TaxCut from H&R Block 2001 Deluxe Filing Edition

TaxCut Deluxe installs quickly, and before long you're on your way. Be sure to follow the prompts to update the tax forms, worksheets, and publications in the software to meet the final IRS requirements. You can get the update free of charge over the Internet. TaxCut gives you a jump-start on filling out your tax forms with options to import tax and financial information from Microsoft Money, Quicken, and last year's TurboTax or TaxCut federal return. It will also import your W-2 wage and 1099 investment data from participating employers and financial institutions.

You enter information via a simple question-and-answer interview process. Along the way, you'll be cued for possible deductions, and a meter allows you to follow the status of your refund or the amount due as you enter data. Instant interview help is available at any time should the questions get trickier. At the end of the interview the software performs its own audit, searching out missing information or items that may trigger an IRS audit. During our test run, it found a missed deduction and flagged some data that was input incorrectly.

If you're not comfortable with the results, for $29.95 you can send your return to an H&R Block tax advisor who will check it over and answer questions. When you're finished, you can file the return electronically or print the completed forms for mailing.

Once your federal taxes are complete, you have the option of purchasing TaxCut State software--free with the included rebate--from within TaxCut Deluxe. The program will then automatically fill any necessary federal information into your state return. The package also includes rebates that give you a free e-filing and a free copy of Microsoft Money Standard (up to $34.95). And if you think this software becomes useless after your taxes are done, you're wrong. The Deluxe version comes with a built-in tax and financial library that contains information on buying and selling a home, investing, and retirement. It also includes financial planners for education and retirement.

The elimination of mathematical headaches and confusing jargon alone is worth the price of TaxCut Deluxe. Throw in ease of use, a library of financial information, rebates, and the possibility of finding a missed deduction, and you may actually enjoy doing your taxes. --Joshua Goldman

Amazon.com Product Description
Take full advantage of recent changes in the tax law with TaxCut Deluxe. Get all the features of TaxCut, plus use the mail-in rebates to get one free state tax program and one free electronic filing. Deluxe is filled with tax expertise and guidance, including a tax and financial planning library, tax advice from the experts at H&R Block and Kiplinger, and a new Tax Law Assistant.

TaxCut Deluxe includes a customized tax plan to fit the user's needs and flag problems that might trigger audits. You can automatically import W-2 and 1099 information from participating companies. And you can seamlessly import data from Microsoft Money, Quicken, or last year's TurboTax federal return.

TaxCut can help users take advantage of all the new tax law changes, including the new tax incentives, to help save for retirement or college. TaxCut asks simple questions, automatically selects and completes the necessary forms, and double-checks the return. Then you simply electronically file the return and get a refund faster, or print the return and mail it.

I ended owing money this year so waited til the last minute (4/14/2004) to file. That's when the fun began. Got a notice from the IRS today that the filing of the claim was accepted but that could not access my financial institute for payment. Called Taxcut and they threw there hands up, "We sent them your claim and they (the IRS) accepted it, we're done." Taxcut was able to process their $14.95 processing fee, the IRS could not. Contacted my credit card company, "no problem on this end".

Have yet to get a hold of the IRS for there end of the story. My tact next year, file the old paper way at a cost of a stamp.

In my opinion, Taxcut was gutless in trying help. Poor business practice.


No valuable Help, Questionable calculations   February 14, 2004
TaxCut Deluxe 2003. In filling out the Interviews, this app stops with my 1099-MISC at Box 7, with error requiring a code.
But no where could I find a hint as to what the code may be.
The app suggested I refer to an IRS Publication xxxxxx! If I had time to get all the IRS publications, I would not need a tax software application!
I decided to continue, by omitting the two 1099-MISC documents, and see what happened. Well at the end it calculated a very nice refund....
But, I went out and purchased TURBO TAX 2003 and re done the whole thing. The 1099-MISC Box 7 had no error issues, and when I completed the filing, TURBO TAX 2003 came up with a lot less refund. The two 1099-MISC's I omitted in TaxCut 2003 totaled $1600. So there is no way that would have resulted in some $2000 less in my refund!
TaxCut Deluxe 2003 is a waste of money in my opinion.


Add me to the list...   March 13, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

...of users who have used TaxCut for years, but found it to be a major problem this year.

I did not have the typical problems of most people who have reviewed the product. It loaded fine, and never crashed.

My problems were actual mistakes made by the software.

I imported 1099 information automatically, from Fidelity. It turned short term items into long term, and vice versa. It gives you the option to delete some elements that you import, but then it doesn't actually delete them.

I had 2 jobs during the year and accidentally over-contributed to a 401(k). It detected this, and fixed it. But I received a 1099-R from Fidelity, and reported that. So I ended up double-reporting the overage, and TaxCut didn't notice.

I can also report agreeing with the comments about the user interface. I don't mind the tie-ins to H&R Block. But it's really very confusing and inconvenient to go back and find a topic, and enter into the Interview for it.

Next year, I'll try TurboTax.


Absolute [junk]   April 14, 2002
Irate (Los Angeles, CA United States)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

I bought the Mac OS X version.

This software is hideous. Don't even condsider buying it. I took a chance since it was cheaper than TurboTax, and regret it. Incredibly buggy, irritating interface. Some obviously wrong calculations. I haven't even tried some of the other features that other reviewers complain about, but at this point I don't need to see much more to conclude that this is hands down the worst software I have ever bought.


Switching to TurboTax next year   April 14, 2002
alaska (New York, NY USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I've used TaxCut for years with no problems, but this year's version is full of bugs. Is there anything more annoying than doing your taxes the last minute and having your tax software repeatedly crash? I've downloaded the latest updates, and it's still unstable.