TurboTax Deluxe for Mac 2003

Comment: I have been using TurboTax (formerly MacInTax) for 6 years now, and it gets better every year. Beginning last year, I did the electronic filing and I couldn't have been happier with the results. Philosophical arguments notwithstanding regarding doing this electronically, I did get an e-mail response from Quicken saying everything went through and 2 days later a response from the IRS that they had received my return. I always used to put off filing my taxes until the last possible moment because I dreaded reading all the details and filling out the complicated boxes with the vague instructions. It's not something you want to get wrong. I have never had a tax preparer do my taxes for me - I've always done my own since I was 17, but procrastination has always been my enemy, even when I had a juicy refund coming to me.

TurboTax takes the chore and bore out of the process. Each aspect of the software has little checks to make sure you're doing everything correctly. I was able to import my data from previous returns to save loads of time filling out stuff that doesn't change from year to year as a rule.

The software takes you dialogue by dialogue asking you questions like "do you own any stocks?" and if not, you skip the all the related questions so you don't have to muddle through things that don't apply to you. Everything is in concise categories.

Anytime you have a question, you can click on the help button for specific, context-sensitive information. The major sections have built-in QuickTime videos of professional tax experts explaining the latest tax laws and what the IRS is looking for, etc. etc.

When you're about all done, it does an error check and automatically goes through everything on your return and will tell you if anything on your return contains errors or otherwise will raise a red flag with the IRS and make you more vulnerable to an audit.

After filing my taxes with Turbo Tax, I got my refund deposited into my bank account electronically within 6 days. For those who are not expecting refunds, but rather have to send payment to the IRS, you can set up your payment so that it gets sent at the last possible moment on April 15, even if you file much earlier.

When you first install the software, it first checks with Intuit's servers for any updates and allows you to download State Tax software for free (if applicable). Fortunately, there are no state income taxes in Texas (yea for us!).

I am using a nearly 6-year-old Mac running (albeit slowly) Panther (10.3.3) and the software ran like a champ.

Comment: I've used Turbotax ever since the MacInTax years, and the software was always easy to use and update--until now. Using an iMac with OS 9.2.2 and Turbotax Deluxe 2003, over a 56K modem the update that promises to take "just a few minutes" actually takes about 120 of them, that is, if something does not crash on you first. The updates would apparently install successfully but the program kept telling me, "You've never checked for updates"--and refused to let me fill out form 4652 for Depreciation based on that. After attempting the download at least three or four times, I ordered the "update on CD". It took 10 days to arrive. After installing it, the same error message appeared again. Also, apparently the "update" does not put obsolete files into the trash. Therefore, finally after several 'Update" attempts I ended up with several folders and did not know which files were up to date or which files my program was pointing to. So I spent several hours going through all the folders manually comparing file creation dates. This enabled me to finally complete form 4652 but after finishing the State return, I once again received an error message, "You've never checked for updates". All I've spent the last three weeks doing is checking for updates!

The State return was very disappointing also, because, if you need to quit in the middle, the software cannot remember where you left off--so you may have to click through literally tens of screens to get back to where you were.

Intuit's online "support" was a pointless waste of hours and hours of even more time. With this year's product being so unsatisfactory, I simply could not justify sending Intuit a single penny more to get it working. I shouldn't have to. I began my tax return at the end of February. Now it is April 13 and I still have not got this garbage product running.

Next year I won't mind spending hundreds of dollars more to take my taxes to an accountant. Time is money too, and life is way too short to waste any of it trying to fix a product that ought to have been debugged and finished BEFORE it was shipped.

Comment: Despite assurances from TurboTax customer service that I could import data from last year's TaxCut (ever try to manually enter years of depreciation?), I found that he forgot to mention the details. You have to find a PC computer with PC TurboTax, import the TaxCut data, then transfer that file into your Mac for use. Just a slight omission!

Now after having no other choice but to also purchase '03 TaxCut, I can honestly say I'll never buy an Intuit product again...

Comment: The following is from a message I sent to someone. My relatively low rating is based on the fact that Intuit couldn't be bothered to point these two things out. This is using OS 10.3.2.

I too discovered that I had to scroll all the way down the license window before the 'accept' button became active. I wasted many hours finding this out. It wasn't my intelligence---pure desperation! I also have never seen this before. I can't begin to tell you all the useless things I have been doing all day!!

One interesting point I noted. When I finally did do the install and started up the program, it wouldn't work. It claimed that there were missing fonts. It turns out that the five fonts installed by TurboTax were installed with the default setting of 'off.' Once I activated them in FontBook, everything was OK.

Comment: Do not buy TurboTax for MAC if you have to use the
Foreign Tax Credits section!!! The software consistently
crashes whenever the Form 1116 has to be filled out
and the Intuit support is completely clueless.
If it is too late to return the product to Amazon,
call Intuit at 1 800 446 8848.