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Earlier quoted context omitted.
Note, anyone regardless of AGI can use https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-form... It fails on some really specific use cases, but it works for the vast majority.
On the other hand, paying 20 bucks just for a better user interface and a step-by-step guide is absolutely worth the money.
https://www.freetaxusa.com/ and their parent company https://www.taxhawk.com/ They charge $14.99 for the state filing. Usually a coupon code available. Or go to the state's website (CA at least), and file that for free, too. But for the convenience of not having to input my info again, I'll pay their fee.
At what point is it recommended to not use a software like freetaxusa? I've been using it for years.
I would say you need your own accountant and not software if:
1) You have complexities involving trusts/inheritance
2) Anything involving crypto (this is just a grey area to me and things change)
3) Anything that sounds more complex than anything above.
If you're getting a bunch of 1099-DIVs/INT & W2/W9s it's not super complex.
This reminds me it's time to start looking for the TurboTax torrent. The activation scheme is remarkably straightforward to crack yourself.
I'm surprised they still have the desktop version tbh. Do that many people prefer downloading and installing the software?
For the wider market, I'd imagine there are a lot of people stuck in their patterns and discontinuing the product might make them look at other options.
I tried the fillable forms in previous years. They certainly aren’t easy and don’t make you confident you are filing an accurate form. Paying $50-100 to save a few hours and a lot of worrying is well worth it to me, even if along the way I bemoan the complexity and inaccessibility of the current tax system.
I'm not going to claim they are easy, but they are accurate (they have a Do The Math calculation button). Even if you mess up, the IRS will typically send you a response noting where their calculations diverged from yours and offer to automatically adjust. (Which denotes the absurdity of this exercise for most taxpayers because the IRS already has all the information it needs to complete your taxes).
Anyhow, I'd imagine in any case it is still useful as a way to validate information.
I tried the fillable forms in previous years. They certainly aren’t easy and don’t make you confident you are filing an accurate form. Paying $50-100 to save a few hours and a lot of worrying is well worth it to me, even if along the way I bemoan the complexity and inaccessibility of the current tax system.
No offense intended, but my taxes must be a lot simpler than yours because I do the Free File forms in about 30 minutes every year.
I hire an accountant if there's something new I don't know how to do and then just follow the same process on my own for subsequent years.
US taxes are stupid.
What's the reasoning for setting the AGI at $73,000 or less? Does it go up as inflation goes up? Why not set it at $100,000 or $500,000?
[1] https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/Eight%20Free%20File%20MOU.pd...
Why do I even have to do anything? Just take it from my paycheck directly
Also looks like that's the only IRS e-File option for AGI over $73K that doesn't involve using a commercial software/service (which I assume will probably sell user's financial data, and then also let it get breached).
This reminds me it's time to start looking for the TurboTax torrent. The activation scheme is remarkably straightforward to crack yourself.
I'm surprised they still have the desktop version tbh. Do that many people prefer downloading and installing the software?