Yes - I saw that site. That is one of the wonderful options out there... for someone else. (I didn't qualify to freefile). Not that I'm complaining- I can afford to pay for filing, so best not to use up the benefits.
Also (sadly) I need it to be less cryptic, not more so. Turbotax is extremely frustrating because they have to change every year to match new rules. So what worked last year isn't necessarily the proper procedure for this year.
I love the fact that State is included, since TT just imports State directly from Federal and I don't have to enter it twice. I also like the fact that I can file electronically, and pay filing fees and Intuit using the Federal refund, so nothing comes out of pocket and I don't have to wait long (got a notice it was already accepted by the IRS).
That said, I'd totally rather take the whole mess to an accountant and have them do it, The only problem is, it would be twice as expensive and be about the same amount of trouble. I'd still have to locate all the proper paperwork, and without actually going through the process there's a chance I'll miss something and have to come back for a second visit to the accountant. Every time I ever tried to have an accountant do the taxes, they would run into the same stuff I did - "What was the purchase price in 1972 of this obscure stock you forgot you had?" "Oh, and by the way, you know that side job you had? That's now considered a small business by the IRS, so you have to calculate deductions and enter a business code. What is your business code?" ("Uhm, I'm a what? What's my what?")
Easier to just do it myself, with all my papers very nearby in a box in the closet. Of course, the ones I needed were not in that box, so bringing that with me would not have helped...
Re: New Free E-File Option
Also (sadly) I need it to be less cryptic, not more so. Turbotax is extremely frustrating because they have to change every year to match new rules. So what worked last year isn't necessarily the proper procedure for this year.
I love the fact that State is included, since TT just imports State directly from Federal and I don't have to enter it twice. I also like the fact that I can file electronically, and pay filing fees and Intuit using the Federal refund, so nothing comes out of pocket and I don't have to wait long (got a notice it was already accepted by the IRS).
That said, I'd totally rather take the whole mess to an accountant and have them do it, The only problem is, it would be twice as expensive and be about the same amount of trouble. I'd still have to locate all the proper paperwork, and without actually going through the process there's a chance I'll miss something and have to come back for a second visit to the accountant. Every time I ever tried to have an accountant do the taxes, they would run into the same stuff I did - "What was the purchase price in 1972 of this obscure stock you forgot you had?" "Oh, and by the way, you know that side job you had? That's now considered a small business by the IRS, so you have to calculate deductions and enter a business code. What is your business code?" ("Uhm, I'm a what? What's my what?")
Easier to just do it myself, with all my papers very nearby in a box in the closet. Of course, the ones I needed were not in that box, so bringing that with me would not have helped...