Rating: 
Summary: I have returned my copy.
Review: After years of using TurboTax, I returned my program to the store. With the spyware they have added to the product, I will not allow it on my system. The other tax programs provide the same benifits without spyware that degrades your system performance.
Rating: 
Summary: Easy to use overall; bug in AMT, poor customer service
Review: I have been using TaxCut for two years, and find it quite easy to use overall. The user interface needs improvement to conform more to the look-and-feel of the operating system. For example, it doesn't work with the mouse-scroll button, and double-clicking on some items doesn't bring the user to where he wants to go. Also, when I tried to update from within the program, it crashed; I downloaded the update from their website.My biggest complain for this year is a pernicious bug in the computation of AMT (Form 6251, line 16), after the first update. TaxCut erroneously adds the capital-loss carryover as a positive adjustment in AMT. That means (if I trust the results) I would have to pay thousands of dollars in taxes for my *losses*. I noticed this bug because the pre- and post-update results differ by a huge amount. (See the USENET for similar experiences from other users.) I temporarily override line 16 with "0". Customer service is essentially nonexistent. When I complained about the bug, the service representative was clueless. According to other users on the USENET, some representatives admit there's a bug, others don't. Apparently they need to improve a bit in training, too.
Rating:
Summary: Slow & buggy!
Review: I purchased this based on some reviews I had read about Turbo Tax. When I first loaded this program I was happy because it could use my Turbo Tax return. However, when I tried to update State & Federal it crashed 8 times before I finally got the upgrades! And I'm using a Broadband connection, not dial-up. When I tried to download my W-2, it crashed every time. I ended up just using my paper copy. When I went to do my State return, my return was incorrect because I lived part time in one state and part time in another and for some reason it could not figure that out and my State return was constantly completed with my total Federal numbers. Next year I'm going back to Turbo Tax. If you haven't bought this product yet, DON'T. Go buy Turbo Tax instead - you'll be happy you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Easy to use
Review: I have used Turbotax since its inception, but of course this year I returned it after I discovered the mess they made of it. I ordered Taxcut from Amazon which came free shipping and no sales tax, a good deal. Since 1949 I have done my taxes, today in addition to my taxes I do my son's business taxes, schedule C etc. and my two granddaughters taxes. They each downloaded from the 2001 Turbotax program into Taxcut without any problems. After using Turbotax for so many years I had to learn the Taxcut way of doing things but that was no problem they make it all very easy. I am impressed with Taxcut and will use it hereafter. All the necessary forms for the refunds were in the box with the addresses. Reading the problems of others in importing from Turbotax or not finding return addresses for refunds I rather think it is the computer operator rather than a diabolical scheme perpetrated by H&R Block.
Rating:
Summary: Goodbye Turbotax!!!
Review: I used Taxcut for the first time in several years and was extremely pleaseantly surprised. It brought forward all of my previous year's information from Turbotax and even completed the addresses on the w-2's and other documents using that info. It was even easier to use than last year's Turbotax, and, even better, it did not have the atrocious copy protection that prevents fair use and the secret spy-ware that Turbotax now doesn't even ask you permission for before it installs it permanently on your computer. It e-filed my return with no problems whatsoever, and I don't even have to mail anything to IRS. Beautiful program!
Rating: 
Summary: Good product, some flaws
Review: I switched to TaxCut last year and TurboTax's inclusion of CDilla spyware in this year's version only clarified my decision. TaxCut is almost identical to TurboTax in many ways, and functions just as well as TT but without the spyware. I have no issues with TT's decision to use copy protection, but spyware (which you does not uninstall if/when you uninstall TurboTax) crosses the line. The only flaw that I can see with TaxCut is the state filing. When installing and loading the State version, I get a message to install an update to get the latest information. When I click the "Update Now" button, I'm told I have the latest update - BUT I can't go any further in the State preparation until I "Update Now." A 10 minute search on the TaxCut website reveals that some states do not have the latest information available, and you can't use TaxCut State (if your state is one of those) until the update is available - mid-February for me. Why isn't this information given at installation, or when the "Update Now" button is presented? Why not allow me to at least start my State preparation while I wait for the update?
Rating:
Summary: Good Bargain but could be better
Review: I too made the switch this year after deciding I'd rather not worry about what kind of "garbage" Turbo Tax would install and, much worse, LEAVE on my machine. My 2001 experience with Taxcut was a disaster, to say the least. It had massive problems with Windows XP, the patch was hard to find, and it was a mistake-riddled, crash-prone mess. This year, it seems they have redeemed themselves..... somewhat. It appears all XP issues are a distant memory. This year's version installed, updated, and ran smooth as silk. The only problem I have with Taxcut is the same issue I've had for years (which prompted me to switch to the pre-007 Turbo Tax): Their explanations are too brief in most areas and woefully inadequate in others, especially if you have more complex issues. They fail to explain several key deductions and will actually just drop you into an IRS form (if you choose certain deductions or options) with no interview help. Sorry, but I thought these programs were supposed to "prevent" having to complete these types of forms and help us understand our taxes. Navigation is also still a step behind TT, but otherwise a solid program, especially for the price.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to use overall; annoying bug, poor customer support
Review: I've been using TaxCut for two years and find it relatively easy to use overall. The user interface can be improved to conform to the operating system's look-and-feel. For example, when one double-clicks on an item, one should be taken to the dialogue pertaining to that item. TaxCut is inconsistent in this area: sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. One annoying bug I encountered after the first update was the incorrect computation of line 16 of From 6251 (AMT). TaxCut incorrectly *adds* my capital-loss carryover as an adjustment. This means that if I trusted it I would have to pay taxes on my capital losses. I noticed the huge swing between pre- and post-update computations, and several people on USENET have reported the same bug. Customer support is virtually nonexistent. They would not say anything about the bug, nor when it might be fixed. [Note: They have apparently fixed the bug in the latest release 7402].
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as TurboTax, but...
Review: After using TurboTax for years, I thought I'd give this a try because a)it's slightly less expensive and b)it has more flexibility than TurboTax, from what I've read. I wanted to be certain that I wouldn't face hassles down the road if I needed to reference an old return from a different computer or hard drive, and I wasn't assured that TurboTax would provide that. Nor did I want TurboTax's additional spyware installed on my machine. So, I installed TaxCut, and the installation and product update went fairly well. It easily and correctly imported data from my old TurboTax return. It did slap an annoying EarthLink icon on my desktop, even after I declined their "offer." After working on my return for several minutes, the program quit with a C++ runtime error--without saving my return to that point. So, I opened it up again, set the autosave for a smaller increment, and continued. I was glad I did that, because it shut down twice more. That's plenty irritating, but in addition, I found that the program was not as thorough as TurboTax. There were a few times where my answer to a question was a "special case" and it referred me to an IRS form, without any further assistance. This occurred a couple times on the state form as well--the program basically said, "Find the tax form instructions and read them; we have no idea how someone would qualify for these credits." In summary, I found TaxCut was not nearly as good as TurboTax, but at least I knew what I was installing. All things considered, I think I'll go back to TurboTax next year.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, not great
Review: Although the ads state that TaxCut can "seamlessly import your financial data from...Microsoft® Money". The import is neither seamless nor complete. For the past two years the auto import hasn't worked and has required one to visit the webpage for a workaround. Also, not all info is imported, e.g. TaxCut imported my stock sale names, cost basis and sale price but not purchase and sale dates. TaxCut customer service replies that the software only imports "basic information" (dates aren't basic?!) and that the dates must be entered by hand. This is very tedious if you have 75 sales as I do. Overall, the product is okay but my enthusiam is diminished by it not doing some of the things it should do and is advertised to do.
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