Category: tax returns

TurboTax Survives Twitter Panic

TurboTax Survives Twitter Panic

The 2013 tax season was fraught with unprecedented problems caused by government budget fights and IRS delays in updating forms.  In addition, some major tax preparation firms, most notably H&R Block, caused problems for taxpayers claiming education credits by not properly updating their own software, delaying some clients’ returns by weeks.  TurboTax managed to escape most of the tax season controversy until the evening before the filing deadline.  On that night, they had their own crisis which was exacerbated by Twitter.

English: Sketch for Twitter. See also the auth...
English: Sketch for Twitter. See also the author’s description on Flickr. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TurboTax admits that on Sunday, April 14th, some of their online users were not able to access their accounts, causing a panic among those who had waited until the last possible moments to file.  The outage was caused by a glitch in the company’s software and the extremely high volume on the web site. According to TurboTax officials, the site was never entirely down, though the outraged tweets on Twitter painted a different picture.

Although the problem only lasted about one hour, from 6:40 pm until 7:50 pm PT, last minute filers panicked and tweeted frantic questions and complaints to TurboTax’s Twitter account.  TurboTax was aware of the problem before the tweets hit, but users had their doubts, and so kept reminding the tax company of the problem.  All was quickly fixed; however, leading many to blame procrastinators instead of the company for the problem.

Twitter users may not have passed on any useful information this time, but the pressure they exerted probably didn’t hurt anything. In the future, TurboTax will surely be more prepared for traffic surges on their site.

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Finding The Right Online Tax Prep

Finding The Right Online Tax Prep

During tax time there are all sorts of advertisements for at home tax prep. These sites offer many different features and each claim to be the best one. This is why it is important to understand this battle as well as what it can mean to you when filing your taxes.

One of the biggest sites out there is free Turbo Tax 2013. Many people like this because it allows them to file for free on their federal tax forms. A newer site that you can do this with is TaxSlayer. Tax Act is among these as well. The nice thing about these different options is that they are all free and allow you to quickly get your information in so you can receive your refund.

IRS 1040 Tax Form Being Filled Out
IRS 1040 Tax Form Being Filled Out (Photo credit: kenteegardin)

The thing many people wonder is which they should go with. The truth is that it is simply a matter of preference. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when looking at the site you will go with. One is whether they offer free support, as not all do. Will they charge for additional forms, which is especially important if you have your own business. You also want to find out if there are any charges to have the money direct deposited into your account.

You will need to think about what your needs are for your taxes. If you have no clue what you are doing, then it may be beneficial to pay for a service that offers online chat with tax professionals, such as H&R Block at Home. If you know what you are doing or are doing a simple 1040EZ, then chances are you do not have to worry about this.

In the end, you need to go with the site you feel most comfortable with. Each site has benefits and drawbacks. This is the nice thing about these sites is that you can find one that will meet your needs. Just make sure you take the time to see what each has to offer before you get started as having to imput all your information again can take a long time and will be frustrating.

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Easy Online Tax Filing With Free Turbo Tax Software

Free Turbo Tax 2013 Software

Having expert tax assistance can be the best way to avoid financial penalties, complete your filing on time, and maximize your refund. Timely and beneficial filing may be the goal of any taxpayer, but preparing your taxes on your own may seem like more than you can handle. Going to an accounting office may seem like the best way to get professional guidance at tax time, but new options for online tax filing can make completing your taxes online a great option even if you are new to the online tax filing experience. Free Turbo Tax 2013 software puts the latest tax information right at your fingertips, and estimating your tax refund may be easier and more convenient to complete than you ever imagined.

English: iphone Deutsch: iphone
English: iphone Deutsch: iphone (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Turbo Tax software is designed for easy and straightforward use, and this is what makes online tax filing successful for so many taxpayers each year. Selecting the most appropriate Turbo Tax edition may be your biggest challenge as you consider filing your taxes online for the first time, but the Turbo Tax Taxcaster may help you review your online tax filing software options quickly and objectively. The Taxcaster was designed by tax professionals, and this product is characteristic of the helpful software associated with Turbo Tax. You can download the free Taxcaster in several ways, and the app will allow you to download this helpful tool onto your smartphone, iPad, iPhone, or tablet.

The Taxcaster will calculate your refund once you answer a few questions about your deductions and income, and you will be able to see your estimated refund within minutes. Knowing this kind of information before you file your taxes allows you to make adjustments as needed. You may reduce your tax obligation by adjusting your withholdings and increasing your net income, and this is how many taxpayers end up paying less at tax time. The Taxcaster information lets you take advantage of filing as soon as possible if you will be getting a refund or filing closer to the end of the tax season if you will owe money.

You will need to select an online tax filing edition to prepare and file your tax return, but the Taxcaster software will help you make the most informed decision when it comes to filing your taxes online. The Taxcaster will recommend which Turbo Tax software will be right for your filing situation, and this is what may make your online tax filing experience as beneficial as possible. Downloading the Taxcaster may be your first step towards easy and understandable online tax preparation and filing.

Small Businesses Get Help From Intuit’s TurboTax CPA Select

Intuit’s TurboTax CPA Select

New Intuit’s TurboTax CPA Select connects small businesses with CPAs

Intuit has announced a new online service known as TurboTax CPA Select, that links small businesses who need to file their taxes with a CPA.

Intuit's TurboTax CPA Select

The inventor of TurboTax, Quicken, and Quickbooks, Intuit has come out with a great new tax preparation and filing service right on schedule for the approaching tax season. The program, TurboTax CPA Select is intended to assign small businesses who need tax help to a CPA. These business owners can know have an accurate estimate of the cost of their tax preparation before they have to file them.

Brian Crofts, Group Product Manager of Intuit, states that with CPA Select our focus is to be able to handle business on both the customer and CPA side, giving customers what they need and want.”

The new service was introduced by Intuit on January 23 at the Small Business VCon and again on January 29 at Intuit’s Innovation Gallery Walk.  The Gallery Walk was held at the Mountain View headquarters of Intuit from 4-8 p.m. Pacific Time and gave them a chance to show off their latest products/services. The CEO and other leaders of Intuit shared their predictions about technology as well.

TurboTax CPA Selects lets users search a group of selected CPAs. The CPAs have profiles of themselves with a photo, client reviews, star ratings, and educational and professional information. Once a small business picks a CPA, they simply upload and submit their tax return from the prior year along with any other necessary documents such as 1099s and W-2s. Within 24 hours, the selected CPA will give that business an estimate based on what they have submitted.  Users can then accept or deny the estimate. If it gets accepts, the CPA prepares and files the tax return.

This online service is not only for small businesses, but also for individuals. Users can sign up by filling out the registration form or using the link to their Facebook page. Requirement 7216 asks users to give consent to submit documents by having them type their full name, their spouse, and the date. TurboTax CPA Select is simple for messaging the CPA directly or to chat or message Intuit customer service.

Crofts states that he wants the service to be convenient and easy to use for individuals and businesses, even if they only need one-time help with their taxes.

CPAs that belong to the TurboTax CPA Select plan can link their profile to their social media sites and manage everything from their dashboard. They are also able to send messages to their clients directly.

Plans starting at just $89.95 are now available. Mint.com users may be able to use CPA Select since it is on their advice list of services that can save them money.

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Paul Ryan Taxes To Be Released

Paul Ryan Taxes To Be Released

Following in the footsteps of presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan has agreed to release his tax returns for the past two years.

The ‘Paul Ryan taxes’ story broke when he announced that he would be releasing the details of his 2010 and 2009 taxes on  CBS’ “60 Minutes” television program.

As Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan has made quite a stir in the political world with his proposed Social Security and Medicare policies.

According to an assessment made by the Los Angeles Times newspaper, Ryan’s net wealth is estimated to be anywhere between $2 million and $7.7 million.

Despite these large figures, Ryan insists that voters want to know about the economy (and how it can be improved) and are not bothered about the contents of his tax returns and how much money he makes (which is estimated to be $174,000 a year).

Speaking to CBS’ Bob Schieffer, Ryan said: “They’re asking where the jobs are. Where’s the economic growth. Those are the issues that matter”.

Romney, who is with an estimated net worth of around $250 million, has long been criticized for his reluctance to make his tax returns public, despite pressure from President Obama.

The speculation as to whether Paul Ryan would release his tax returns was something that had been boiling up for a while, with several news outlets (such as ABC News and Yahoo News) all publishing stories titled “Will Paul Ryan Release His Tax Returns?”

It was public knowledge that Ryan handed turned over “several years” of tax returns (how many years no-one quite knows) to Romney’s office during as part of the vice presidential vetting process. However, whether any of those tax returns were to be made public was speculated upon for some time, and it seems that only now we have an answer.

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Turbotax Refund Advance For Financial Freedom

Turbotax refund advance

A Turbotax refund advance is a simple way for you to get the tax refund that is coming your way without the need to wait months for it to come. Putting off your taxes is probably something that you have done in the past. People usually delay their taxes because of the feeling that they can be very difficult and time consuming. When you use this system to do your taxes, you will find that it becomes something that almost anyone can do. The basic design of this system is intended to function like a GPS by guiding you to where you need to go and providing you with all of the information that you need to know. Increasing your tax savings is simple when you have a program that millions of people use to get their taxes done quickly.

Once you use this program to file your taxes for next year, you will be able to take advantage of a Turbotax refund advance that can give you the money that you would otherwise be without for a long period of time. The money that you are getting in a refund belongs to you, getting it today means that you will be able to buy more of the things that you love. Finding extra money on a limited budget can be hard, getting an advance can solve your problem.

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