how to file with Turbotax for free

[rahby1us]

figured out how to file for free...

log in/on to turbo tax and complete your taxes. Before you file, on the "review" tab there is a section labeled "Summary"

At the bottom of the summary is a link for "Preview return"

This gives you all of your #'s. Print your forms, copy over the #'s and file by mail. Savings ~$80

[2Birds1Stone]

Turbotax is free if you have a simple return, good tip on the more complicated ones though!

[beltim]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it. 

[rahby1us]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

Yup. Although i do take a little exception to TT's bait and switch pricing marketing material.

[Drifterrider]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

I would say frugal rather than cheap :)  I borrow a book from the library, I borrow software (mostly to check my math as I always file a paper federal copy (no free filing is available for me).

[Jack]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

In this specific case, they deserve it. It's TurboTax's fault that taxes are so complicated to begin with!

[beltim]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

I would say frugal rather than cheap :)  I borrow a book from the library, I borrow software (mostly to check my math as I always file a paper federal copy (no free filing is available for me).

Yes, you borrow from the library, where you're supposed to borrow books.  Hopefully you don't borrow books from a bookstore without paying for them.

[beltim]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

In this specific case, they deserve it. It's TurboTax's fault that taxes are so complicated to begin with!

That's a dramatic oversimplification.  Your article would support the statement that "Intuit lobbies against allowing free filing for about 40% of the population."

I don't see how that justifies anything, though.  Do lobbies for or against smoking mean you steal cigarettes or nicorette?

[Drifterrider]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

I would say frugal rather than cheap :)  I borrow a book from the library, I borrow software (mostly to check my math as I always file a paper federal copy (no free filing is available for me).

For many people, filing with Turbo tax is free.  Not for me.  But it is free to read my neighbor's book if he lends it to me.

If you want to feel upset because some people have figured out how to obtain good bargains (the whole purpose of MMM), go ahead.  This is an A + B = C conversation and you seem to want to add in other factors.  Go ahead.



Yes, you borrow from the library, where you're supposed to borrow books.  Hopefully you don't borrow books from a bookstore without paying for them.

[beltim]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

I would say frugal rather than cheap :)  I borrow a book from the library, I borrow software (mostly to check my math as I always file a paper federal copy (no free filing is available for me).

Yes, you borrow from the library, where you're supposed to borrow books.  Hopefully you don't borrow books from a bookstore without paying for them.

For many people, filing with Turbo tax is free.  Not for me.  But it is free to read my neighbor's book if he lends it to me.

If you want to feel upset because some people have figured out how to obtain good bargains (the whole purpose of MMM), go ahead.  This is an A + B = C conversation and you seem to want to add in other factors.  Go ahead.

Oh, I see, so it's ethical to take food from a food pantry if you don't need it, because they're giving it away to someone else.

This site isn't exclusively about finding bargains.  It involves being ethical as well.

[brooklynguy]

This definitely falls in the cheap category.  You're using software that they provide and designing an end-around to avoid paying for it.

It's an interesting question whether this behavior is ethical.  I'm not so sure that the proposed use of TurboTax's software is an end-run around paying for the services being sold.  TurboTax makes its software freely available for the public's use and charges only at the point when a user decides to print or e-file the return(s).  The terms of service for TurboTax's online product state that:

"You are only granted the right to use the Services and only for the purposes described by Intuit. Intuit reserves all other rights in the Services. Until termination of this Agreement and as long as you meet any applicable payment obligations and comply with this Agreement, Intuit grants to you a personal, limited, nonexclusive, nontransferable right and license to use the Services."

And I don't see anything in the rest of the terms of service that would indicate that you are not permitted to use the software in the proposed manner.

When you pay for TurboTax's online product, you're not just paying for the use of the software to calculate the figures for your tax return (and if that were the intention, then presumably TurboTax would put the software behind a paywall instead of the current configuration where you aren't required to pay until the printing/filing stage); part of what you're paying for is the convenience of having TurboTax prepare your printed/e-filed return for you, store your information for future purposes after filing, etc.

Do you think it would be unethical for someone to prepare their own return by hand but then use TurboTax to calculate their tax liability in order to double-check their work (which, I believe, is a common practice)?

Again, it's an interesting question, and I'm not sure where I come out.  But I don't think the answer is quite as cut-and-dried as you suggested.

[Jack]

That's a dramatic oversimplification.  Your article would support the statement that "Intuit lobbies against allowing free filing for about 40% of the population."

Maybe if automatic filing happened for that 40%, the other 60% would start to realize how ridiculously and needlessly complicated the tax code is. In that way, TurboTax's lobbying hurts people who support limited government and eliminating loopholes and meddling in the market too. (Poor Norquist doesn't even realize that by siding with TurboTax he's screwing his own cause.)

I don't see how that justifies anything, though.  Do lobbies for or against smoking mean you steal cigarettes or nicorette?

WTF, what kind of idiotic analogy is that? If the government forced you to smoke cigarettes it might make a shred of sense, but since that isn't the case, it doesn't.

Also, thanks for phrasing it in the most offensive way possible. Calling the OP's proposed use of TurboTax "stealing" is both factually inaccurate and disingenuously loaded language. If anything, it would be a terms-of-service violation, or at worst, maybe copyright infringement -- neither of which are even slightly like "stealing!"

[brooklynguy]

neither of which are even slightly like "stealing!"

Didn't we already have a debate about this?  Assuming that the proposed use of TurboTax is in fact improper (which, per my previous post, is not, in my view, necessarily a valid assumption), it is, at least arguably, "like 'stealing.'"

[MoneyRx]

Man the forums here can be harsh and it really frustrates me to see people bashing our own. Everyone complains about the "retirement police" coming out on financial articles, but man the moral police here are too much. Its a freaking hack so get over it. Thanks to the OP for posting.