RR.PPE@forsythe.stanford.edu (04/09/90)
In article <8836@lindy.Stanford.EDU>, LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) writes: >I'm trying to decide whether to buy a package which consists of >QUICKEN v 3.0 and TURBOTAX (7.01, I think) together for under $50. > I have used Turbotax for the past three years; it has saved me time and aggravation with my reasonably simple requirements. The program is fundamentally sound, intelligently designed. The price of yearly upgrades is moderate ($60-70) but the availability is poor, i.e. they are always late with current versions, the versions they send are not always functional, and although they try hard, the backroom shipping and accounting operations are haphazard. In other words buy at your own risk.
gary@utgard.uucp (Gary Manning) (04/11/90)
In article <8857@lindy.Stanford.EDU> RR.PPE@forsythe.stanford.edu writes: >In article <8836@lindy.Stanford.EDU>, >LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) writes: >>I'm trying to decide whether to buy a package which consists of >>QUICKEN v 3.0 and TURBOTAX (7.01, I think) together for under $50. >> >I have used Turbotax for the past three years; it has saved me >time and aggravation with my reasonably simple requirements. >The program is fundamentally sound, intelligently designed. >The price of yearly upgrades is moderate ($6070) but the >availability is poor, i.e. they are always late with current >versions, the versions they send are not always functional, >and although they try hard, the backroom shipping and >accounting operations are haphazard. In other words >buy at your own risk. I purchased the QUICKEN/TurboTax package from Price Club for $50. I am very happy with both programs. I also bought the Calif. module for Turbo Tax from ChipSoft (another $40). I sent my return in today :). -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Gary Manning QMA Inc. |"A mind is a terrible thing!" | | csusac!utgard!pyrgard!gary |All comments are mine...Blah Blah Blah| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) (04/11/90)
In article <1990Apr10.115314.5656@utgard.uucp>, gary@utgard.uucp (Gary Manning) writes: >I purchased the QUICKEN/TurboTax package from Price Club for $50. I >am very happy with both programs. I also bought the Calif. module >for Turbo Tax from ChipSoft (another $40). I sent my return in today :). Thank you everyone who responded to my questions. I also bought the package from the Price Club for $50, and think it was definitely worth the money (particularly as it's deductible). Just a few points that may be of interest. TURBOTAX does NOT handle the form 1040NR, which is not really a big deal, as I can at least get the numbers right on the 1040 on the screen, then transcribe manually. In addition, while it does produce a 1040 or 1040A that is acceptable to the IRS, you need the right printer. It has a set up for a DESKJET printer, so I assumed this would work for the graphic 1040. Right and wrong. It produced something that was about 98% correct, but had several overlapping lines, bits in the wrong place etc. Be aware that at the moment, the DESKJET+ is somehow not LASERJET compatible enough (I thought both supported HP PCL Level 3). Chipsoft claim this should be fixed next year. I love Quicken, though the little portfolio management program (STOCK!) that comes with it is not perfect. It's good enough for my small holdings, but a little gripe I have is that if you trade at a particular price, the current price is not automatically updated to match the price of the trade. You have to do it again manually. I called the makers, who said something along the lines of "Don't expect much from this program. It's really just a little thing to draw people's attention to Wealth Builder", another program which has a demo in the same package. In other words, don't expect too much support here. Richard Stanton pstanton@gsb-what.stanford.edu
mbn@fpssun.fps.com (Mike Northam ext 2651) (04/12/90)
In article <8836@lindy.Stanford.EDU> LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) writes: | I'm trying to decide whether to buy a package which consists of | QUICKEN v 3.0 and TURBOTAX (7.01, I think) together for under $50. | | 1) The box mentions using a package called STOCK! to keep track of | investments in stock, bonds etc. It is never mentioned again. Is | this included in the package, or do you have to buy it separately? | There is a demo package for a program called STOCK included in this deal. I haven't used STOCK myself (still trying to get my taxes done :-), so I can't comment on how good it is. | 2) How good is TURBOTAX? Are there packages that are significantly | better? Will it do a 1040NR (non-resident alien's tax form)? How | much are annual upgrades? | TURBOTAX has consistently been at or near the top in ratings in PC Magazine, Byte, etc. I think it's a fine package. I didn't see a form 1040NR on the forms menu, however. Also be forewarned that TURBOTAX doesn't support postscript printers (I think only HP Laserjets as far as laser printers go.) Also be aware that you will encounter a _lot_ of busy signals if you try to call Chipsoft (the manufacturer of TURBOTAX.) They are really overloaded due to the massive popularity of the program. Hope this helps. -- Mike Northam mbn@fpssun.fps.com Home:123 11' 40"W 45 37' 14"N (503) 641-3151 x2651 {tektronix}!fpssun!mbn *FPS Computing has a company spokesperson, and it's certainly not me* "Every now and then things become clear." Jane Siberry, "The Walking"
msjohnso@ensub.Wichita.NCR.COM (Mark Johnson) (04/13/90)
For what it's worth, the IRS (at least here in Wichita) has people trained on Turbotax so they can help you if you hit any kind of a snag. (heaven help us, the gov't is actually trying to be responsive). This may or may not make a difference to you. -- Mark Johnson WB9QLR/0 NCR Peripheral Products Division, Wichita KS Mark.Johnson@Wichita.NCR.COM Opinions expressed here are the author's. CIS 76670,1775