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CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good
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Product summary
The good: TaxAct 2006 Online Deluxe + State is inexpensive, provides a decent navigational toolbar, automatically saves your work on its secure servers, guarantees accuracy, and adds help with student financial aid and the latest tax credits.
The bad: TaxAct Online's interview is hard to understand in places and sometimes uses too much accounting jargon; lacks extensive help with investments and deductions.
The bottom line: The low price and strong tech support of TaxAct Online Deluxe + State make it a solid choice for bargain hunters with relatively simple finances, although it lacks precise help with investments.
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 02/01/2006
- Updated on:03/02/2007
TaxAct 2006 Online Deluxe + State from 2nd Story Software is one of the least expensive online tax-preparation services available. You'll pay only $15.95 to complete your federal and state returns, with e-filing included. To skip state filing, the step-down TaxAct Online Deluxe costs $9.95. TaxAct's Online Standard edition, which lacks tech support as well as guidance with life events and college financial aid, is free for federal e-filing but costs $6 to file a state return online. Comparable services from industry heavyweights H&R Block TaxCut and Intuit TurboTax cost three to five times as much.
TaxAct works in most browsers, including Internet Explorer 5, Firefox 1, Netscape 7, Opera 9, and Safari 1 and newer. You'll have to enable cookies, disable pop-up blockers, and might need to clear the cache before you start. TaxAct Online requires that you run at least Windows 95 or Mac OS 9. The clean interface displays your estimated federal and state refunds (or tax due) at all times, and tabs with pull-down menus make it easy to jump around the various subjects. This service automatically saves your work as you proceed through the interview--essential if your computer crashes or you accidentally close the browser window. Unfortunately, after we had entered our W-2 data and clicked to the next page, all the fields became blank when we pressed the Back button to fix a typo. We're glad this happened only once.
Like its online and desktop rivals, TaxAct asks a series of questions and uses your answers to fill in the appropriate lines of your tax form. TaxAct 2006 Online can also import TaxAct 2005 Online returns. The service is free to try, so you pay only when you print or e-file your returns. Concerned about privacy? TaxAct Online uses industry-standard SSL encryption to transmit your data, which it stores and backs up on its secure servers.
TaxAct's interview covers the basics well, including salary, dependents, business income, major life changes like a marriage, and so on. It takes into account the government's new credits for the telephone excise tax, household energy efficiency improvements, and the purchase of a greener car. TaxAct 2006 has added many features since last year, such as help with FAFSA student financial aid. Now TaxAct can also produce and save PDF tax forms.
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