H&R Block At Home Deluxe + State 2012

I've used H&R Block's tax software (formerly called TaxCut) every year since 1995. Several times when I saw a promotional deal I purchased both TaxCut and TurboTax to compare. I found that TurboTax did not do anything better than TaxCut while costing consistently more. In addition, I like the option of being able to file 5 free Federal e-files as I do taxes for other relatives who are less computer savvy. If you encounter issues with display, such as not seeing selection boxes, check your screen resolution. Both Windows and Mac minimum requirement for the screen resolution is 1024 x 768 pixels or higher. At a lower resolution H&R Block software will have problem with display such as not properly displaying selection boxes. Screen resolution can be changed on your control panel by change PC's display settings. I just finished a preliminary tax return and below are my observations. Note: the forms are not final until January 10, 2013. 1. H&R Block starts the interview process with an annoying up-sell pitch, recommending an upgrade from Deluxe to Premium even when it is not necessary. It would have better if they waited until the financial information is entered and offered the Premium version only to those for whom it might make sense. What is the difference between Premium and Deluxe? The Premium version offers advanced tools for self-employed and rental property owners: cost basis of home sales, dividents, gifts, and inheritance assets. It has advanced schedule C guidance to maximize deductions for self-employment income. And finally it has guidance for rental property income and expenses. The rest of the Premium package is the same as Deluxe. Note that the Deluxe package has support for self-employed income as well as stock sale cost basis calculations. This year I had to do both, and I found the guidance to be sufficient to complete the forms. I am a including a photo (under customer photos) of a table which shows what is included in each package of H&R At Home (Basic vs Deluxe vs Premium). 2. As of 11/19/2012 videos for tax law changes were not available yet (the prompt said coming soon). 3. Minor pet peeve: Help is not context sensitive. For example, when you click on "learn more" about a particular topic the general help window opens but it does not show help topics for the specific topic that you were working on. Instead you need to search and know which words to use locate the relevant topics. 4. Good news: DeductionPro 2012 is now integrated into H&R Block, you no longer need to go to H&R web site. 5. H&R Block provides you some guidance for completing Form 1116 (foreign tax credit, for example from mutual funds). However, you need to keep switching between whole-form view to enter data and then back to interview to read the instructions. Even though the form where you can enter data is visible at the same time as instructions you cannot enter data into it until you switch into whole-form view. This is cumbersome, but at least there is some guidance for this form. 6. Copy and Paste from Interview screens is not possible. Sometimes I wish to do it for some issue as a reminder to myself. My solution is to do PrintScreen (holding ctl key, shift key, and PrintScreen key at the same time). This generates an image of the screen, which I paste into paint or photo editing software which I can print or save for later. 7. I don't use the default location for the tax returns due to how I set up my backup software. The H&R Block software does not initially remember this new location on the second start of the application, it told me I have no returns. I needed to pick the return manually from the File menu, as it did remember recently used files. The third time I started the software, it finally knew the location of the tax return file. 8. I use large font option on my monitor display and in the past had display issues (some things were displayed on top of each other). This year all forms displayed properly with this option. Nice! 9. I purchased H&R Block Deluxe plus State. This version entitles you to 5 free federal state e-files. There is no free e-file for the state return. If you want to e-file you will need to pay a fee of $19.95 to e-file each state return. This charge can be avoided by printing the forms and mailing them in via post office. SPECIAL NOTE for NY state residents: NY state residents can e-file state returns for free. 10. The price on this package changes day to day. I found a nice tools that shows history of Amazon prices. If you enter "price history alert" in Google it will come up at the top, it has the word camel in the name. I find this tool very helpful. I just looked up that the price last year fluctuated between $20 and the list price of $44.99. During the tax preparation season it hit the $20 mark on three different dates. You can set up an alert tool to email you when your desired price has been reached. 11. For folks trying to download State Forms -- Update 1/17/2013: State Forms became available on January 17. 2013. If you go to the Software Update Center on H&R website you will see a section called State Updates. Under there you there is a link called "Forms Available". If you click on that, it will show a table that shows availability of forms for each State. When the state forms will become available they can be downloaded by selecting the State Tab and then clicking on the button labeled "Buy" (a little scary since we already paid for it) but then "buy" will turn into "update" and the forms will be downloaded to your computer. 12. A note for those who use the digital download rather than the boxed edition ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This year I am using a boxed edition of the software. Last year I used a digital download and run into a glitch a solution to which I want to include again for those who might run into the same issue this year. After I installed the software and started it for the first time it prompted me to enter a key-code. The prompt said that I should have received it in the email after purchasing the software, however the email I received from Amazon did not contained a key-code. I had to call Amazon support and they told me that this information can be found following these steps 1) Log into Amazon 2) Select Your Account at the top right of the page 3) Select Games and Software downloads which is towards the bottom of the long page you see when you log in 4) Then under H&R software entry you will see the key-code that you need to enter to unlock the software 13. Update 12/10/2012. I received a question if H&R allows to install the software on two PCs. I found the answer on H&R Block web site FAQ under the topic "Installing Software on Another Computer" There are just a few steps necessary to re-install the H&R Block At Home program from the CD you received in the mail. Follow the steps below to re-install the program or install it on a second computer. Insert the H&R Block At Home CD into your computer. Click the Need to Re-install? link on the menu bar at the bottom of the screen. The Frequently Asked Questions page will open to the first FAQ titled, "Can I install the software on a second computer?" Enter your activation code and last 4 digits of the credit card you used to purchase the program initially and click Activate. You can find your activation code in your purchase confirmation e-mail. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 14. Update 12/18/2012. Repeating another great question from the comments to share with everyone. Q: Is there an audit check which marks problems with red flags? A: At the end of the interview process there is a check step (which you can run at any time, but the interview ends with this check). This step flags problems (e.g. missing information) and potential audit alerts (e.g. unusual deductions) with red flags , and reminders (e.g. things you marked tentative) with yellow flags. 15. Update 2/7/2013. I received a question if I had any problem doing update from the CD purchased from Amazon. I have performed several updates without problems. If you have a firewall, the firewall prompts with a question if you trust the software and you need to reply "yes". If you say no, the install will be rolled back. If you accidentally reply "No" to this prompt, I would recommend uninstalling the software. Then installing it again, and then trying another update. Alternatively you can deactivate the firewall during the install. I have been a H&R Block/TaxCut user for many years. The interview process is helpful in reminding you things you might have forgotten. 2012 H&R Block package addressed a couple of my old pet peeves (for example, integration with DeductionPro). So I am quite pleased with it and recommend it! Ali Julia review

I've been doing my own taxes since I was 18 years old. I have a family of 4, with income from a job AND income from self-employment, own my own home, 401k, etc. I normally get the 'Deluxe' version which includes everything I need to cover all of our income and deductions. I also get the +State version which is very handy. Last year, I got the Deluxe version without State and regretted it later. Even though the state forms are super-easy, I had to take the time to read everything myself and print forms from the state website when the software could have done it all for me. It really does save time to let the software do BOTH returns! The software walks you through each step of your return, asking questions along the way, to help you get every deduction available. Rarely have I ever had to go to the IRS website for clarification, since the software is extremely thorough. I've used both Turbotax and the H&R Block At Home software over the years. Turbotax is ALWAYS more expensive and I have yet to figure out why. It does the EXACT same thing that H&R Block software does. They both walk you through every bit of your return, asking lots of questions to determine how and what you should file. So for 2 years I used Turbotax and then switched to Taxcut (now called H&R Block At Home), and I found nothing new.. nothing that the H&R Block didn't have... that would make me want to pay nearly 50% more for the Turbotax software. I am now in my 5th or 6th year of using the Taxcut/H&R Block At Home software and it STILL continues to be cheaper than Turbotax, and just as good for doing your own taxes. One important note: The biggest favor you can do for yourself is always CHECK YOUR RETURN ON YOUR OWN. Once the software has finished, print the forms and other information and go over it yourself. Check each line carefully and get out your calculator and do all the math too! One tiny little glitch could delay your refund. Just because the software is doing a lot of work for you doesn't negate your diligence in proofreading it too :)

I'&ve been using H&R Block tax software regularly since about 2008. Before that I tried TurboTax once and didn't like that it rounded off the numbers to the advantage of the IRS and not accurately for me. Hence, the switch to H&R Block.Each year this program does a good job of doing what it is supposed to do without any big issues. Each year, I find I could only give it four stars for one reason or another. This year, I like the added feature of deduction Pro being part of the program: you put in your charity donations of property, etc. and you can skip DeductionPro and add your own value, or use DeductionPro and use their value, which is now part of the internal program. No more using Deduction Pro separately: no having to go to a website. nothing. This is the best part of this tax program for 2012. placing a market value on donatons is always an inconvenience: Not anymore. Hopefully, H&R Block keeps this feature exactly as it is. CON: As I said, this program isn't perfect. I always check my return before I send it out. I do not trust this software anymore than I trust any other. When I went back to look over my return, I discovered that DeductionPro or the H&R block software had automatically filled out for all my non-cash donations as each being "Used Clothing." for type of items donated. It did ask me for this information and I did put in specifics, which wasn't clothing. I did not fill it out as such. Hence, I had to go back into my return manually and delete "Used Clothing", as I did not donate any clothing in 2012. I didn't find any other errors, but it does make me wonder how accurate the program is. Hopefully, there aren't any other issues with it that I didn't see. If you used this software, or any tax software, please go over your return before sending it out. Remember, we as the taxpayers are liable to the IRS for any errors. Overall, a worthwhile program I will use again next year. Just pay attention to what you're doing and what the software fills out for you automatically.

After waiting until I first performed H&R Block's online final scheduled Federal update (on 9 March 2013), I tackled my Federal and State taxes for tax year 2012. Despite dire prognostications and concerns about the 2012 At Home Deluxe + State edition raised by some, this entire process once more went smoothly and relatively quickly. I continue to opt for paper filing, but--within only 3 hours--I was able to process, verify all transactions, save to a file on my hard drive/memory stick, and print 2 copies of both the Federal and Massachusetts state returns. I always use the At Home Deluxe version of this software--as I itemize deductions; have Form 1099-DIV, Form 1099-INT, W-2, and FORM 1099-MISC income to declare; and am a homeowner/ mortgagee (with Form 1098 data to input). This user-friendly H&R Block At Home software effortlessly imported data from last year's returns, alerted me to new changes in the tax code, guided me thru helpful worksheets when necessary, verified all data input, checked for audit vulnerability, printed all needed forms, and provided me with a checklist to ensure that all required materials would be sent to the Feds and to the Commonwealth. For its minimal purchase cost, ease of use, and the peace of mind that it delivers, the H&R Block At Home tax prep software still cannot be beat!

People complain about this software a lot, but I have had not problems using it to do 1040 long with Sched A and State taxes. I love the way it moves all last years information forward. Then each page shows entries for stuff I did last year and gives me a chance to put numbers in for the same thing; like donations to United Way or Compassion International. Then I can remember that I don't have the 1099 or donation form and can go find it. That's handy for a memory like mine. You simply follow the wizard basically and taxes are done for me in about 45 minutes. Maybe with one or two 10 minute re-visits for things that I missed or had questions about. I like this software. So far it has not had a problem for me. The only thing I had an issue with was entering some stock info that was converted to a new buyout company. Expressing that in the software since the source of the stock mattered when it was gifted. Other than that each year I actually don't mind taxes. Yes you do have to pay for state electronic submission. Oh well. So assume the software is $20 more than advertised. If it's so much a burden for the $20, then print and mail. But people cry that their ripping me off. What??? It only costs $30 on Amazon typically. People and expectations.

I've used this software for many years, and I never had a problem until the 2012 tax year. I have very simple taxes, and I love the free e-file offered by H&R Block. Unfortunately, this year the IRS notified me that there was a mathematical error in my tax return. As a result, my return was delayed, and my refund was reduced. I contacted H&R Block about this issue. I just wanted to send them an email so they could research the issue and get back to me. I thought it would be important for them to know that their software has errors. However, it was impossible to find a good email address for them, so I opted to chat with one of their specialists. The tax specialist didn't do anything about the error itself. He didn't ask for amounts or for a copy of my tax return. He just asked if the problem was fixed, and I told him that the IRS fixed the problem. I asked for a partial refund for the cost of the software, and he seemed okay with that. I gave him my key code, the cost of the software, the date of purchase, and the place of purchase. Next, he asked if I purchased the software in the past 60 days. Hmm. I already had given him the date of purchase, so he should have been able to answer his own question. I was irked. Sorry H&R Block. You were good for a long time, but it looks like I'll be using TurboTax next year.

This software works really well. I can go through an interview process to fill in my tax entries, or go right to the appropriate form to fill in data, whichever I prefer. I usually fill in data as I receive it in the mail, then eventually go back to using the interview to make sure I didn't forget anything. It's very easy to use and covers all of my types of tax needs. We've used this product for at least 10 years. When we first install it each year and start it, it imports a lot of the previous year's data to save time not having to re-enter it. Also, importing all of last year's list of investments is a good way to make sure I've received all of our 1099 forms. I've compared prices with Turbo Tax, but H&R Block always is less expensive for the same level of tax preperation. I see no reason to switch for that reason alone and I've never had any other reason to switch, either.

We have used H&R Block software for 7 years now and find it to be very easy to use. My wife has her own small business teaching music lessons and doing gigs so we decided to go the software route to make things easier and the software has always worked well for us. It asks us questions and we just answer it and it goes on and computes everything just fine. It also imports all of our data from the previous year and I double check numbers with last year's information just to make sure of things and we haven't had a problem yet. I can't vouch for how well this works against TurboTax but for doing taxes for someone with a really small, simple business, for someone that owns a home, and has several kids, it seems to calculate all the deductions just fine and makes life much easier. I can actually get my taxes done in under an hour now that I'm familiar with it and as long as I have all my paperwork together.