Any thing to be leary of using a "free" online tax service?

[billwill]

The only thing to worry about with taxes is... how big is the IRS hand that is in your pocket searching for your last dime?

 

[Mark S.]

I've used the paid for Turbo Tax disc for a number of years with no problems.

This year rather than buy the disc I used the free on-line Turbo Tax. My return is simple and using the standard deductions I completed it in about 15 minutes.

Refund was direct deposited to my bank within 3 weeks.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Mine isn't too complex. I have W2s for myself and the wife, some interest and dividend income, and the occasional capital gain from sale of an investment. I used Tax Act for several years, but switched to Turbo Tax - the program you install on your computer, not the online version. This is the third year for Turbo Tax. I'm a happy camper.

My income is over the limit for the free stuff, so I have to pay. The disc version costs less than the online version when you have to pay for it. It may also be a bit more secure since your information is stored on your local machine rather than "in the cloud," at least until you transmit it to the IRS.

This year despite the .gov shutdown I had my refund in under a week.

 

[JohnRippert]

I have used TurboTax online as long as I can remember. I've never had any problems with my returns or my refunds and I have never had my stuff hacked.

Same here. Turned mine in online the first week of February. Got my refund deposited about 10 days later. My taxes are quite simple. Even with the 5K larger personal deduction I got a couple hundred less this year since they withheld so much less last year. Should still have enough to pay for about half the tub replacement and minor tile work in the master bathroom.

 

[gregintenn]

I've used freefilefillableforms.com for several years now. It is just an online version of the paper forms. It works fine. I have no idea who owns it, how it's free, or what they do with my information.

 

[Marine Corps Air]

Whatever you pay to have your tax return completed correctly is a pittance compared to the pain in completing it incorrectly . . .

If you have a "simple tax return" (W-2 earnings or Social Security, or both with just interest income, and then use the "Standard Deduction"), you should be fine. However, I am extremely concerned about security! The website that you find may have all of the pictures, logos, data and information that you would expect, but is it a scam, phishing, or fraud? Is the website host in another country?

On par and in conjunction with "security" is "identity theft", the latter can require several years of our time to correct the damages, along with potentially enormous financial costs. It's still on the IRS "Dirty Dozen" list - Dirty Dozen | Internal Revenue Service
As a tax practitioner, I'm also on the distribution list for mailings from the Federal Trade Commission. It's a huge problem, becoming bigger with the passage of time!

You should not need to send in a copy of your W-2 form. Most tax software requires that the data be transferred or transposed in to the program.

You should always be provided with the hard (printed) or soft copy of your filed tax return.

The contents of these two articles provide excellent summary information regarding the provisions of the new tax laws that became effect January 1, 2018:

Tax Reform 2018 Explained and 2019 Tax Filing Tips | MagnifyMoney

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5307.pdf


Bill

 

[nachogrande]

YOU'RE KIDDING RIGHT?

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? Call me paranoid, but putting your name, SS #, & all other personal info online??? Even if they are legit, what if they get hacked? NO THANKS. "NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH", a BIG RED FLAG for me.