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Early Filers Get Late Tax Refunds

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:04:56 +0000

Waiting on your tax refund? So are a lot of other early filers. The reason for the hold up is probably the IRS itself. A recent bulletin released to tax professionals says that the IRS systems are processing e-filed returns a little slower this year, primarily due to additional security screening. Tax refunds are back up by about a week, and while many tax refunds are deposited within 10 days, I was surprised to learn that 90 percent of refunds don't hit the bank balance for nearly three weeks after the return is filed.

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Free Tax Filing: IRS Free File

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:51:32 +0000

IRS Free File is a way to file your federal, and sometimes state, tax return for free by using online tax software. The IRS introduced Free File back in 2003 and more than 33 million returns have been filed through the program.

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TurboTax Freedom Edition, Where Art Thou?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:14:24 +0000

A reader just informed me in the comments for this post that TurboTaxFreedom Edition does, in fact, exist (I initially reported that it had been renamed to TurboTax Free Edition). So, I did a little more poking around and found it available from the IRS Free File program. To use TurboTax Freedom Edition, your AGI must be $31,000 or less or be in the active military and earning $57,000 or less, or be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. You can file free state returns with this version as well, but not for all states that have income tax.

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Free Debt Reduction Spreadsheets

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:22:23 +0000

Looking for an easier way to plan for paying down some debt? While debt reduction software is a great solution, a lot of people are looking for something a little simpler. Try one of these debt reduction spreadsheets, which can be used with Microsoft Excel, Open Office Calc and Google Docs.

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Microsoft Money Accounts and Registers

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:04:33 +0000

As I mentioned earlier this month, a lot of my readers are still using Microsoft Money, even though it's not fully functional. If you are looking for basic money management software for Windows, then Microsoft Money Sunset Deluxe is definitely an option - and it's free. If you're just setting up Microsoft Money, you need to check out my collection of short tutorials which I've gathered together in Working with Accounts and Registers in Microsoft Money.

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TurboTax 2011 Review

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:48:26 +0000

I've been hard at work on my annual tax software reviews, and finished my seventh annual TurboTax review last night. In my opinion, TurboTax is still the easiest tax software to use (although TaxACT and H&R Block At Home are very user friendly as well) with easy to understand explanations embedded in all topics in the tax interview. My favorite thing about TurboTax for tax year 2011 is the free federal and state tax advice from tax experts available to all TurboTax users, even if you use the Free Edition.

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Free Tax Software: What Do You Think?

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:19:16 +0000

Have you tried free tax software through the IRS Free File program or directly from an online tax software provider? I would like to hear some opinions about how free tax software worked out for you.

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H&R Block At Home Tax Software Review

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:04:34 +0000

This year, H&R Block At Home adds an iPad app that works with just about any tax return to its tax software offerings for Windows, Mac or online. Cool tax apps for iPhone and Android are also available if you file a 1040 EZ. You can log into H&R Block At Home Online using your secure Facebook credentials this year, which is just easier for a lot of people, and I think the Best of Both package rocks for value.

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First Look at TaxACT Tax Software

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:04:37 +0000

Let the tax software reviews begin! I'm starting with my TaxACT review this year, which has a free version that can be used even for complicated personal income tax returns. Is it just me, or don't all returns seem complicated? Anyway, even the paid versions of TaxACT are very reasonably priced, the TaxACT Answer Center has improved, there's help for students who need to get tax information together when applying for financial aid and lots of other goodies to make preparing your taxes easier without lightening up your wallet too much.

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Hello, Microsoft? Resurrect MS Money

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:00:12 +0000

This was originally published last January 24, 2011, and going by what my readers are looking for, it still pertains to personal finance software today. If Microsoft would sell the code for MS Money, or if the software were resurrected at a higher price, I suspect that users would flock to their old favorite.

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