refunds

For the past several years, TurboTax has impressed us with its clear language and simple step-by-step tax prep, and Intuit's offering for the 2011 tax year is no exception. Whether you're an experienced taxpayer or you're fairly new to the system, TurboTax can help you file.

The first thing I should point out is that TurboTax comes in four versions--Basic, Deluxe, Premier, and Home & Business--each of which offers both an online prep option or a software download. All of the online apps let you start a single e-file for free, while the downloads cost a bit … Read more

It's that time of year again: tax season. For many of us, the constant visits to the IRS Where's My Refund site are in full swing, checking to see when our refund is going to be deposited into our bank account.

Early last year the IRS released a mobile app, allowing people to track their refund status while on the go.

From the mobile app users can track the status of their refund, view videos on the IRS YouTube channel, request old tax records, and contact the IRS directly with any questions.

To track the status of your … Read more

If your tax situation is simple (no children, don't own a home, income under $100K, and so on), then you are likely filing a 1040EZ this April. If that's the case, then you may want to think about filing your taxes right from your mobile device.

With the TurboTax SnapTax app, you can fill out your 1040EZ tax form right on your phone or tablet. The app can even enter income information using your device's camera.

Before getting started, SnapTax asks if you'd like to create an account. You can work without one, which is nice, … Read more

Intuit's TaxCaster app can quickly estimate your federal tax refund based on just a few bits of personal information. Even for the most inexperienced taxpayer, it's incredibly simple to understand and use.

At the top of the screen is a meter that displays your estimated tax refund. As you make your way through the app, it considers your answers and recalculates its estimate accordingly. And of course, the more answers you provide, the more accurate its estimate gets.

Three main tabs sit just below the meter, each housing a different category of questions: About You; Total Income; and … Read more

Apple has an "all sales and rentals of products are final" rule as part of its iTunes and App Store policy, but it appears the company is quietly making an exception for its new $299 video-editing software.

A number of users in an Apple support discussions thread are reporting success in getting a refund on their purchase of Final Cut Pro X after writing in to complain that the software did not meet their expectations, The Next Web reported today.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether this is a blanket exception to … Read more

If you bought the iPad very recently, you may qualify for a $100 refund.

Apple is offering $100 back to customers who purchased the iPad at its former price, an Apple customer-service rep confirmed to CNET today. The refund, which will be applied to a person's credit card, applies to all versions of the first-generation iPad.

Of course, there is a catch. According to the customer-service rep, Apple is offering the $100 refund only to those who purchased the last-gen tablet within 14 days of yesterday's announcement of the iPad 2. The customer-service rep wouldn't nail down … Read more

Everyone's favorite government agency, the Internal Revenue Service, has launched its own mobile application.

Released last week to iPhone and Android users, the free IRS2Go provides a few tidbits of information that could make April 15 a bit less stressful.

Those of us fortunate enough to qualify for a refund can find out exactly when Uncle Sam will be sending out that check. Entering your Social Security number (which the IRS says is masked and encrypted), filing status, and expected refund amount delivers the due date for your payment.

People who file their federal taxes electronically can check their … Read more

A class action lawsuit against Microsoft has been filed in Italy by a group claiming that it's too difficult to procure a refund for the copies of Windows that come bundled in new PCs.

The case, which was filed in Milan by the Associazione per i Diritti degli Utenti e Consumatori (ADUC), and picked up by The Register earlier today, points to Microsoft's end user license agreement (EULA)--as outlined in various copies of Windows--noting that once users turn their computer on and begin to use it, they are no longer able to return the software for a … Read more

Apple teased the media earlier this week about an important announcement about iTunes, and after several hours of tech pundits forecasting the news, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple has finally come to an agreement to offer the works of The Beatles for sale in iTunes. Yes, that's it. No cloud-based content, no 90-second previews, and definitely no new hardware.

The iconic band's entire catalog is available for purchase, however, for $149 and it comes with exclusive video of the band's first U.S. concert, "live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964."  You can also purchase single albums for $12.99, double albums for $19.99, and individual songs for $1.29 each, ending the long litigation between Apple Inc. and Apple Corps, The Beatles' record company

Did you know that Apple will also refund your money if you're unhappy with the purchase of an app in the iTunes Store? We didn't know either, but Apple lets you do just that in a few simple steps: just log into your iTunes account, click on "purchase history," "report a problem" with the lackluster app, and Apple will refund your purchase price. You do need to fill out a form detailing the reason for the refund, and "this app blows" won't fly, so get creative!

If you're as much of an Apple fanboy as Wilson is, then you should probably buy a ticket for London ASAP, because an original Apple-1 computer hand-built by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak will be auctioned off at Christie's in London on November 23. It's one of 200 original computers sold out of Steve's garage in 1976, and even includes an invoice from the salesman and a typed letter from Jobs to the original owner.

The bill for the sale reads $666.66, although the Apple-1 motherboard, 8KB of RAM, and a series of interfaces is expected to grab anywhere from $160,000 to $250,000 and beyond.

Thanksgiving is a week and a half away, which means some bargain hunters are already packing their sleeping bags to camp out for Black Friday, the infamous day after Thanksgiving when retailers advertise heavily discounted prices on a variety of products. Wal-Mart has already posted its list of Black Friday items on sale, but you can also get free shipping through December 20, if waking up at 3 a.m. and standing next to Wilson for four hours doesn't sound like fun to you.

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