Online vs desktop tax software

If you do not have access to a high speed internet connection or your service is temporarily down, Your are out of business. Desktop Software allows you can prepare returns without having internet access. You are able to back up your own system. You are in complete control of your tax program and records. More years of development are behind desktop software and tend to lend to a more reliable and bug free product. I was very pleased to find this site.

A preparer cannot access return information or preparer returns from any PC other than a PC that has the software hard installed on it. Desktop tax preparation software allows for mobile tax preparation service, but would require that the preparer bring their own laptop with the program installed on it. In a mobile tax preparation setting, with hard installed software, you are not reliant upon having an internet connection to be able to prepare tax returns or print signature pages.

You or your mobile preparer can simply prepare the return and wait to get back to the office to transmit any returns to be electronically filed. Desktop installed software platforms are also the oldest versions of tax software programs available and have been through many more years of testing and revising than their online alternative options.

If a PC leaves the office network, such as taking a laptop home, you lose access to your tax program unless additional home to office networking is setup.

Software that is installed on your office network or personal computer is only as safe as the safety parameters you physically have in place.

Hard installed programs should always have a backup program running to an off-site storage option in the case of a complete system crash or office disaster such as a fire or theft. Both Online and Hard Installed tax software have their respective positives and negatives, but after 7 years in the tax preparation business I can tell you that being out of commission due to an internet outage, or a server crash somewhere on the other side of the country is absolutely unacceptable.

Many tax businesses can attest to the frustration of not being unable to prepare returns the first 2 weeks of last tax season due to online software issues from one of the largest tax software providers in the industry! If I am making the choice for my start-up tax preparation office, I want to be in control, and if something goes wrong, I have the ability to fix it! Prepare and File Taxes. Return Status. Tax Tools. We're ready to help. Have a question?

Ask, or enter a search term below. Find Advice-Only. If you meet certain criteria, such as income and age, you are eligible to use the software of various companies for free. I realize that using an online tax prep does contribute to the security issues you mentioned, however, good for the old wallet?

Ah, the issue of multiple returns. Believe me, I tried! The other problem with the on-line versions is that they do not allow you to pull up the actual forms.

Last year, Turbotax made an error on one of my forms in the on-line version. It was very easy to correct uncheck a box , but I could not do so through the interview process. I was told by their staff that they disable access to the actual tax forms in the on-line versions.

Furthermore, let me also point out that some states allow free state filing on their websites. The state programs offered by Turbotax et all do nothing but import your federal information. I still do it on paper. Yes, I even read the books. I do use a spreadsheet to predict things forward for the next year. TaxAct just effectively ended its desktop software. They claim the IRS made them do this. It is insane! They force you to be online and thereby exposing yourself to attacks. The IRS only asked software companies to build in password security which they had any way.

There was not hing forced. No sense in this! Thanks for any thoughts. Can anyone provide further information on this excel workbook? Like, is it safe to download? I downloaded it. It works well for projecting the federal income tax if you are familiar with the forms.

I found the link at the bottom of my All Accounts page after I purchased the download. It appears to give free Federal and State returns. Someone mentioned that the free version is available to accounts with a certain value. Thank you Barbara. I had stopped using TurboTax years ago because it was expensive. Also, the instructions Harry provided for accessing the download were very helpful. On this topic, I must disagree with you and as it turns out most of your other comment posts.

Since I switched to using a Chromebook about 5 years ago and yes, using the cloud for my hard drive … my life has become much less complex and I have saved money to boot.

What does a Windows or Mac cost these days? I have no idea! How much time do you devote to maintaining the OS of said machine? As far as safety, yes, places are being hacked. If Turbotax my vendor of choice exposes my data, at this point in time, I will be very surprised … If Google is hacked my online drive … we are ALL in trouble! So you have to ask yourself are you safer on your Windows machine exposing your data or at Turbotax or Google??? Refiling an old return?

I just had to do such a thing, refiling my and returns … I found the online programming very easy you do have to commit to one vendor for ease to get the job done.

I have nightmares thinking about what I would have had to do if the return was on an old program and computer. My first computer was in I can not imagine going back to that now…what a PITA dealing with those machines — especially as they aged. The last issue is planning…there is an app for that! Turbotax now has a planning app that will load on your phone and if you have a newer Chromebook, there too, because they now load Android apps Sorry for the long post … but cost, history, safety and planning all go to the online program.

I can live with that!