I like TurboTax’s ability to import data from a personal finance application such as Quicken, Quickbooks, or Microsoft Money. For entrepreneurs that keep track of their invoices and expenses, this can save a lot of time by automating some of the data entry.

For mortgage, childcare, medical expenses, or charitable donations, TurboTax Deluxe will help you maximize your deductions for the biggest tax refund.

Given all the negative reviews of Turbo Tax last year, I bought Tax Cut. This was after years of using Turbo Tax. I agreed with those that pointed out how Intuit was trying to make more money off their product by the way they packaged their product. Unfortunately, one of my most tedious tasks in tax preparation is reporting stock transactions. Tax cut provided absolutely no way to download my transactions from Fidelity. Turbo Tax has agreements with most major brokerage houses for automatic down loads of your brokerage records.

So, I also bought Turbo Tax and finished my return. Until other products offer this feature, it’s not worth it for me to switch.

Hi Johny,
Please help: So Turbo Tax Deluxe could download Stock and Mutual Funds from Fidelity ? don’t need Turbo Tax Premium . Correct ?

Last year’s Deluxe version allowed downloading stock data from our Schwab account, with sales matched to purchases. The only thing missing was recognizing “wash sales”. I would expect this year’s Deluxe version to include the download feature also. My concern last year was even more basic…would Deluxe allow me to download Sched D stuff from Quicken, there was no mention in the promotional stuff. I contacted Intuit, they said yes, but didn’t mention the download from brokerages feature. Guess they were trying to get folks to upgrade to Premier by omission.

Last year I bought TurboTax Deluxe and had no problems downloading my stock and mutual funds information from Edward Jones. Didn’t need the Premium. I also thought I would need the Premium, but it turned out that Deluxe handled everything just fine.

TT 2009 Deluxe handled my Fidelity accounts perfectly, despite the gimmicky attempt to get me to buy Premier, which I understand is in this year’s product too. I also downloaded from two other brokerage firms with no problems. I’ve yet to buy 2009 but will be off to Sam’s Club (sorry Amazon, better price there) very soon to get it.

If you’ll review my responses to posts last year, I did my best to point out that TurboTax Deluxe is more than adequate for most investors. TurboTax Premier is ideal for those with more complex stock transactions like stock options and employee stock purchase transactions. Selling customers something they don’t need doesn’t make for a good long term business model.

The OP makes a legitimate point regarding the convenience of downloading stock transactions from a brokerage. However, read and confirm before you accept the brokerage data. I found that my brokerage and I disagreed on which lots of stock I chose to transact and I cannot use their data.

I have always used turbotax but this year but they changed their pricing. The package says one free state download. True, you can download one state of your choice. However, you only get to prepare one state only. All additional state preparations are at $39 via download of even the same state. Thus for example, you have two family members living in California. The first person downloads the free California state download. If the second family member, who also needs to file the California state return, the second family member needs to pay $39 to turbotax via the software, to prepare the second state return, again, even if it is the same state. Contacted turbotax and it took several tries until they stated that this is the case. The first few times they would not confirm it but rather dodge the question and give an ambiguous answer, not admitting to the change.

1/16/10 update: after installing an online software update yesterday, it seems that turbotax has now changed their policy/software back to the way it was in previous years (probably due to the numerous complaints that they have received). Now, as with last year’s edition, you can do more than one state preparation for the same state, for the one free state that you have download. I have now given it 4 stars instead of the previous 1 star, with 4 stars becuase turbotax, as stated above, tried to previously limit the one free download to also mean one state prep (which is not the case now). Other than the previous frustration regarding the state download problem, turbotax has always given me great results. Great advice/info when you tag the help function. The help function will guide you for whatever is currently on the screen, thus you do not have to hunt for the information.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

i guess this would work, did not think of this. you would have to change the federal info for the second person b/c it will carry over to the state and then you just need to tweak the state.

Do you know if this revised policy regarding more than one state return for a particular state also applies to boxed software as well as online downloading as you state?

I bought the boxed software version. I do not know what happens with the download only version of the complete software. I do belive that for either version, boxed or download, you have a 60 day “return/satisfaction policy.” Check the details to be sure first though.

Thanks for the prompt reply and clarification but let me confirm- The Deluxe version comes boxed allowing just one state return of your choice but after installing it and downloading the updates from TurboTax it will then do multiple returns for the same state-right??
2) If this is so, do you know how many state returns it allows?

Yes, that is correct. After updating the software, you can do multiple state returns for the same state. However, I do not know if there is a max number on the same state preps. I have already inputed 2 returns and I can say for sure that it will do 2. Turbotax gives you 5 free e-files on the federal return. Turbotax charges all state e-files at around $19.

TurboTax Deluxe 2009 will not install on either of my Windows XP Pro (SP3) PCs (one notebook and the other is a desk top). When I attempted to find a solution on the Ttax website I received a message “We know about the problem, we don’t have a solution, leave us your email and we will contact you when we find a solution”. [...]

So users using Win XP Pro as their OS should not expect TTax Deluxe to work right out of the box. And yes, both of my PCs are up to date with all of the Microsoft updates.

I have been using TTax since it was developed by “ChipSoft” and sold on 5.25″ floppies. Over the last few years I have been getting more and more irritated with Intuit’s attempt to exert more control over the product (the registration snafu of about 4 years ago, last year’s attempt to cut the number of returns to just a couple are just a few examples that come to mind).

I just want to do my and my family’s taxes electronically on my own PC, not on the Web! Intuit – are you listening?

December 30, 2009 Update: I was able to install TurboTax Deluxe 2009 on my XP notebook using Intuit’s “.Net Utility Tool” which was posted on their website on December 28. Read more about this fix in the comment section below.

Microsoft has extended support for XP to 4/08/2014, since many businesses simply are not ready to change to 7. On their website, they advise: “Microsoft provides support on the current service pack, and in some cases the immediately preceding service pack, for the products listed below. See the Lifecycle Support Policy FAQ for details on the Service Pack Support Policy. As a convenience to you, Microsoft is providing a list of the currently supported service packs: Supported Service Pack List. If you have any questions regarding support for a product, please contact your Microsoft representative. If you need technical support, visit the Contact Microsoft Web site.” The site is:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3223 Looks like you have to copy and paste into address bar. Intuit needs to make TT 2009 work with XP, to enable TT users like me (been w/ TT since ‘97) to load and utilize the software. Until I hear otherwise, I’ll not purchase my TT, which I was ready to do today on Amazon until I read the reviews. Many thanks to thoughtful reviewers for providing vital information.

With 30 years of experience in the IT field, you don’t seem to know that a majority of fortune 500 companies are still using windows XP because of the problems with windows Vista. Considering what a pathetic product Vista was, most are willing to wait quite a while before challenging windows 7. I think I would question your “over 30 years experience”.

Installation problems with windows XP seem to be a result of people not keeping their computers updated, and because there is too much garbage loaded on them. If you are running an XP machine, is has been around for a few years. Do a clean install of XP, including all the updates, and you will have no problem running this or any other software designed for XP.

I have used TT for years and have no real complaints about the program itself, despite some minor flaws. However, last year I switched to the other brand as the marketing mavens at Intuit decided to try to milk the cow further by charging for printing additional returns (a move they quickly reversed after they were publicly flogged for it). Back to TT this year – our family has a sole proprietor business and each time I visit Schedule C, I have to answer “No, I do not want to upgrade to TurboTax Home & Business for $40″ since I can do everything I need to with TT Home Deluxe. (And “No, I do not want to upgrade to Premier” every time I get to the Investments section either.) However, with a death in our family, I now need to also file a return for a decedent’s estate, which is form 1041. Guess what? That is not included in any TurboTax Home product, including Home & Business. That form, which has line items virtually identical to the standard 1040, is only found in TurboTax Business, a different product that costs $110 with no upgrade path from any Home version. I guess there are only 3 things that are inevitable – death, taxes, and Intuit’s inability to grow revenues other than to unbundle features so they can charge separately for them (see also Quicken Home Inventory Management which had been part of regular Quicken) or to bundle features customers don’t want and have them pay for them (see others’ comments on TT e-file inclusion, etc.).

I am only here because I wondered who makes comments before the tax season starts. I have use Turbo Tax every year for the last 17 years, beats doing it by hand. Matter of fact it is about the only software that I will recommend to anyone. Starting some years ago I noticed Turbo Tax started to bundle their products (eg Fed with State then with efile). Now that I am retired the amount due or refunded does not justify efiling. I realize that the Feds prefer it but I just feel that I am paying for something that is not necessary. Why are we paying for efiling hasn’t banks found online banking cheaper then paper checks, would not be the same for tax filings? That said, I now feel better and will not comment again until next year. Merry Christmas everyone many happy returns.

12/13/09 Just installed Turbotax it was a snap. For those with dialup internet connections, find a highspeed internet connection and download the 74 mb update from turbotax website as a file. Do not waste your time trying to download it by dialup it will never happen. If you do not have access to the internet they will send you a update CD.

In December I purchased Turbo Tax Deluxe Federal + State 2009 + efile software from an Amazon vendor. The software installed quickly onto my computer and I worked with the federal taxes with no problem. However, when I wanted to work with my state taxes, I was not able to access the state return without being prompted to pay Turbo Tax $39.95 for the state download. I contacted Turbo Tax’s Support Services by e-mail and explained that the software I purchased was supposed to include one free state return. They responded by giving me a toll free number to call and an incident number to give to their support services operator. I called that number and with the operator’s assistance, I had the state return downloaded and installed in a few minutes. I have been a Turbo Tax software user for many years and have few complaints. I like being able to transfer data from the previous year’s tax returns and the fact that Turbo Tax keeps up to date on tax laws so that I don’t miss something. I can put up with the prompts to upgrade and the occasional glitches. You can get around those. The main thing is getting the final tax return for filing that is as complete and accurate as possible.

Intuit has changed this and I believe you can now download up to 4 state returns. =)

I was privileged to be a part of the Intuit TurboTax Beta Test team again this year. Over 600 beta testers tested all facets of TurboTax functionality to achieve a high quality product for 2009.

I have personally used TurboTax software since 1996. The TurboTax Deluxe version will support all the forms generally needed to prepare your federal 1040 tax return. E-filing the federal return is free with TurboTax Deluxe and insures the highest accuracy and fastest refund. The purchase price includes a free state return software package which can be downloaded from within TurboTax Deluxe. State tax return can also be e-filed for an additional charge, or printed for you to file by mail.

TurboTax Deluxe does not support the business tax returns for a corporation (Form 1120, 1120S), the partnership return (Form 1065), nor the estate and trust tax return (Form 1041). TurboTax Deluxe will support Schedule C and Schedule SE for experienced taxpayers with a sole proprietorship or the LLC treated as a disregarded entity. Those taxpayers who have never done a Schedule C before may wish to use TurboTax Home and Business for the more robust Schedule C support provided in the guided interview. Taxpayers who need to prepare a corporate return, a partnership tax return, or an estate and trust tax return will need TurboTax Business.

TurboTax Deluxe will also handle Schedule D and Schedule E preparation. Users that are new to Schedule D or Schedule E, or experienced users with more complex stock transactions or rental property issues, will find more detailed assistance in the guided interview with TurboTax Premier.

As good as the guided interview is, you may still have a unique situation that requires additional assistance. TurboTax provides a link to the TurboTax Live Community. If you need to ask how to solve a tax reporting problem, post your question to the Live Community and get quick feedback from a resource pool of thousands of actual TurboTax users on how to resolve your tax question.

This review states that you will need the TT Business in order to do an estate and trust tax return. I disagree; you need IRS Form 1041 for estates and trusts and the TT Business edition does not list that form as being supplied with that product. I’m not aware of any TT product that supports estate and trust returns.

2009 TurboTax Deluxe for Mac should have been labeled a beta edition and not released for purchase. (The 2009 beta testers who were so happy with the software obviously did not evaluate the Mac version.)

I have used TurboTax Deluxe for many years, the last three on the Mac, and have found it to be excellent–until now. This year I bought it in early December to do year-end tax planning. After installing updates and importing my 2008 return, I first turned to the charitable deductions section, a basic section that any itemizer would use, and started entering my donations. I found the process to be disgracefully buggy. The entered date and type of the donation were not recorded for any donation and every edit button was non-functional. Finally, when I tried to delete entries (since they couldn’t be edited), the delete function didn’t work either, even after “confirming” the deletion when asked.

I contacted Intuit support and was told to view support item #7637, originally posted by Turbotax on 12/7/09 and updated today (12/15/09), which indicates that these bugs, which only affect the Mac version, were known. It mentions all the bugs, except the inability to delete a donation, and says Turbotax plans to post a solution, “currently scheduled for 1/9/2010″. Don’t ask me why this simple problem in a mature software should take more than a month to fix. (And, so much for using TurboTax for Mac for year-end tax planning.) I can’t comment on any other sections of the software, since I stopped using it. I hadn’t planned on being a beta tester.

I hope this terrible quality control, affecting a basic function in previously outstanding tax software (that must be error-free), is not a preview of things to come. Get your act together, Intuit. Don’t ruin a good thing for yourself.

For an online alternative, FreeTaxUSA.com works great on Safari. In response to Larry’s point (of a 37.5% increase in TurboTax’s price), FreeTaxUSA is 100% free for federal returns and only $9.95 for state prep (e-file is included in all the services).

I suggest contacting your state Attorney General and file a complaint.
You may be able to state fraud since the product lists your OS as supported, but is not.

I have been using Turbotax for many years and find it an excellent product for completing my income tax returns. This year I had the opportunity to beta test the program. From a trouble free installation and throughout the test I had no problems. I also have been volunteering and doing tax returns through AARP and they use Taxwise. I find Turbotax much easier to use than Taxwise. It is more intuitive and dcoesn’t leave you guessing.

I have included from the Turbo Tax website that you can only prepare 5 state returns (from only one state without buying other state returns). It does not make since that Turbo Tax will allow you to prepare unlimited federal returns but only 5 state returns. The following information I copied from the Turbo Tax website:

TurboTax, the #1-rated, best-selling tax software includes:

Up to 5 free federal efiles
Unlimited federal tax
returns
ItsDeductible®
Live Community2
Audit Support Center
Up to 5 free returns for one state

This review is for TurboTax 2009 Deluxe for Federal Returns. Fortunately I live in Texas and there is no state income tax so I don’t have to worry about the state portion.

TurboTax has had its share of issues but I came back to it because it does seem to be the best there is, but I’m knocking off a star because of the history of issues I’ve had with the program in previous years (like it not calculating tax correctly until I deleted some assets and then re-entered them). However, I was a little shocked to read that it requires 500MB of HD space PLUS up to 620MB more if Microsoft .NET 3.5 SP1 is not installed (Mac is only 255MB). Wow! That could be over 1GB to do taxes. How inefficient we have become!

I just installed TurboTax Fed Deluxe on a Vista x64 system (it’s Jan 7th, 2010) and didn’t have any problems. In fact, it installed very quickly considering that it claims it needs 500MB (but I do have an SSD drive that greatly speeds things up). TurboTax immediately found 4 updates and asked me if I wanted to update. The updates seemed to have installed just fine. “Uninstall or change a programs” says TurboTax 2009 is using 343MB. It says TurboTax 2008 (from last year and still on my computer) is “only” 162MB, so a BIG increase (but I wonder how accurate are these figures?). In any case, even 1GB of space is not a big requirement nowadays.

I will be working with this to help estimate my 2009 taxes before I pay may Jan 15th estimated tax payment.

NOTE: Deluxe will do a Schedule C just fine, but it may not provide as much help as the Home & Business version. If you have been doing taxes yourself for awhile then you might not need to pay the extra money for the additional help. The same with other editions, TurboTax encourages “overbuying” just to get “extra guidance”, the “audit meter”, and/or “It’s Deductible”. All forms are included with all the editions.

I will update this review as I continue to use the product.