Turbo Tax to TaxACT switching experience

Background

We had used Turbo Tax Online for tax filing since the 2000 tax year. Our overall experience was satisfactory although we have had minor problems over the years. The first time we felt the need to try out other tax filing software was 2008 when we realized Turbo Tax pricing was increasing at a fast pace over the previous five years. We blogged specifically about the price increases and also did a comparison of the competitive products (TaxACT, H&R Block at Home - previously TaxCut, and Turbo Tax)  at the time. In the last several years, the base pricing for Turbo Tax was kept steady (if you used online promotional offers), although options could substantially increase the outlay. The changes did not materially change our tax filing expenses as we stuck with the following strategy:

• Used the Deluxe product even-though they kept prompting us to upgrade to the Premium product saying it is the recommended one when you have stock sales.
• Availed discounted pricing by signing in through clicking-through from the Fidelity web-site.
• Ensured we filed before March 22nd to avoid the ~50% price increase after that date - Turbo Tax introduced this tacky back-door price increase strategy a few years ago.

  

Reasons for switching for 2014 Tax Filing

Turbo Tax Online introduced a new concept in 2014 whereby the Free, Deluxe, and Premium products support only specific tax forms. In other words, until last year, you really did have a choice of using one of these three options independent of how many or which forms you intended to file. The only difference between the options from a user experience perspective was that, the less expensive the product, the more manual inputs you had to do. In our case, we had stock sales to report but still used the Deluxe product for a savings of $15, even through that meant inputting the stock sales information manually - the Premium product, on the other hand, has the ability to import the stock sales reports from your broker (TD Ameritrade, E*Trade, etc are supported).

The new concept that Turbo Tax introduced this year meant we had no choice but to buy the Premium product, as we had stock sales to report. We also did not like the 50% price increase after March 22nd as it unnecessarily forces you to do the taxes earlier, although the actual IRS dead-line is almost a month out. 

Once we made the decision to switch, it was easy to go with TaxACT online as we had tried the competitive products before: the deluxe product costs just $12.99 compared to $34.99 with Turbo Tax ($34.99 is the lowest price you would pay, assuming you avoided all their gimmicky price tricks - you could end up paying over $100, if you are not careful).

Switching Experience

The overall experience was very smooth and we did our taxes even faster than last year. Also, we like the fact that the interface is very functional while not being extravagant. Below are some observations:

• Profile Data Import: One of the main deterrents to switching tax software is the need to manually input your information into the new software. This is no longer the case with TaxACT. In our case, it imported our details from the pdf tax file that Turbo Tax generated last year. There was one minor problem, however: after importing (took a while), while inputting some missing info, it timed out and we had to reimport after signing in again.
• Stock Sales Import: No option to import 1099-B from E*Trade and so we had to input each of our sales individually using their interface. Only TD Ameritrade, Sharebuilder, Form8949.com, and GainsKeeper are supported in the Import interface.  The only other way to import stock sales data is CSV Import - get a CSV of trades from your broker, align columns, and use the Import interface to do it - cumbersome.
• Other 1099 Forms: For the 1099-DIV, 1099-INT forms, it shows an online form which you have to fill in manually. The process itself was straightforward, but we did get another timeout in this step.
• Inputting stock transactions manually: If you need to go back and edit an item, you have to go through seven screens. For example, if you need to change the description of a particular stock sale transaction, the first screen lets you edit it but there is no Done button. So, you have to click the Continue button six more times to get through the item - dreary.
• E-Filing: Using the Direct Debit option, the process was very fast. The return got accepted in less than 2 hours.
• Capital Gains: Short options positions - if date of selling is 2012, TaxAct doesn’t like it - it goes on to say it is possible that the date can be a previous year for short sales transactions. But, if you plan to use eFiling, IRS will accept only 2013 sales. But, our return was accepted although we had short options positions written last year that got expired - the warnings made it sound like they will not accept the return when filing electronically - confusing.
• The new FBAR (FinCEN Form 114): TaxACT lets you fill in the forms through an interface, but overall the idea seems pointless. It is only intended for Worksheet purposes. So, you might as well use the BSA (Bank Secrecy Act) efiling  interface from the government, instead of doing it twice. Further it also confuses the issue: you cannot use the pdf generated from TaxACT to electronic file the form in the BSA interface - the TaxACT pdf has a watermark that states “DO NOT FILE”.

Firefox Browser Specific issues with TaxACT online

• Sometimes, clicking text links will just result in blinking while clicking the associated icon will function correctly - many buttons (example “Sign out”) have this problem - annoying when you do not know what to do.
• In many screens, one has to browse down repeatedly to choose common options such as the “Continue” button. In such cases, the first time you scroll down, it automatically scrolls backs up. So, do it again and this time you can access the button - annoying!

TaxACT specific quirks

• Print vs PDF generation options: there is no clear distinction between these two options in the whole interface. Basically to get a pdf, you go to Print at the top of the page.
• Functionality/Comparison: The pdf of what is filed appears basic compared to what Turbo Tax gives - ours had just 17 pages - so, no wastage of paper - overall a good thing, but I missed the Booksmarks tab. Any form can still be generated/printed using “Print Individual Tax Forms” under Print. But, some of the worksheets are just not available in the list - so, if you want to double check how a particular item was arrived at, you are out of luck - in our case, we had to manually do the Worksheet for 1040 line 44 to figure out how TaxACT arrived at the tax figure for this line.
• Navigation: In the Review section, there is no real navigation - for each item that TaxACT tags, you have to go through all the screens - if there are many warnings, the process can be painful.
• Filing Status Awareness: The “Mail a paper return” button is still enabled after you have already filed using Electronic Filing. Also, in the filing tab, both the buttons (electronic & mail) are still enabled even after eFiling. Further, you can click and it will progress as though you have not yet filed.
• eFiling Status Interface: It is not obvious after signing in that you have already filed. Basically, the screens does not seem to be aware of the filing status. For example, in the ‘My TaxACT’ link, it says “If you have eFiled, then…” - it should know that you have eFiled.
• eFiling Status Interface: During eFiling, TaxACT shows three options to check status (web, email, SMS). But, it doesn’t say that you can check the status by logging back into TaxACT. Further, the TaxACT interface is not intuitive. As soon as you login in, it should show the filing status. Instead, you have to click on eFile at the top and then click on “Check eFile Status”.
• Redundancy: TaxACT has a redundant efstatus.taxact.com interface to check the filing status. The Help links show this as the way to check the status. But, this efstatus interface asks for SSN, Zipcode, and lastname to retrieve the status. Instead, you could just click on “Check eFile Status” as in 6 above and avoid having to input the additional information.

Summary

The switch was very worthwhile and far less painful than we had imagined! If you are in the same situation as us, consider also what is available at the Amazon.com Tax Preparation Software area. The options there are suitable in case you prefer client software as opposed to online interface.


Related Posts:

1. Free Online Tax Filing with IRS Free File - Ongoing Updates. 
2. Turbo Tax to TaxACT switching experience - 2014 Tax Filing (this post).
3. 2013 Tax Filing - TurboTax Usage Experience. 
4. Turbo Tax Online Price Increase Over The Years - A Comparison.
5. Online Tax Filing – TaxAct, TaxCut, Turbo Tax – User Experience Review.

Last Updated: 04/2017.

Holyland Trip Report – Israel – Jerusalem (Day 4)

 The front region of the 7-Arches hotel is a popular vista point for its sweeping views of the city. It is a choice spot for shots with the Jerusalem skyline in the backdrop and the Dome of the Rock as the centerpiece. We had our group photo taken from this vantage point before proceeding on the Palm Sunday Walk that was next in our agenda. One cannot but notice on the walk down, the three cemeteries on the left belonging to Jews, Muslims, and Christians – this is THE premium location when it comes to cemeteries for it is at the site where Jesus/Savior/Redeemer is believed to come back. The first stop was at Dominus Flevit, a Franciscan church in the western slope of the Mount of Olives. Dominus Flevit (Latin for “The Lord Wept”) was designed and constructed by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi between 1953 and 1955 in the shape of tear drops to symbolize the Lord’s tears. It is believed to be the site where Jesus wept after being overwhelmed by the beauty of the Second Temple, and predicting its future destruction (Luke 19:37-42). Jesus has dual nature – as human being, he cried as he knew what will happen. The western window of the church located on the ruins of a 7th century church has a beautiful view of the Temple Mount.

At the foothills of the Mount of Olives is Gethsemane (translates to symbol of peace and eternity) – it is believed the tears and sweat of Jesus turned into blood the night before his crucifixion here. The church built here has the rock where he sat. This place of worship, designed to portray agony, has a garden in front with trees dating back to the time of Jesus. Closer views of the Russian Orthodox Church (Gold Onion Tops) and the Golden Temple are on offer here. Beyond them are the Calvary and Holy Sepulcher Church Onion Tops, the Wailing Wall, and the Compound Wall built around Old Jerusalem during Turkish times. Adjacent to the Garden of Gethsemane is the Church of All Nations with a strikingly colorful facade – it enshrines the section of rock where Jesus is believed to have prayed before his arrest. We also visited the site of Mary’s tomb and the grotto where Jesus was arrested (betrayed by Judas) in Kidron valley area in the foothills of the Mount of Olives. The site of the tomb of Mary is maintained by Orthodox churches – the belief is that Christ lifted her to the heavens from this site fifteen days after she breathed her last. Catholic tradition has it that this happened in Mount of Zion.

Our next visit was to John the Baptist Church (St John Ba Harim) and Mary’s Well. John’s mother Elizabeth and her husband Zaccharia were a very elderly couple. Zaccharia who went temporarily mute started talking after the birth of John and his first words were a strong prayer that is inscribed along the walls in different languages. Mary was Elizabeth’s cousin and she visited Elizabeth for three months until Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist. Mary’s Well or Mary’s spring is probably where Mary and Elizabeth came to fetch water. The Greek Church of St. John the Baptist in Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter is not regularly open to visitors – distinct with its silvery dome, it is one of the oldest churches of Jerusalem. The next church in our agenda for the morning was the Chapel of Ascension (Ascension of Christ to Heaven) on the Mount of Olives. The church is built on the site where Christians and Muslims believe Christ ascended to Heaven. Ascension Rock, believed to have a foot step of Jesus that points toward Jerusalem is inside the Chapel – at one point, it had an open sky – a dome was later added by Muslim rulers and was used as a mosque. Lunch was at the 7-Arches hotel – basic food for a change – rice, chicken, and salad sans dessert.

Jerusalem is believed to be a city chosen by God himself and King David took this city to become King of Jews thousand years before Christ. He built the city to the South. After his death, his son King Solomon moved the city north. The Temple Mount and the Golden Dome were built by Solomon. Temple Mount is the most important religious site in the area – Judaism regards it as where God chose the Divine Presence to rest while Sunni Muslims considers it as their 3rd holiest site. Inside the Temple Mount is the the "Holy of Holies" – the arc of covenant, manna, the tablet containing the 10 commandments, and the stick of the father of Moses. The original temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 6th century BC and was rebuilt by Herod the Great during the time of Jesus. The Byzantine church was rebuilt and is turned toward west and reminds people of two things – destruction of Jerusalem and the empty tomb at the Holy Sepulcher Church. The city has eight gates – Damascas Gate, Herod’s Gate, St. Stephen’s Gate, Golden Gate, Dung Gate, Mount Zion Gate, Jaffa Gate, and New Gate. Golden Gate is closed – it is believed that the gate will open when the Savior returns.

Walking the Path of the Cross (Via Dolorosa - way of suffering) with 14 stations was our itinerary for the afternoon – of these, nine stations are en route and the last five are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We entered Old Jerusalem through Herod Gate. Unlike our imagination, the path of the cross is through a cobbled pathway filled with souvenir shops on either side. The stations are more like popular tradition as opposed to authentic spots where the events actually happened. The variety of souvenirs, curios, and food available at these shops is indeed impressive and no other place in Israel comes close. The stations commemorate:

1. 1st & 2nd Station – Jesus’ encounter with Pontius Pilate – first is a memorial of Jesus’ trial and its subsequent scourging and the second a memorial of the Ecce Homo speech. A mass was arranged for our group at the Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross. Two other 19th century Roman Catholic Churches are also at the site – Church of Flagellation and Church of Ecce Homo.
2. 3rd, 7th, and 9th Stations - Jesus is believed to have stumbled three times during his walk along the route. The first fall (3rd station) is adjacent to the 19th century Polish Catholic chapel. The second slip (7th station) at a junction close to a Franciscan Chapel. The third trip up (9th Station) is off Via Dolorosa at the entrance to the Ethiopian Orthodox Monastery and Coptic Orthodox Monastery.
3. 4th Station - Jesus meets Mary – the account is not in the New Testament. It is however a part of popular tradition,
4. 5th Station – Simione helping Jesus carry cross,
5. 6th Station – Veronica’s encounter with Jesus – legend about getting an image of Jesus supernaturally imprinted on the cloth used by Veronica to wipe away the sweat,
6. 8th Station – Jesus giving a sermon to pious women as described in the Gospel of Luke where he says ‘do not cry for me, cry for you and your children’.
7. 10th Station –Jesus being stripped off most of his garments,
8. 11th Station – The station is inside the Holy Sepulcher church on the south side and is regarded as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion,
9. 12th Station – The cross being put up. The Rock of Calvary can be seen under glass and there is a hole where it is believed the cross was raised, (one can touch the location by poking your hands inside.)
10. 13th Station – The place where Jesus’ body was removed from the cross and given to his family. An alternate viewpoint is that the Stone of Anointing at the Entrance where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial as the 13th station,
11. 14th Station – The place where Jesus was buried.

The Station 10 through 14 is inside the Holy Sepulcher Church. Only 4-5 people are allowed at a time inside the inner room (no cameras) accessible through a very small entrance (exit is also via the same way).

The cross of Jesus is believed to have been identified by Queen Helena – legend has it that the three crosses were tossed into a badly maintained well and in order to urge people to seek it out she threw gold coins into the well. Those who went in found the three crosses - and from it the correct cross was identified by letting them all touch a person on the point of death – the person’s condition improved after making contact with one. The whereabouts of the cross is unknown although it is speculated at-least some part of it is in Vatican. The 13th station is special as people from different parts of the world bring different things to make holy – the faithful believe rubbing the stone with any article makes it holy. Nearby is a Syrian Orthodox Church that claims to be the first church of Christianity and there one can find original pictures of Mary and Jesus drawn by Luke – as a doctor and artist, he went to see Jesus’ mother following His death – that is believed to be the reason why some of Mary’s testimony are only in Luke’s Gospel in the Bible. The site also has the upper room (Last Supper), an alternate location to the one in Mount Zion. Per the caretaker of the church, many miracles are attributed to this church over the years. Dinner was again back at the hotel – full-fledged menu with mushroom soup, salads, rice, lamp, chicken, fish, rolls, coffee, and desserts aplenty.

 Related Posts:

1. Holyland Trip Report - Jordan - Mount Nebo, Madaba - Day 1.
2. Holyland Trip Report – Israel - Yardenit, Tiberias, Tabgha, Cappernaum, Ginosar, Sea of Galilee (Day 2).
3. Holyland Trip Report - Israel - Nazareth, Cana, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, and Bethlehem (Day 3).
4. Holyland Trip Report - Israel - Jerusalem (Day 4).
5. Holyland Trip Report – Israel – Jerusalem, Jericho, Dead Sea (Day 5).
6. Holyland Trip Report – Egypt – Red Sea, Sinai (Day 6).
7. Holyland Trip Report – Suez Canal, Cairo - Day 7.
8. Holyland Trip Report - Old Cairo - Day 8.
9. Holyland Trip - Gotchas to avoid.  
10. Holyland Trip - Jordan - Other Sites. 

Last Updated: 12/2012.

Romantic (1815-1910) Era Music – An Introduction

The paring down of the clunky music in the Classical period led to the emergence of expressive and personal music by Romantic composers. Melody played loud and clear as artistic freedom triumphed. The composers probed several subject matters including an array of emotions, higher powers, distant places, mystique, and nature in all its various glories. The Germans so dominated the music that composers felt the need to break away and promote nationalism which they did by way of folk tunes, local dances, and legends.

Industrial Revolution of Europe led to sophisticated instruments with better tuning and easier playing, which in turn paved way for the blossoming of the Orchestra. The growing middle class audience greatly inspired the ‘writing music to be heard’ trend. Composers reached deeper and brought forth enriched harmonies, passionate melodies, increased the use of dissonance, chromaticism, and expanded orchestra. Sonata, impromptu, romance, prelude, nocturne, ballade, intermezzo, and rhapsody became the rage.
Programme music (music with a story), concert overtures and symphonic poems (one-movement orchestra pieces), incidental music (to set the mood), suites, concertos, art song (vocal musical work), technical virtuosity, shaping of music (recurring themes) are noteworthy contributions of this era. Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Wagner, Berlioz and Strauss are the more famous Romantic composers who took composing to a higher level with their exceptional pieces.

Composer	Thumbnail	ISBN	Best Price	Description
Beethoven (1770-1827)	Complete Beethoven Edition Box Set	B004HGQXB8	$118.08	85 Audio CDs. Released May 31, 2011. Complete – Covers everything that Beethoven ever composed.
Schubert (1797-1828)	Schubert: The Piano Sonatas Box Set	B00004SA8A	$34	Performer: Wilhelm Kempff. Seven CD Set that includes all of Schubert’s piano sonatas, fragments, and completed masterworks.
Berlioz (1803-1869)	Berlioz: Requiem; Symphonie funèbre et triomphale	B000GYHZ6M	$16.07	Two CD Set. Performer: Ronald Dowd, Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Colin Davis. Includes Requiem and Symphonie F – Grand Symphonie funebre et Triomphale.
Mendelssohn (1809-1847)	Mendelssohn: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 49, 66	B0030IIZ2O	$12.80	Performers: Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Az, Itzhak Perlman. To commemorate the Mendelssohn bicentennial in 2009, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Emanuel Ax, and violinist Itzhak Perlman collaborated together for this project.
Schumann(1810-1856)	Schumann Anniversary Box Set	B003B30GSY	$70.17	25 CD Set by various artists released May 18, 2010.
Liszt (1811-1886)	Liszt: Piano Sonata in B Minor	B004NWHVD0	$14.98	Performer: Marc-Andre Hamelin. Includes Fantasie und Fuge uber das Thema B-A-C-H, Benediction de Dieu dans la solitude, Gondoliera, Canzone, Tarantella, Lento Assai, Andante Sostenuto, Allegro Energico, Allegro energico-Piu mosso, and Andante Sostenuto.
Wagner (1813-1883)	Wagner: Die Walkure Box Set	B004NCLKJG	$16.85	Three-disc set released May 3, 2011. Performers: Birgit Nilsson, Leonie Rysanek, Christa Ludwig, Jon Vickers, and Thomas Stewart. Orchestra: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Conductor: Berislav Klobucar.
Verdi (1813-1901)	Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas • Domingo • Milnes • Bayerisches Staatsorchester • Carlos Kleiber	B000001G5W	$21.87	Conductor: Carlos Kleiber, Ochestra: Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Performer: Ileana Cotrubas, Placido Domingo, and Sherrill Milnes.
Chopin (1810-1849)	Ultimate Chopin Box Set	B000ICMF5S	$15.16	5-CD Set. Conductor: Charles Dutoit, Orchestra: Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Performer: Jorge Bolet, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Claudio Arrau, Zoltan Kocsis. CD 1 Jorge Bolet, piano & Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal Charles Dutoit, conductor CD 2/CD 3 Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano CD 4 Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano CD 5 Claudio Arrau, piano.
Smetana (1824-1884)	Smetana: Complete Orchestral Works	B0012OVFIY	$14.61	3-CD Set. Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Theodore Kuchar.
Brahms (1833-1897)	Brahms: The Symphonies Box Set	B0000041Z5	$20.66	Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Georg Solti, Composer: Johannes Brahms.
Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)	Tchaikovsky: The Complete Symphonies Box Set	B00008PW4A	$23.29	Five Disc Box Set. Orchestra: New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
Dvorak (1841-1904)	Dvorak: Slavonic Dances	B00005YD5H	$7.93	Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra, Conductor: George Szell.
Grieg (1843-1907)	Grieg: Complete Music with Orchestra Box Set	B00005KK4O	$26.88	6-CD Set. Performers: Carl-Gustaf Holmgren, Urban Malmberg, Hakan Hagegard. Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Neeme Jarvi.
Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)	Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale	B0006PV5VC	$7.99	Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fritz Reiner. Two works: Scheherazade, symphonic suite for orchestra, Op. 35 and Chant du rossingnol (The Song of the Nightingale), symphonic poem for orchestra.
Elgar (1857-1934)	Elgar: Cello Concerto; “Enigma” Variations	B000BDGWF8	$6.99	Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Barenboim.
Mahler (1860-1911)	Mahler: The Complete Works – 150th Anniversary Box Set	B003D0ZNWY	$46.25	16-CD Set. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Simon Rattle, John Barirolli, Otto Klemperer, Klaus Tennstedt, George Szell.
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)	Richard Strauss: 5 Great Tone Poems	B000004198	$12.55	Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink, Eugen Jochum. Two-CD Set.

Related Posts:

• Romantic Era Music (1815-1910) - An Introduction
• Classical Era Music (1730-1820) - An Introduction
• Baroque Era Music (1600-1750) - An Introduction
• Renaissance Era Music (1430-1600) - An Introduction
• Medieval Era Music (500-1450) - An Introduction