e-File

[ramapo]

I just finished doing my daughter's taxes. I used to file via tele-file. Filled out the forms and picked up the phone. Simple and free. Her state returns are now more complicated and our accountant retired so I invested in TurboTax. Easy enough but E-file is a scam.

$30 to file federal, $20 per state if you've already purchased the software. There are a plethora of companies that'll do some portion free (depending) but if you have to file multiple states, you're likely going to pay to file somewhere.

It should be in the interest of the governments to get as many people as possible to efile. If they were smart, they'd pick a vendor's software (TurboTax for example) and make it the standard. Make it available to the vast majority of taxpayers. Make efiling free. It must save a bundle to cut out the paper. But no...it's has been turned into a free market fiasco.

TurboTax was pushing audit avoidance, professional review, and another service or two which, combined with filing and software fees, can probably use up many a refund in a hurry.

[Inland]

1. They make you pay to save them the hassle of inputting.

I don't do it. Fuck them, let them do the keystrokes to catch my ass.

[papau]

2. under $50,000 folks can file free Federal efile via turbotax via IRS site

But the State e-filing will be a pain.

[CottonBear]

3. But don't you have to buy Turbotax and own a PC (not a Mac)? n/t

[papau]

4. Your PC is a "terminal" -PC or Mac - link below - but you are screwed on

state efiling and will need to pay $ to software vendor or find some other method that your state may provide.

http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html

But in any case PC or Mac is not a question - either works fine with a net based program.

[CottonBear]

5. Thanks. n/t

[bemildred]

6. File paper until they make it free.

I do, and that is why I do.

[pdxbecca]

7. You have to make under 28k

to file for free with the web version of turbotax. Other sites it is below 50k to free file federal returns. I have been using turbotax entering through the "free" site on my mac and kept getting the message I would need to pay to file even though my income was well below 28k. I used a pc at the library today and on that computer it filed my return for free going through the same site. I have no idea why it wasn't working on my mac, really weird.
As for the state return (Oregon) I will have to pay $25.00 to file on turbotax. That is about half my refund so I will just mail it instead. It seems pretty ridiculous we have to pay considering we are saving them a lot of paperwork by e-filing.

[ramapo]

8. Cheers for NJ!

They took my advice and have an easy, excellent, & free efile site for which the vast majority of NJ filers qualify. This just makes the commercial efile scam all the more obnoxious.

[bunny planet]

9. do you have a link for that site please, or I could always google it, just

want to make sure I get the right one.

Thanks