Free web-based Tax preparation - Linux comatible

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mzilikazi · #1 Post by **mzilikazi** » 2007-04-16 16:00

Last year when tax day rolled around I had a look at some of the links on the IRS site offering free tax preparation. What I found was terible. Nothing but clunky, unintuitive hard to use web forms on sites presumably created by accountants.
- No offense to you hard working CPA's now

Well this year I did better. I got started way ahead of the deadline this time (1 whole day). TurboTax offers a free web-based form. You are required to sign up (of course) and you will be sent a bill for $0. (Finally one I can actually afford).

The TurboTax site does a 'System Compatibility Check' and as you may have guess we Linux geeks are NOT supported. Fret not. It works just fine on Debian Linux w/ Iceweasel.

Methinks when I send a thank-you note to TurboTax I'll make mention of one more OS they can list as working if not supported. Hey there's an idea - let's all spam TurbTax about how great it works on Linux.

After a fairly brief walk through of the form I was able to download a final PDF of my tax return ready to be mailed. I assume there is a charge to efile through TurboTax but I didn't look into it further. If you have a simple return to prepare it's worth it.
http://turbotax.intuit.com/
This is what you want.

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Free Edition

Try for Free

FREE Federal Free eFile State Additional Charge

Have a 1040EZ or simple return?

I do not work for or own any part of TurboTax nor do I receive any compensation from TurboTax otherwise I would not have to prepare my own damned taxes!

DeanLinkous · #2 Post by **DeanLinkous** » 2007-04-16 17:55

usually you can efile federal for free AFAIK

rickh · #3 Post by **rickh** » 2007-04-16 17:59

TaxAct has served me well the last couple years.

Lavene · #4 Post by **Lavene** » 2007-04-16 18:09

"Do the taxes"... do you guys really still do that? Here we get the papers already done. Then we can log into our own tax return form online and do the corrections (if any at all), confirm it and file it.
Or you can do it via SMS or ordinary phone. Or if one is really old fashioned you can sign the papers and snail mail it. Usually takes about 5 minutes...

Of course, if you run a business it's more complicated but really, for the common 'slave' its really nothing anymore.

Tina

mzilikazi · #5 Post by **mzilikazi** » 2007-04-16 18:17

Lavene wrote:"Do the taxes"... do you guys really still do that? Here we get the papers already done.

I have always found this to be a completely assinine situation. The IRS certainly knows what we owe them. I will say however that the IRS has gotten much friendlier in recent years. You can actually get a live human being in 15 minutes or less!

GMouse · #6 Post by **GMouse** » 2007-04-16 18:35

I find that doing it by paper is still rather quick and easy. Then again, I'm still making so little that my form is incredibly easy to fill out. Enter small amount from the W2, a bunch of zeros on items that have no bearing on me, watch as the standard deduction more than erases my taxable income, and get my refund.

To be quite honest, the whole process of filing is quite easy. The only problems appear to be in what constitutes a deductible item, how to prove that deduction (lots of record keeping) and what tax credits one is eligible for.

DeanLinkous · #7 Post by **DeanLinkous** » 2007-04-16 18:40

Lavene wrote:"Do the taxes"... do you guys really still do that?

Yes we do! We like it that way. It is the good old american way. Take your easy way and stick it....

llivv · #8 Post by **llivv** » 2007-04-16 18:56

dmn_clown · #9 Post by **dmn_clown** » 2007-04-17 09:46

Lavene wrote:Or you can do it via SMS or ordinary phone.

They did away with "phone-file" two years ago, now it is either e-file or paper.

DeanLinkous wrote:usually you can efile federal for free AFAIK

Seems to depend on the site, some charge and others do not. I had to pay for my fed taxes this year but my State was free (but only due to a "special offer").