tax

Article updated Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 am PT with corrected pricing information.

Tax time. We're dreading it as much as you are, but the fact remains that soon after we ring in 2010, we'll be paying for 2009.

In anticipation of the 2009 tax season, we've gathered some preliminary information about tax prep software for the DIY tax-doers among you. There are noteworthy changes to H&R Block's and Intuit's software, the two developers that take up the lion's share of the tax software market and the two we therefore focus on in our coverage. The prices of some applications in the two product families have crept up $10 but others remain steady compared with last year.

If choosing among multiple products weren't confusing enough, you also get to determine if online or desktop apps are the way to go. To that end, we've rounded up pros and cons for these two tax prep approaches.

Taxes are complicated, and the software offerings are no different. We tried to keep information simple and organized in a chart below, but with extra charges for state returns and extra e-file submissions, it's easy to get lost. Keep in mind that this is a preview, not an exhaustive comparison, and that we'll return in early 2010--after we get our own forms in the mail--with in-depth reviews on some of the software products mentioned here. … Read more

Profit Loss Report Spreadsheet is an Excel spreadsheet that allows users to track small business expenses from month to month. It's nothing fancy, but it may be a good choice for users who, for whatever reason, don't want to use bookkeeping software.

The program's interface is simple, with a separate spreadsheet for each month, plus a report sheet and data sheet. Users add vendor names in the data spreadsheet, which are then available for selection in the other pages. Users then enter financial transactions much as they would in any other financial software, with the date, vendor, … Read more

Payroll Mate 2009 provides tools for managing your business's payroll. With its simple operation and great features, it's is a great option for users in charge of a small business' finances.

Even if you've never handled any company's payroll, large or small, Payroll Mate is easy to get started with. We were able to slip right into the interface and control everything with ease. The program's Wizard holds your hand every step of the way as it walks you through the setup and data entry stages. The Wizard is most helpful when entering a new … Read more

Breaktru Payroll 2009 offers a simple calculator to check deductions, taxes, and more to ensure that a paycheck is accurate. For those willing to input all the data, this is a fantastic way to double check finances.

We initially thought we wouldn't need the instructional Help file, but were soon perplexed by how to input our rate of pay, which oddly wasn't included on the otherwise well-labeled interface. Luckily, we were quickly on track with a little bit of reading and experimenting. The program was laid out and worked very well, asking us for simple data that could … Read more

TaxACT 2008 Standard Edition guides users through the tax preparation process and allows them to file their returns online. The program does as good a job as many of the other popular tax preparation programs, although users may find themselves attempting to use features that can only be accessed with the purchase of other versions.

The program's interface is quite attractive and intuitive. Users can choose between two methods of entering their information; the question and answer method guides users through a series of easily-understood questions, while the Forms method allows more advanced users to enter their information directly … Read more

This was originally posted at Between the Lines. It was updated at 3:25 p.m. PDT with Amazon adding Hawaii to the list of states where it's pulled its Associates program.

Amazon.com is in a high-profile tax showdown with states over its Associates referral program and is likely to come out a winner either way.

Amazon has pulled its Associates program, which allows Web site operators to drive sales to the e-tailer in exchange for commissions of up to 15 percent, in North Carolina and Rhode Island. And on Tuesday, Amazon also added Hawaii to its hitlist, … Read more

Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) have recently introduced the "Mobile Wireless Tax Fairness Act" (S 1192), which promises to enact a five-year halt on new or increased taxes on wireless infrastructure and services. It is supported by Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Patty Murray (D- Wash.), John Ensign (R-Nev.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

This bill is a companion to the "Cell Tax Fairness Act of 2009" (HR 1521) that was introduced a few months ago by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) of the House. HR 1521 … Read more

Microsoft CEO Steven Ballmer offered an unwelcome economics lesson to the Obama administration this week: Higher taxes have consequences that Washington policy-makers may not especially like.

Ballmer said Wednesday that if Congress enacts President Obama's plans to impose higher corporate taxes, a sensible thing for Microsoft to do would be to move jobs offshore.

"It makes U.S. jobs more expensive," Ballmer said, according to Bloomberg News. "We're better off taking lots of people and moving them out of the U.S. as opposed to keeping them inside the U.S."

Last month, the … Read more

We discuss a computer algorithm that can determine if photos are pretty or not. I guess hot or not is going out of business. We also look at the causes of the Google error and speculate on how Wolfram Alpha will be used.

Networking error caused Google outage http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10241126-93.html

International Energy Agency says CE is gobbling up energy faster than green measures can save it http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE54C4K420090514?sp=true http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/05/power-hungry-gadgets-endanger-energy-efficiency-gains.ars … Read more