INTRODUCTION

Tax time is upon us and we know how much you hate it...we do too. But while it's something we all loathe, there are ways out there to help make it less of a burden and easier to complete. Here we will review two major tax prep software, Intuit TurboTax and H&R Block At Home 2009. Both software promises to make tax preparation easy and to get you the maximum refund possible by considering every deduction and rebate possible.

Intuit turbotax deluxe 2009

The installation of TurboTax 2009 is extremely easy and straightforward and installs in just a few short minutes. Upon first run of the program, you'll be prompted to check for updates (which you should always do) and register the program (optional, however, it will bug you each time you open it). If you used TurboTax 2008 to file last year's taxes, the 2009 version can automatically import all of your data from last year to help save you time. New in this year's version is the ability to also import data from TaxACT and H&R Block TaxCut.

The interface of TurboTax Deluxe 2009 is pretty much the same as the 2008 version last year, but Intuit has added and tweaked a few features. One such new feature is the ability to flag a portion of your return for you to come back to later to fill in. If you don't know a particular value for a question on the form, you can now skip it and TurboTax will flag it for you to return to later. This is a nice way for someone to gradually work on their return instead of doing it all at once. Also, you can import financial data from Quicken, QuickBooks 2007+, and Microsoft Money if you happen to use those.

Another new feature they've added is SmartCheck, which double-checks your tax return for errors. While previous versions had a similar feature, SmartCheck is completely new and works well to make sure your forms are filled out correctly and the data you've entered "makes sense" for your situation.

As with version 2008, TurboTax 2009 can automatically fill in your W-2 information directly from participating employers' payroll systems and 1099 data from financial institutions. They say the database includes over 100,000 employers and banks, however, in our testing, it was unable to find the data for both of our individuals' W-2s on our tax return.

While filling out your returns, TurboTax Deluxe 2009 leads you through each step of the way in a wizard-like fashion asking you questions like "Did you buy or sell a home in 2009?" and answering "No" allows you to skip that section entirely. Filing is also broken down by section, like personal information, wages & income, deductions, etc. If you aren't sure how to answer a particular question, you can choose to view information about the question and who it may apply to. Users may also ask questions to online TurboTax experts as well as other TurboTax users through Live Community.

Throughout the duration of filling out your taxes, the counter at the top for refund/owed constantly updates in real time as you complete each question. Amounts are shown for federal and state returns separately. At the end of your filing process, TurboTax will completely check over your returns and prompt you about any irregularities or missing/incorrect information.

With the boxed, retail version of Intuit TurboTax Deluxe 2009, you get free federal eFile for up to five users and an included copy of one state tax return software. A state eFile is included, but depending on your state you may have to pay additional fees to state eFile.

H&R Block At Home 2009 deluxe

Just like TurboTax, H&R Block At Home (formerly TaxCut) takes just a few short minutes to install and once installed, you will want to scan for updates and install them to make sure you have the latest versions of your tax forms.

Unlike TurboTax, H&R Block At Home 2009 Deluxe sports a whole new interface. They have even changed the language that the software uses to explain and ask questions about your 2009 returns. They've removed the tax jargon from the software and made it much more user-friendly and easier-to-use overall.

You may import data from your 2008 tax returns filed using TaxCut online/desktop, H&R Block's offices, and TurboTax software. Importing financial data is also available from Quicken and Microsoft Money. In the 2009 version, you can now import W-2 & 1099 data from participating banks and employers. However, like TurboTax 2009, we were unable to utilize this feature for our individuals that we tested.

H&R Block added a lot of helpful guidance to the program as well, now offering Personal Tax Guidance for people of certain professions that may have specific tax credits or considerations - like teachers, military veterans or new retirees. This allows At Home 2009 to ask much more specific questions to allow these people in hopes of finding deductions and credits. The program also offers specific advice and tax help for owners of hybrid vehicles, parents, and people with college expenses.

Unlike TurboTax, H&R Block At Home guides you through questions in the order of questions appearing on the tax forms rather than in groupings by section. This can make things easier if you like to follow what you're doing on the paper form as well as the electronic form.

If you feel like you need any extra assistance, you may use H&R Block's live technical support to chat with a tax advisor online. At Home doesn't have quite the online community that TurboTax has, but it is still helpful nonetheless.

Upon completion of your tax return, the software will double-check your return for errors and provide helpful suggestions for managing your 2010 income to better your tax situation for next year.

As with TurboTax, H&R Block At Home 2009 Deluxe will allow you to download one state program at no additional cost. You will also get 5 federal eFiles, but you must pay $19.95 for each state eFile regardless of any fees that apply to your state.