ... " button, which asks you to "Select your item from
the list below" - OK if you know exactly what you want - but
it contains 223 income tax forms and 3,000 index topics.
Arrrggggg.
Rebate Denied
There was a $20 rebate, but you had to submit it within 30
days.
The rebate period was too short (May 15), and I was denied
my May 20 rebate application. That piffed me off.
Retail
Price:
2005 TurboTax Premier - $69.95 -
State
included
Costco
Price:
2005 TurboTax Premier - $56.79 -
State
included
top
of page
|
|
2004
Tax Year Issues
Lost Previous Year's Data
I tried to import my TurboTax 2004 income tax data, but
somehow, it had disappeared, along with the application. I
used Mac OS9 for 2004, but Mac OS 10.1 or better is required
for 2005 income taxes. This may have been the problem. I was
forced to redo my 2004 income taxes using OS 10.3, thereby
recreating my 2004 income tax return.
It should be way easier to print out some support pages,
such as an expense summary, and automotive deductions
summary, etc.
Costco
Price:
2004 TurboTax Premier - $59.99 plus
State
- $24.99
top
of page
|
|
CONCLUSIONS
- TurboTax Software
If you buy TurboTax, consider it a very hard video game,
because as tax preparation software, it is lacking in basic
functionality. Having an extensive list of questions in the
interview implies thoroughness, but it does not have
anything to do with correct implementation.
The fact is, that Intuit may be Out-of-it. Perhaps it's time
for Mac users to switch.
YMMV, but I don't think so. I'll bet that ALL Mac users are
victims of TurboTax failings.
Maybe next time, I will take my chances with H&R Block
Tax
Cut.
It couldn't be much worse.
.
.
An Historical Summary of TurboTax options for
Schedule C Businesses
|
|
2004 TurboTax
Premier - Federal
2004 TurboTax Premier - State
|
$59.99
$24.99
$84.98 - Total
|
|
2005 TurboTax
Premier - Federal + State
|
$56.79 -
Problems
|
|
2006 TurboTax
Home and Business - Federal + State
|
$72.99
-
$1,400
error
NOT in my favor!
|
|
2007 TurboTax
Home and Business - Federal + State
|
$72.99
-
Doesn't
work at all on the Macintosh - You must download
the fix before attempting to do anything
else.
|
|
2008 TurboTax
Home and Business - Federal + State
|
$79.99 -
Costs more,
does less
|
Isn't
there any program out there that you can just fill in
all the regular forms, like we have been used to, except
onscreen, and have it work
automatically?
Or are we stuck with these funky interface forms used by
best-effort attempts at implementing the
ever-changing U.S. Tax Code of over 72,000
pages?
Remember when we used to do our taxes at the end of January?
Not any more. Now, we must wait for the IRS to stop changing
the rules (implement Congressional changes), then we must
wait for the third-party tax preparation software vendors to
incorporate the changes into their products.
|
