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From: ph@cci632.UUCP (Pete Hoch)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: MACINTAX vs. TURBOTAX
Message-ID: <45114@cci632.UUCP>
Date: 21 Dec 90 17:29:25 GMT
References: <1990Dec18.190805.17885@mentor.com>
Distribution: na
Organization: Computer Consoles Inc. an STC Company, Rochester, NY
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bruceh@mentor.com (Bruce Holm) writes:
> I saw this asked on the net recently but never saw a response.  So here 
> goes again:

> Which program is better, MacInTax or TurboTax?

Better is such a subjective idea but I will give you a few thoughts
on the subject.

I have used MacInTax for the last two years and it is a nice forms
pacakge.  However that is just about all it is.  Sure there is on
line help but it does not go far beyond the forms and reports that
you can get from the IRS.  Also historicly MacInTax has not shiped
until sometime in February.

TurboTax on the other hand seems to be a true aid in prepairing taxes.
It is loaded with areas to enter receipt information for all of your
tax related stuff, not just your W2s.  It also will show you how your
deductions stack up against the national averages and it checks your
return for any odd things that are likely to flag an audit.  This is
purely for informational reasons and is not ment to be used as a tool
for ceative financing. ;-}  You can also attach notes to almost every
entery.  Also you can override all of the calculated fields, so if you
have an odity in you taxes that TurboTax does not handle you can just
override it and place a note there to help you remember where the
number came from.  Also the thing I like the best is the reason I can
tell you all of this.  If you order TurboTax now you get a starter
version that does most everything accept next year planning. (Yes it
does that too.)  Then according to the documentation they mail you
a free final version toward the end of January if you have registered.
All this for only $50, and it was back ordered at MacConnection when
I ordered so I only paid $45.

Have a happy,
Pete Hoch

P.S.  TurboTax also has a fun little tax trivia game built in.