Many of you may know that if you meet certain criteria, you can file your taxes for free on the internet. You just go to the IRS website, and find a site that you like from there. It is actually a pretty nice gig at first look.
Last year, I filed my gal's Federal taxes through the H&R Block site. It was quick as shit, and she had the money wired to her bank in a few short days. No cost to her at all!
This year she got emails from them about two weeks back reminding her that tax time was getting close! Well, we got our W-2's yesterday, so I figured I would do them again for her. As I logged in, it "recognized" her from the login info, and pre-fitted the important info. (A very nice touch, I thought.) As I started along, it fed me my options. You see, even though it is "free", they offer some spiced up versions for cash. I suppose that is where they make their beans....ya know?
Well, oddly......there was no "free" option! I thought this was very strange, and tried to re-enter a couple times, but the result was always the same. Well, I wasn't going to pay for this shit, or have her pay, either, so I just used their software to do the taxes, and "stopped short", so to speak, after all was done.
I went to one of the other sites, TurboTax, and this time it WAS free, as advertised. (I then assumed that the "free return" was a one time deal.......It is probably in the small print somewhere!)
Well, Turbo's return was $30 greater than H&R Block's! (Now......I was REALLY pissed, because I was going to have to hand fire these fuking taxes after all!)
Sure enough, Turbo was right, H&R was wrong.
Now, my gal has BASIC taxes everyone! This was not a "call your accountant" tax return! Simple W-2 with no frills, and no claims. Their system, who I figure most people would trust.......would have fuked her out of $30, AND charged her a princely sum to boot!
Next, I ran her State return for shits and grins. (They wanted another $29.95 for this one, by the way.) This return was off by almost $75!!!! As most of you might guess, her State check is FAR less than the Federal one, too!
So, watch your ass if you think you are saving time with these guys!
Another thing. I know it is a business. I know they are there to make cash. BUT, it is almost criminal in my mind that these guys can charge $29.95 to file your State taxes!
With a very small effort, I found that Wisconsin has a Government run site where you can "e-file" for absolutely FREE. I mean, shit! It is even on your tax booklet! The thing is......Your Average Joe doesn't know they can do this on their own, so they pay.
If you live in Wisconsin, go here:
http://www.revenue.wi.gov/
Under Electronic Tax Service, on the right hand side, it is listed under Wisconsin Free-File.
What could be easier? It does all the math for you, and everything, boys!
We got our W-2's yesterday, and I filled 3 returns then, and one today. If you do it too, you will fall in love!
Last year, I filed my gal's Federal taxes through the H&R Block site. It was quick as shit, and she had the money wired to her bank in a few short days. No cost to her at all!
This year she got emails from them about two weeks back reminding her that tax time was getting close! Well, we got our W-2's yesterday, so I figured I would do them again for her. As I logged in, it "recognized" her from the login info, and pre-fitted the important info. (A very nice touch, I thought.) As I started along, it fed me my options. You see, even though it is "free", they offer some spiced up versions for cash. I suppose that is where they make their beans....ya know?
Well, oddly......there was no "free" option! I thought this was very strange, and tried to re-enter a couple times, but the result was always the same. Well, I wasn't going to pay for this shit, or have her pay, either, so I just used their software to do the taxes, and "stopped short", so to speak, after all was done.
I went to one of the other sites, TurboTax, and this time it WAS free, as advertised. (I then assumed that the "free return" was a one time deal.......It is probably in the small print somewhere!)
Well, Turbo's return was $30 greater than H&R Block's! (Now......I was REALLY pissed, because I was going to have to hand fire these fuking taxes after all!)
Sure enough, Turbo was right, H&R was wrong.
Now, my gal has BASIC taxes everyone! This was not a "call your accountant" tax return! Simple W-2 with no frills, and no claims. Their system, who I figure most people would trust.......would have fuked her out of $30, AND charged her a princely sum to boot!
Next, I ran her State return for shits and grins. (They wanted another $29.95 for this one, by the way.) This return was off by almost $75!!!! As most of you might guess, her State check is FAR less than the Federal one, too!
So, watch your ass if you think you are saving time with these guys!
Another thing. I know it is a business. I know they are there to make cash. BUT, it is almost criminal in my mind that these guys can charge $29.95 to file your State taxes!
With a very small effort, I found that Wisconsin has a Government run site where you can "e-file" for absolutely FREE. I mean, shit! It is even on your tax booklet! The thing is......Your Average Joe doesn't know they can do this on their own, so they pay.
If you live in Wisconsin, go here:
http://www.revenue.wi.gov/
Under Electronic Tax Service, on the right hand side, it is listed under Wisconsin Free-File.
What could be easier? It does all the math for you, and everything, boys!
We got our W-2's yesterday, and I filled 3 returns then, and one today. If you do it too, you will fall in love!
