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TaxCut Platinum 2002

TaxCut Platinum 2002

List Price: $39.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disappointing; about as good as TurboTax was 2-3 years ago
Review: I switched to TaxCut from TurboTax because reviews said it was as good as TurboTax but without TurboTax's copy protection scheme. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Entering Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) transactions was much more difficult than last year's TurboTax. The capital gains wizard was almost no help. The online instructions and help were much less helpful, and the help had a much poorer index.

Overall, I would say TaxCut 2003 is about as good as TurboTax was 2-3 years ago. But it is not nearly as easy to use as TurboTax was last year. As much as I dislike TurboTax's copy protection scheme, I will go back to TurboTax next year.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A total waste of Time
Review: I too turned to TaxCut in order to get away from TurboTax and Intuit. Unfortunately, I've so far spent two hours trying to convince the software that I do NOT owe $$$ in ATM (an apparent problem with their worksheet). The software also missed the Capital Loss carry over. A little poking around and I discovered that I was required to enter last year's data in order for it to know this. Guess they could have included that in the "interview" . It also turns out they they have made no provisions for self employed health insurance deductions. They have the worksheet, it's just not tied into the 1040 form. And once you make an override to any form, TaxCut will not allow you to E-File your return to the IRS. In summary, no I won't go back to Turbo Tax, I'll just do my taxes the old fashioned way, by hand. A lot faster and A LOT LESS FRUSTRATION!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Intuit TurboTax - you're fired!
Review: I used TurboTax since 1989, but I switched to TaxCut after Intuit initiated their draconian license activation complete with spyware! I will never use TurboTax again. TaxCut is just as good.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: TaxCut is "kids league" compared to Turbo Tax Deluxe
Review: I wanted to switch from Turbo Tax to TaxCut because of Intuit's registration process. I purchased but plan to return TaxCut because it dosen't have the "interview" features that Intuit - TurboTax does. TaxCut may work fine for someone who has a couple W-2's and maybe a schedule D. But if you have much more, you'd better get TurboTax. Especially if you want advise and not just a blank tax form - like the 4835 is on TaxCut - no interview.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: And you get Microsoft Money for free
Review: I was a dedicated TurboTax user. Thanks to serious trashing by others on this site and elsewhere I avoided TurboTax this year.
TaxCut was just as easy to use as TT. And the box came with a rebate for Microsoft Money. I went out and purchased DeluxeI just finished getting all my accounts setup and like it better then Quicken. Thanks Intuit. I never would have discovered TaxCut and Money if you did not mess up like this.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not Reliable or Helpful at all
Review: I, like others before me, bought this software for the first time due to the bad reviews turbotax was getting over it's registration process. In working on my girlfriends taxes today, I have two major complaints. The most severe being the lack of informative help. I remember turbotax providing so much more help whenever there was a term I didn't understand. This software only includes the IRS instructions and many links to call a tax advisor for explanations. The second problem is the user interface. It was NOT TESTED. There were screens in which the text wasn't completely clear (covered by other text and not scrollable). This is completely unacceptable and I will be buying Turbotax to redo my girlfriends taxes and begin mine. I honestly do not feel that this software was properly tested and wouldn't trust the tax return it spits out.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not Reliable or Helpful at all
Review: I, like others before me, bought this software for the first time due to the bad reviews turbotax was getting over it's registration process. In working on my girlfriends taxes today, I have two major complaints. The most severe being the lack of informative help. I remember turbotax providing so much more help whenever there was a term I didn't understand. This software only includes the IRS instructions and many links to call a tax advisor for explanations. The second problem is the user interface. It was NOT TESTED. There were screens in which the text wasn't completely clear (covered by other text and not scrollable). This is completely unacceptable and I will be buying Turbotax to redo my girlfriends taxes and begin mine. I honestly do not feel that this software was properly tested and wouldn't trust the tax return it spits out.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't use Tax Cut if you have to file an Oregon State return
Review: Last year I used Turbo Tax and was able to file my state return electronically. This year I switched to Tax Cut and it doesn't support E-filing the Oregon State return. Now, at the last minute, I have to print and file a manual return. This will add about 2 months to the time it takes to get a refund. Next year it's back to Turbo Tax, no matter how bad it is, it's better than Tax Cut.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hurray for TaxCut-Platinum!
Review: Left that ridiculous TurboTax forever -

TAXCUT is easier & all around BETTER!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Does not live up to TurboTax Deluxe
Review: Since this is my first year of trying to file US Income Taxes _myself_, I picked TaxCut since I didn't like the TurboTax registration annoyance. I later hat the opportunity to enter my Federal and my California Tax Info on a friend's computer with TurboTax Deluxe and thus was able to compare the Interview process.

My tax situation was very easy except for 3 issues:
1. I had to pay tax due in 2002 for my 2001 State Tax Return
2. I collected foreign dividends, interest and captital gains
3. I payed foreign taxes (on those foreign dividends and
interests) and thus filed form 1116.

So what happend:
1. Knowing on where and how to enter the fact that I payed state
taxes, was a major hassle with TaxCut. The interview process
asked about it at one point, but then you were left alone
to figure out on which of the following screens you had
to enter this information, so that it would properly carry
over to the State tax program. There was nothing in the FAQ,
in any of the help sections or on the website. It took
two emails with customer support to get an answer to this
question.

TurboTax explicitely asked that question in its interview
process and had my enter the amount right away.

2. Neither program provides any support for dealing with foreign
currencies, so you're on your own with the conversion.

3. Form 1116 was another nightmare with TaxCut, which basically
left you to filling out the forms / worksheets by yourself.
TurboTax made it much more easier.

Other issues:
- Changes in the Federal Data did not always carry over
properly to the State Return (i.e. when I deleted info
about Estimated Taxes payed). I only noticed this
when comparing the figures with TurboTax
- I bought the "Platinum" version, but I didn't see any
practical benefit.

At the end of the day both programs calculated the same
figures, however TurboTax' interview progress was much clearer

and mad me much more comfortable.

If TurboTax didn't have that awkward registration scheme I would never use TaxCut again.


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