Tag Archives: TurboTax

TurboTax Deluxe

Turbotax Deluxe vs Premier

Turbotax Deluxe vs Premier: Turbotax Deluxe is the best option for people who are not self-employed or have rental properties. It’s also a good option if you’re not eligible for the free version.

Turbotax Deluxe vs Premier
Turbotax Deluxe vs Premier

TurboTax Free Edition

Turbotax free edition is designed to allow low income families and individuals with qualifying incomes to file their taxes for free.

The qualifications for the Turbotax free edition are:

  • You must have a qualifying income
  • You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien
  • You must not be eligible to use the other Turbotax editions

1099 Income

When someone is paid as an independent contractor, they are not considered an employee. This means that they are not entitled to benefits like healthcare or retirement. The person who hires them pays their taxes instead of the government.

This type of income is called 1099 income because the IRS form for it is 1099-MISC and it’s a miscellaneous income. It’s also called contract work, and you can receive this type of payment from any number of sources including clients, customers, or employers.

The 1099 form is used to report all the money received by a business for services rendered in which the client does not withhold taxes from the payer’s wages or other compensation.

TurboTax Premier is the best option if you’re self-employed with 1099 income, have rental property income/expenses, or are eligible for the free version of TurboTax Freedom Edition.

TurboTax Comparison

TurboTax Deluxe is a software that is designed to make filing taxes easier. It includes the most popular tax forms and provides the basic features for simple tax returns. TurboTax Premier, on the other hand, includes all the features of TurboTax Deluxe and also offers more complex features like audit assistance, cost of home ownership and investment income.

Audit Assistance

Audit assistance is a service that helps with the process of auditing. This is usually done by an external professional, but it can also be done by someone inside the company who has been trained to do so. Audit assistance can be provided in many different ways:

  • Internal audit assistance: this is when the company hires someone internally to provide audit assistance. This person would work both on their own as well as in conjunction with other employees to complete audits. They might also be tasked with training new employees on how to do audits.
  • External audit assistance: this is when a company hires an external auditor to help them with their audits and ensure that they are being completed correctly.
  • Audit consulting: this is when a company hires an outside consultant who helps them find solutions for any problems they are having related to their auditing process, such as how often they should be doing them or how best to go about doing them.

Pricing

TurboTax Premier has a higher price than TurboTax Deluxe because it offers more advanced features which are not necessary for everyone. The Premier version has some additional features and benefits that make it worth the price tag. If you need to deduct investment expenses or get a refund on past-year over-payments, then you should choose this version instead of Deluxe.

Past Year Over-Payments

When a taxpayer overpays their taxes in one year, they are entitled to get that money back in the form of a refund.

Many taxpayers think of past-year over-payments as refunds, but they are not. When a taxpayer overpays their taxes in one year, they are entitled to get that money back in the form of a refund.

Intuit Apologizes To Upset Customers

Recent changes to the TurboTax Deluxe edition has caused the owners of the software, Intuit, to apologize to customers. Many customers had to spend more to upgrade to another version to get the features they needed, and they will receive a refund.

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Sasan Goodarzi is general manager and acknowledges that the company has caused customers frustration and anger.

Many loyal TurboTax 2014 customers were outraged when they found out about the downsizing of the TurboTax deluxe edition. Customers – many of them loyal for years – had to spend between $30 and $40 to upgrade to other editions to get certain features. These included the forms used to report income from rental property, self employment and investments, Schedules C D E and F.

Intuit TurboTax Apologizes To Upset Customers
Photo by jurvetson

Anyone using TurboTax 2014 to file their return and who used the company’s software last year but had to spend money to upgrade this year will receive a $25 refund. Customers will need to give their social security number and must apply for the refund after they have filed their 2014 tax return.

The online version had already had the Schedules C D E and F removed, and Intuit explained in its apologetic email to customers that the changes were implemented to ensure a consistent customer experience across different platforms. Julie Miller is VP of communications at Intuit and she pointed out to NBC news that customers were not informed of this information in a timely or an effective way and definitely deserved an apology.

Taxes Become More of A Networking Opportunity For Small Business

Every year millions of people scramble to do their taxes, and companies have been noticing a swell of people that want to go online to get things done. That’s where companies like Turbotax Online, and others have come together to connect those millions of people that have been using their line of products, with others that are like minded. From gathering in a connection setting like “QuickBooks Connect”, to other meet ups and information that is getting people together, the notion of taxes has never been more social than ever. This is a huge Networking Opportunity For Small Business.

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Decades of Connecting Small Business With Tax Help

QuickBooks - Networking Opportunity For Small Business

QuickBooks (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

No matter what the size of your company is, taxes are a big matter. This becomes obvious when you’re pushing forward as an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs, small businesses, and accountants are not alone, and that’s why more social, networking events are being held. These vents, attract a great deal of people from all sorts of industries, and the main goal is to connect everyone into a far easier tax filing ideology. It’s at these types of events, that all walks of life, backgrounds, industries, and more find news on the latest software releases, and so much more.

The Move To Online

Looking at how taxes have changed in the past 20 years, you will find that there are a variety of different changes that have come through for the better. If you haven’t used Turbotax Online just yet, you will definitely be connecting in the near future. From developers to entrepreneurs, more and more people are using online solutions and learning about the latest tax incentives, laws and more through online means and social events like “QuickBooks Connect”, and it’s going to be a mainstay year to year.

Whether you have been doing things the old way, or you have adopted a new path towards doing your taxes, there’s nothing quite like knowing that technology is right there to help you get the most out of filing quarterly, and even annual returns. As more people get together to discuss changes, and build a broader network of clients, colleagues, and more, you’ll find that greatness abounds.

Does Your Corporation Qualify For A Small Business Deduction?

Small Business Deduction photo

Photo by laverrue

The small business deduction is one of the most advantageous income tax benefits for company owners in Canada. The deduction lowers the amount of the Part 1 tax otherwise required of business owners. As of the first of January, adjusted tax rates allow a small corporation to qualify at the tax rate of 4.5% in the province of Ontario. Others will still need to pay the standard tax rate of 11.5%. Owners of Canadian businesses are encouraged to examine the tax guidelines to see if they qualify for this lower rate. A useful tool for this purpose is TurboTax Canada.

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The Canada Tax Agency has released a chart detailing the varying rates of corporate taxes for different types of businesses. Data is listed for all provinces except Quebec and Alberta, which are exempt from corporate taxes. To qualify for this lower rate, Canadian companies need to meet certain criteria. Each needs to be a Canadian-controlled private company and must meet all the rules set forth in the T4012-T2 Corporate Tax Guide. Each corporation needs to have been incorporated in Canada after the first of June 1971 and must operate fully in the country for all of the given tax year. The CEO of each corporation must also be a full-time Canadian resident. Shares of each qualifying corporation must also not be traded in overseas stock exchanges.

Get Ready For The April 15th Tax Deadline With TurboTax

Stay Ahead of the April 15th Tax Deadline

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You may be surprised at how many people wait until close to the tax deadline to finish and file their taxes. This may have nothing to do with pure procrastination and everything to do with feeling overwhelmed about the process.

Many people may be focused on the prospect of dealing with penalties for improper filing, but following the good advice from TurboTax can eliminate these types of fears.

File Electronically

Electronic filing is safe and straightforward with TurboTax, and your return will be received much faster than if you mail a paper income tax return. The Internal Revenue Service will inform you within 48 hours whether or not your income tax submission has been accepted.

April 15th Tax Deadline

No Income Tax! (Photo credit: sjrankin)

You can receive a tax refund by a traditional paper check, but selecting direct deposit is quicker and safer as well. Electronic filing and direct deposit eliminates the potential for lost documents, lost checks, and longer waiting due to document delivery time. TurboTax even has free Federal tax filing options for qualifying income tax filers.

File Now, Pay Later

You should file your taxes as soon as possible even if you end up owing the government. The IRS will let you submit your income taxes and set up a payment for a later date, and you may set up an automatic withdrawal. You can pay through your bank account, debit card, or credit card without penalty as long as you make your payment by the April 15th deadline.