Congratulations Turbotax. After several years of no issues with my using your software, I see you have managed to fuck it up.

What did they fuck up?

I got TurboTax Premier and as usual, it was great.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
What did they fuck up?

I got TurboTax Premier and as usual, it was great.

First, Turbotax recommended I update my OS system to Mac OS11.

Then, while entering data, TT wanted me to secure my data onto my computer with a back up page, then page locked up. I deleted everything and started over again, to point of page locking up.

$49 bucks pissed away.

Odd. I've been using TurboTax every year since the late 1980s and never had a problem.

OTOH, I use a PC, not a Mac.

Still not clear how $49 is pissed away. Is TT inoperative?

I would delete TurboTax completely and reinstall. I also don't understand what "TT wanted me to secure my data onto my computer with a back up page." It sounds like it wants you to have a mirror of your data on their cloud?

TurboTax hasn't been perfect in the past but that's with some exoteric tax calculations and if I'm remembering correctly, over 14 years ago.

There may be other alternatives but it's the one I've used ever since Parsons Technology Tax program went away so I'm used to it and it works for me.

In 2020, Turbotax got confused and forced me to manually fill out some forms with my return as it crashed whenever I tried to check the return. Support recognized the error but couldn't help. I switched to freetaxusa's online and it's easier and cheaper.

I switched to H&R Block a number of years ago. It has holes as well. Not that our tax code is complicated or anything.

I reloaded Turbotax Deluxe three times and got the same issue. Page recommending me to copy forms into documents locks up.

So, I phoned TT 800 number and got a Computer voice. It transferred me to a line to speak to a LIVE person and was told (Computer) there is a three hour wait.

Tomorrow is another day.

You don’t need to load software anymore, I haven’t for several years now, TurboTax Online works just as well through a browser like Chrome.

quote:

Originally posted by GWbiker:

First, Turbotax recommended I update my OS system to Mac OS11.

I've been using the Deluxe version since [checking records] 2008, and have had nothing but a good experience. IIRC, they mentioned the need for an OS upgrade when you installed the prior year's version, something like "this is the last year TT is supported on Mojave" or something to that effect. I didn't wait until this year (2021) rolled around, I already had a Catalina virtual machine installed just for TT. This year's (2021's) version advised that next year you will need Big Sur (macOS 11.x.x).
 
FWIW, I have never seen that prompt to "secure my data with a backup page."
 
I always import the prior year's return first, and then use manual entry to update everything.
 
I must have caught a special on Amazon this year, because I only paid $40 for the Deluxe version. I am used to its being $50.

Why not just use the web based version? That has been flawless for me for years. Even better, this year, they had a deal with Fidelity which let me use TT Premium for free for both federal and state.

There are many things I do not like to do. Near the top is taxes. I have had a CPA do mine for years. It is a deduction and painless except for writing the check. When the IRS sends me correspondence it goes right to his desk.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
There are many things I do not like to do. Near the top is taxes. I have had a CPA do mine for years. It is a deduction and painless except for writing the check. When the IRS sends me correspondence it goes right to his desk.

It's a deduction if you have enough deductions that they equal more than the standard deduction, otherwise they're not. And even if you can take the deduction, if you pay the CPA $500.00, you might save 24% of the $500, or $120.00, so it's a significant amount of money.

I haven't been able to do itemized deductions for a long, long time, so long I don't even remember the last time I did it.

quote:

I haven't been able to do itemized deductions for a long, long time, so long I don't even remember the last time I did it.

^^^^^^
You make a good point. I cannot remember when I did not itemize. My taxes are complex with a business, my own retirement plan as well as investments. For me my time is more important than money. Plus I do not have the headache of determing what the IRS is asking on their myriad of forms. Tax laws change almost every year. I believe in using professionals from plumbing to dentistry. My father was just the opposite and I vowed never to do the same things.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

I haven't been able to do itemized deductions for a long, long time, so long I don't even remember the last time I did it.

^^^^^^
You make a good point. I cannot remember when I did not itemize. My taxes are complex with a business, my own retirement plan as well as investments. For me my time is more important than money. Plus I do not have the headache of determing what the IRS is asking on their myriad of forms. Tax laws change almost every year. I believe in using professionals from plumbing to dentistry. My father was just the opposite and I vowed never to do the same things.

I retired around 4 years ago from a business I owned for over 20 years. I had my own self employed 401K, a boatload of money in the stock market and still did not itemize except for the business. That I did itemize and it really wasn't that hard after I got my business accounting under firm control.

The first year I did it, I sent it to my Financial Advisor and he had his CPA check it over. He said it was perfect and to keep on doing what I was doing.

Got audited one year that the IRS said I had Capital Gains I hadn't listed and I owed $16K in back taxes or something like that.

I had somehow missed it, probably a busy time for my business, but I did an amended return and included Capital Losses I'd also somehow overlooked. Sent it to my Financial Advisor's CPA and again, he said it was perfect.

I ended up getting a Capital Loss Carryover of $3K a year for around 6 years or so plus I didn't owe the IRS a dime. Again, my financial advisor's CPA said I did it perfectly, so I continued doing it myself.

Now, I just deal with my retirement income from several different sources and of course, my Dividends, Capital Gains and losses and so forth.

I kind of enjoy it.

Finally downloaded TT and got past the bug when TT INSISTED I copy onto document.

Last year I'll use TT as I cannot upgrade my Mac Air to OS 11.

Now, to mail off the checks to IRS so they can piss away the monies as the Welfare people are waiting.

quote:

I kind of enjoy it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That will never happen to me. I do not like math and reading obscure charts and graphs. Some people like numbers, I do not. You were lucky to not be audited in your twenty years. I like to spend my time pursuing other things than filing a Tax return.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

I kind of enjoy it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That will never happen to me. I do not like math and reading obscure charts and graphs. Some people like numbers, I do not. You were lucky to not be audited in your twenty years. I like to spend my time pursuing other things than filing a Tax return.

You misinterpreted one of my above posts. I was audited and that's where the Capital Gains screwup was found. They never found fault with my business expenses though.

And yeah, I admit I like numbers. That's probably why I became an Electronic Engineer and my company did Engineering Consulting, programming and design.

quote:

You misinterpreted one of my above posts. I was audited and that's where the Capital Gains screwup was found. They never found fault with my business expenses though.

^^^^^^
Agreed.

Be sure to keep your installation CD's. If they audit you for previous years, you will need them