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Tax Day is quickly approaching. What do you do? Do you spend money on a professional? Do you head down to the library, find the forms, and do the work yourself? If neither of those options is attractive, there’s a way you can split the difference. There are a number of software programs you can buy for less than what you would pay a professional tax preparer. They’re a quick and easy way to get the return you’re looking for without the hassle. The following bullets detail three leading tax management programs.
- H&R Block At Home Premium Online: At $49.95, the Premium version of H&R Block’s multiple online options is the most expensive, but it also packs the most punch. This edition takes the IRS 1040 form and simplifies it. The user is treated to an interview much like what he would receive if he walked into an actual H&R Block. The interface is easy to navigate and the edition comes with unlimited tax support via various avenues.
- CompleteTax Online: The Deluxe version of CompleteTax costs only $19.95, but many users may qualify for the free Premium federal version. If the user received unemployment at any time during 2010, owes the IRS tax money, or used a competing tax preparer the year before, he qualifies for the free product. At under $20, though, CompleteTax’s Deluxe version isn’t bad. The program is fairly easy to use and offers some of the best guidelines and advice of any product on the market.
- TaxACT Online Ultimate Bundle: If the user is relatively tax savvy, he may be able to get away with using TaxACT’s free federal version and pay the very affordable $14.95 for state filing. The Ultimate Bundle, though, only costs a bit more and has a ton of added features. For $17.95, the user gets the Deluxe version of the federal and the regular state version. TaxACT supports every IRS form and possesses a clean and straightforward interface. If necessary, unlimited help is available for an extra $7.95, though the design of the product is easy enough on its own.