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TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

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Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#211

Post by InclinedPlane »

dragonwriter wrote: post #195
InclinedPlane wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quick question, do you know the difference between paying taxes and filing taxes? Also, do you understand how withholding works and how you pay taxes with every pay check not just every year? And that if you have too low of an annual income to actually owe any federal tax you need to file in order to get your withholding back?

Even if you file as exempt and have no withholding, you may need to file because of refundable credits (mainly EITC).

And even if, for some reason, you have no withholding, and aren't expecting a refund, you may still be required to file just because your income is above the threshold (which is about 12k I think).

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#212

Post by ummonk »

frosted-flakes wrote: post #110
ummonk wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

USPS is not free.

It may as well be. It costs less than a dollar to send a letter through the post.

I used to mail in my tax filings. It would cost me around $5 with the recommended level of tracking.

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#213

Post by CalRobert »

mars4rp wrote: post #131
CalRobert wrote: post #127

Meanwhile, California makes it pretty easy to file your state taxes for free, with no intermediary https://www.ftb.ca.gov/online/calfile/index.asp

I am the developer in charge of this, thanks for promoting it.

Thank you very much! I feel like all states (and the feds) owe it to their people to make free, transparent, online tax filing available.

Really, though, I remember when I was in college and grumbling about having to pay for turbotax only because of state, and then finding out this existed. Made my week!

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#214

Post by alanh »

linsomniac wrote: post #37

Govt: "We need some money from you to buy things." Me: "How much?" Govt: "You figure it out." Me: "Oh, I get to pay whatever I want?" Govt: "LOL, no, we have a figure that we want you to pay." Me: "What happens if I guess that number wrong?" Govt: "You get to go to prison."

did you really just paste a viral tweet here without attribution? :/

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#215

Post by mars4rp »

mlindner wrote: post #189
mars4rp wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am the developer in charge of this, thanks for promoting it.

Perhaps you can expand it so that most software developers can use it? The fact that capital gains are excluded from the e-file is really frustrating when the majority of us have RSUs/ESPPs.

I WISH it was up to me, lots and lots of bureaucracy!

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#216

Post by mlindner »

mars4rp wrote: post #215
mlindner wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps you can expand it so that most software developers can use it? The fact that capital gains are excluded from the e-file is really frustrating when the majority of us have RSUs/ESPPs.

I WISH it was up to me, lots and lots of bureaucracy!

Every voice counts! Bring it up with your manager and help push the message up the chain!

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#217

Post by nabakin »

alanh wrote: post #214
linsomniac wrote: post #37

Govt: "We need some money from you to buy things." Me: "How much?" Govt: "You figure it out." Me: "Oh, I get to pay whatever I want?" Govt: "LOL, no, we have a figure that we want you to pay." Me: "What happens if I guess that number wrong?" Govt: "You get to go to prison."

did you really just paste a viral tweet here without attribution? :/

It doesn't add anything to the discussion either. Might be against HN's rules.

Edit: not in line with the guidelines at least

First paragraph

> Be kind. Don't be snarky. Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive,

> Eschew flamebait.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

I'd flag, but I don't see the option.

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#218

Post by homero »

maxmcd wrote: post #34

I learned a little while ago that H&R Block makes a substantial amount of its revenue from "refund anticipation loans" (no citation, I couldn't find it here: https://investors.hrblock.com/static-files/4293dedf-951d-454... maybe my information is overblown). Is there a reason there isn't a "Robin Hood for Taxes"? A service that makes all of its revenue off of refund anticipation loads and provides all tax services for…

Credit karma

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#219

Post by homero »

mywittyname wrote: post #199
kup0 wrote: post #148

TurboTax was free for me up until I tried to report $10 in interest paid on student loans, which is a small, barely necessary form. TT doesn't include this very common form in their free bundle and wanted me to pay $40 to upgrade. While H&R Block also gets criticized- I have to say that they include this form, and I was able to file completely free for both federal and state, without having to hunt for a link- just s…

What happens if you just add $10 to your AGI and omit the interest payments? My thinking is the IRS will send you a "corrected" return and a $0 bill for the difference. Since that's what they do if you fill out incorrect information anyway.

It's a deduction so don't report at all

Re: TurboTax Hides Its Free File Page from Search Engines

#220

Post by kup0 »

homero wrote: post #219
mywittyname wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What happens if you just add $10 to your AGI and omit the interest payments? My thinking is the IRS will send you a "corrected" return and a $0 bill for the difference. Since that's what they do if you fill out incorrect information anyway.

It's a deduction so don't report at all

As far as I know, reporting paid student loan interest is a "required" form according to the IRS.

I remember looking up information about it at the time to see if I could just not report it, and that did not seem to be recommended

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