Several years ago I discovered (I didn’t really discover it—it was already there) TurboTax. At first I was very skeptical, how could a single disc replace my highly skilled $350.00 CPA? A very anal friend who had tested it and compared it to his usual, very successful previous system had recommended the program. In the end his system was one cent off and the TurboTax was correct. That was enough of a recommendation for me to give it a try.
So on Sunday I slipped the disc into my MAC and pushed the download button. It only took a few minutes to load and start up.
The key to success is to have used Quicken or Quickbooks to keep your records. TurboTax pulls all your information in so you don’t have to make piles of receipts all over the floor. Most of the sorting is already done by Quicken. Then it asks you a few questions, allows you to add more information and you are done. As you work it shows you just what your liability is and reminds you of deductions you might have missed.
TurboTax also saves your information from one year to the next so future tax prep is very easy and you can spot potential red flags that could trigger an audit. It also has lots of links to education and tips to help you make better financial decisions.
Using this system has saved me hundreds (or maybe thousands) of dollars and an incalculable amount of stress. Give it a shot—the return on investment is worth the time.
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