TurboTax Home & Business Software for PC Review

I have used several versions of TurboTax over the course of my adult life.  This year we used the TurboTax Home and Business on-line tax preparation service. It was very easy to use and to incorporate much of our tax information from the previous year (2007).  This version of TurboTax is designed to assist tax payers with standard taxes, investments, rental property as well as self employment.  To begin your journey toward tax return or tax repayment you access the TurboTax website, choose the product, click prepare for free and then let the calculations begin.  You may choose from either a download of Turbo Tax online or purchase a CD for installation. 

TurboTax Home and Business is $79.95. E-file is free, but there is an additional charge for state taxes (thankfully I live in a state where this is not state income tax!)

My Viewpoint: This year I was not jumping up and down thrilled with TurboTax Home and Business as I have been in the past.  First, even though it is a "secure" connection, I did not like needing to "upload" my 2007 return for importing (but felt it would save time so I did it) onto a website.  I also do not like my return being saved online secure server or not.  Other features that caused me irritation was: not being able to easily access worksheets to change information but having to go through many additional steps first, not being able to return to where I left off while correcting errors during the review process and not being able to make simple changes (just to an address) without having to go through additional steps.  These are all features that were available in the past. 

Overall though, it was fast (2.5 hours but we had "help" from the youngest tax professionals in the house) and I do feel that we received all the tax benefits and deductions available to us.  It does spend a great deal of time on offering you tax hints for next year, as well as comparisons and information on where you "fall" within tax terms.  The graphs are easy to read, but actually in our case somewhat inaccurate as it did not take certain facts into consideration.  If we didn't have all this "help" we could have been done much faster.

The question and answer and instant chat service is very nice to have around.  See, I "got people" too when using TurboTax Home and Business.  However, I only had to access help one time as Texas does something weird with one of its forms.  It is a very intuitive service however people who don't know their taxes and the tax laws may find it easy to get bogged down in the information, instructions and running list of questions on the side screen. Or people who have not been doing their own and other people's taxes for years may also find it distracting instead of helpful.

For those like my financial analyst husband, it also gives him all the little details about taxes, retirements and hypothetical situations that make him happy. I admit, I tend to skim over those fine details - just show me the money! And TurboTax Home and Business does with a running total of what you owe (GASP) as you do your taxes and then the final amount owed or returned (sigh of relief). 

I will definitely use TurboTax Home and Business again, it does the job and does it well.  There are changes that were made this year that interfered with the efficiency of doing my taxes, so hopefully next year I won't run into that. Some people may like this helps, hints, graphs and such.  I wish I could more easily "skip" some of the helpful hints and suggestions. The other thing I really wish would change for next year would be to return directly back to where you were in the review process after you make corrections.  Instead I have to work my way back through the suggestions.  It worked that way last year and I hope they bring it back.

TurboTax Home and Business really did show me the money! Give it a try for free (you only pay for it if you file) and see if it does for you.