[PCWorld]

Post your comments for How Much Do You Owe Uncle Sam? Tax-Prep Sites May Disagree here

[number6]

The tax system is designed to be so complicated that no one can follow it and everyone is a criminal. It's impossible to get the right answer.

[Millinneumman]

Actually, I don't owe so called Uncle Sam anything and I never have. I have never paid Uncle Sam, whoever he is, nor I ever owed this mythical entity anything. It's so nice to not be a Yank, but then who would want to be?

[JamesEvens]

I used TaxAct this year (there are Deluxe and a Standard versions). They provide a 100% accuracy guarantee and 2nd Story Software will pay penalties and interest if an error is made in the calculations. The Deluxe version provides a Tax Tutor from J.K. Lasser which makes up the cost of the software.

[jmwaddill]

There is history behind the name Uncle Sam. Your comment that you were glad not to be a yank and who would want to be, is ridiculous. Millions of people risk everything to come to the United States. If you can't add something constructive to the discussion then keep your ridiculous comments to yourself. Since you are not a yank why are you wasting your time reading an article applicable only to American Tax payers.





Edited by MPHEnterprises - No Personal Attacks

[number6]

I've heard that Uncle Sam was a creation of Lincoln, our first communist president. I don't know if that's true, but that could be what ~8737] was referring to. As to the yank part, I think that was probably not a reference to America in general, rather, it appears to me that [~8737] is not in favor of Lincoln's Communist War to Destroy the Union.

I hope that [~8737] will return to the discussion if I misinterpreted [his post.

[jmwaddill]

In reply to number 6. I do not know where you come up with the idea that President Lincoln was a communist.He was a republican. As the reference to a Yank, no other interpretation could be made since yank is slang for United States soldiers, i.e. WW1.
From Enclyclopedia: Common folklore holds that Uncle Sam's origins trace back to soldiers stationed in upstate New York, who would receive barrels of meat stamped with the initials U.S. The soldiers joked that these initials were a reference to the troops' meat supplier, (Uncle) Samuel Wilson of Troy, New York.
This discussion has gotten way off the original topic.
Someone is drinking too much coolaid.

[rje49]

Doing your own income tax returns isn't rocket science. 80 to 90% of us can do it ourselves, but places like H&R Block make you think you can't do it right because it's sooo complicated; it's a black art or something. In addition, I've been asking the question for many years, without getting an answer, why high schools don't teach tax return prep? I mean, talk about subject that students will or won't ever need to know! Who won't? Again, this isn't that difficult for most people, but many keep wasting their money, paying "professionals" and buying software that isn't needed. DO YOU HAVE A BRAIN? THEN YOU CAN DO IT!

[JamesEvens]

I graduated HS in 1976 from a small rural northern Michigan school with only 52 students in my graduating class. We took 9 weeks out of our government class to learn basic income tax preparation. It was taught by the school Superintendent using the VITA materials.
I worked for a tax preparer for two seasons (2002 and 2003) and can say that many of the people who used our services came for one reason: a quick turn-around time between filing and receipt of refunds. Most paid tax preparers offer a refund anticipation loan which allows receipt of your refund (minus tax preparation fees and loan fees) within two days without a credit check. The fees for this service are similar to payday loans. Plus, there is an added pitfall if the IRS denies the entire refund: you received a larger check than what is due and would have to pay back the excess funds. I have never seen this scenario, but it can easily happen if there is outstanding federal debt or you are denied non-refundable credits such as earned income credit.

Tax software may not be necessary; it does however, allow for a more streamlined filing process. All good modern software, such as TaxAct, TaxCut, and TurboTax, allow you to electronically file. This process speeds up the return process and makes filing more accurate. It is also the preferred filing method by the IRS since it reduces paperwork. Tax software also has other benefits. I already mentioned that TaxAct contains the J.K. Lasser tax guide. The deluxe version allows printing to an Adobe Acrobat file, creating an electronic backup to your printed file copy. Tax software also makes amending a return much easier.

[aee2k]

You should always hand check what the software puts out. I found a severe error in the way TurboTax filled out a form that would've cost me over $1500 had I not done the check.

[JohnFleming]

None of these packages, not one as far as I can determine, offers Form 1040 NR, the form required by non-resident tax filers. Who's going to be first to offer it; there is a significant number of non-resident tax filers.