Comments on: Get TaxCut Basic 2007 for a buck at Dollar Tree

If you've got a Dollar Tree store in your neighborhood, you may be able to find H&R Block's tax-prep software for $1--a decent savings over the $14.95 online price.

[deecee]

It's nothing but a sales pitch, it's like if you're buying a pair of shoes saying you get your right shoe for 1 cent but that left shoe will cost you $100.
So you can get TaxCut federal for $1, but every tax payer will have to file state as well, so the over all cost for TaxCut is really $30.95 for the entire pakcage. WIth TurboTax at $25 for both Federal and 1 State on line, you have to execuse me if I am not rushing to TaxCut any time soon... State edition at 29.95 is a terrible deal, you can get way cheaper state forms from other tax packages. Besides, with H&R block's shotty reputation on their business practices (losing thousands of tax forms, etc), I will stay away just for that name association.

[BCF1968]

Not every taxpayer has to file state income taxes. Not all states have income taxes. I have lived in either Florida or Tennessee my adult life and have never once filed a state income tax because neither state has one.

[jayteeusmc]

Except not everyone HAS to file state taxes. Certain states don't have an income tax, rather they have sales tax, such as Texas. So tax software that usually cost over $20, is a steal for someone from those states when they get it for $1.

[cnetContributor]

First online versions are always cheaper than installable applications. So comparing the price of Tax Cut application against Turbo Tax online is an imperfect apples to oranges comparison. Compare Tax Cut online versus Turbo Tax online, or Tax Cut application versus Turbo Tax application.

Even factoring in the big gotcha - the need to purchase state taxes at an additional cost - you can save money. Compare

Purchasing application at Dollar Tree:
$1 Tax Cut Federal + $29.95 State = $30.95 total

Purchasing application at h&r block website:
$39.95 Premium + State

Thats a $9 savings.

This too is an imperfect comparison, as I am comparing their 'Premium + State' against 'Federal + State'. But I don't know where else you can get the non Premium version. For those that don't require 'Premium', savings can be had.

Premium, btw, includes DeductionPro, which helps you maximize the value of your charitable contributions. Doesn't sound very useful for the vast majority of customers. Dollar Tree gives you a way to avoid paying for it.

[brock275]

I would like to get TurboTax for $25 for both federal and state filings. My trip tothe website revealed that all TurboTax online products specify state filing as an additional cost. In addition, the Deluxe version (most people will need) is $29.95 without the state filing. They're both ripping you off on the state filing.

[rbuffetta]

The irs site, http://www.irs.gov, does both Federal and State for free if "your adjusted gross income was $54,000 or less in 2007, you can use Free File to prepare and e-file your taxes online."

[drrolf]

Deecee,
You are mistaken, we Alaskan's don't pay state income tax (or sales tax in Anchorage for that matter). For us it would be like buying a pair of shoes for a dollar. Unfortunately there is no Dollar Tree store in Alaska, there's always a catch.

[jayteeusmc]

In response to Deecee's comment:

Except not everyone HAS to file state taxes. Certain states don't have an income tax, rather they have sales tax, such as Texas. So tax software that usually cost over $20, is a steal for someone from those states when they get it for $1.

[rholley13]

In Michigan, the state tax form is so simple that I don't see any reason to pay up to double the price of the federal part to get the state part calculated. In any case, I still have to do the Detroit income tax part on my own so that having the Michigan tax calculated for me wouldn't completely solve my income tax problems.

As a quick aside, Canadians who work with me and live in Canada (It's right across the river from Detroit.) have to file income tax reports to five jurisdictions--US federal, Michigan state, Detroit city, Canada federal, and Ontario provincial. One of my friends told me that he pays over $500 to an accountant for a simple situation that includes only wages as earned income.

[rickbroida]

Greetings, fellow Michigander!

[Dr. Zoltar]

Washington State doesn't have a state tax. So this is a real bargain. Plus there's at least two Dollar Trees within a 15 minute drive of my house.

[prberg]

Can anyone clarify what the limitations are for this version (the basic or standard as they call it) of the taxcut software? I see it does not do state income taxes... but as for the federal side, can you efile or is that an extra charge? Also will it be able to handle all deductions? (mortgage interest, home buying costs, etc)

thanks,
-Peter B