Re: [~OT] tax program for linux
On Sun, Mar 30, 2003 at 10:25:11PM -0500, Nori Heikkinen wrote:
> My dad, who has graciously done my taxes for me every year up until
> now, has finally shuffled them off to me. When i ask him how to do
> them, he keeps telling me to get TurboTax for windoze. I keep
> reminding him I run linux, but he keeps forgetting. Is there an
> equivalent linux program that anyone here knows about / uses? or do i
> have to suck it up and do them by hand?
I used eztaxreturn.com last year as a web-based program and it worked
pretty well. Some people have indicated security qualms about sending
you personal data over the web and storing on someone else's computer.
I tried starting a return with Turbo-Tax for the web but I was not
getting it to render properly, but that might have been because I had to
link through a 3rd party site to get it for free.
If you're just starting out with this joyful exercise, the irs.gov site
lists providers who will submit returns for free.
This year I'm trying something radical: all the forms and instructions
are available on irs.gov. I figured if I could install Debian, I should
be able to work through the tax instructions. It's sort of like using
the command line instead of a GUI. You answer all the same questions
and you get the same output.
I know the software makers say they'll save you money, but a moment's
thought will make you skeptical; that is, if they go beyond the
instructions with "creative" deductions, they become an fat target for
legal troubles.
Mark
Reply to: