| Turbo Tax Deluxe 2003 |
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 Last year I could not recommend TurboTax because of an errant activation process. This year the activation is completely gone and I commend Intuit for a program that is both user-friendly and effective. Many companies feel that when they announce a new version of their product they must add new features. This often results in a bloated program that few can understand. Intuit controlled the urge to add new features and instead honed their program with subtle changes that improved upon a solid base.
Installation of the program is easy. During installation you are prompted to update the program. It is a good idea to go ahead and perform the update at that time so you won’t be bothered later when you get into the actual tax information. As usual, TurboTax’s EasyStep interview walks you through the process of creating your tax return. This year there are more interactive interview topics. More complex topics are covered in videos by experts. I am most impressed with the Help section that now allows natural-language queries. Being able to ask questions in everyday language is a bon for everyday folks like me who are not extremely well versed in financial terminology. Helpful Frequently Asked Questions appear on many of the programs screens. Financial terms are hyper-linked to definitions. TurboTax gets my Compu-KISS® seal of approval for explaining complex financial concepts in clear, concise language. Taxpayers who import data from last year’s TurboTax program are greeted with a new Welcome Back screen. The program then decides what data from last year is applicable to this year and asks for the user’s approval to use that data. TurboTax then asks about changes from last year and based on the user’s answers, TurboTax custom tailors the rest of the interview. If you use Quicken, Quick Books, or Microsoft Money for your financial accounting, you can easily import your data into TurboTax. You can also import data from third party services, such as payroll information or financial institutions. These processes make entering your tax data easier than ever. Tax forms can be sent to your printer or sent directly to the IRS online. The hardest part about doing your taxes with TurboTax may be which version to choose. Most users will be better off with TurboTax Deluxe, which includes the state tax product rather than the TurboTax Basic program. TurboTax Premier and TurboTax Premier Home & Business also includes the state tax program along with other features. Check the Intuit Web site for details to help with your decision. Just click on “Compare TurboTax Products” at the bottom of the left menu. You can also choose from several versions of TurboTax on the Web which is all online with no software to download. Intuit offers online technical support through help screens and a free live chat with TurboTax representatives. Unfortunately, telephone support is $19.95 per call.
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