Update 02/10: Go here for a version of this roundup updated for 2009 tax year
Here is a roundup of current promotions on the online version of TurboTax tax preparation software, the kind of software I have used to prepare my taxes for several years and will use for 2007 tax year as well.
Pick the type that fits your needs (Basic, Deluxe, Premier, or Home & Business), compare the prices below, and use the link to go to the promotion page. Bookmark it and make sure to use the same link every time you go back to continue your taxes.
I prefer online TurboTax version over the downloadable one (or the one on CD) for several reasons. Here they are:
- I don’t have to mess with installing software on my PC
- Tax preparation is a lengthy process and I don’t want to be bound to a single computer
- It includes free e-filing
Please tell me which software you use. Also comment if you know any other on-going TurboTax promotion and I will update this blog post.
Open to everyone
1. Regular prices
Intuit currently offers free basic federal filing at their website.
| Federal | State | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0.00 | $25.95 | $25.95 |
| Deluxe | $29.95 | $29.95 | $59.90 |
| Premier | $49.95 | $29.95 | $79.90 |
| Home & Business | $74.95 | $29.95 | $104.90 |
2. Promotion by Fidelity
Go to this page and click on “Visitor Entry”.
| Federal | State | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $11.20 | $22.45 | $33.65 |
| Deluxe | $22.45 | $22.45 | $44.90 |
| Premier | $37.45 | $22.45 | $59.90 |
| Home & Business | $56.20 | $22.45 | $78.65 |
3. Promotion by USAA
Use this link to get to the promotion page
| Federal | State | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0.00 | $19.45 | $19.45 |
| Deluxe | $22.45 | $22.45 | $44.90 |
| Premier | $37.45 | $22.45 | $59.90 |
| Home & Business | $56.20 | $22.45 | $78.65 |
4. Promotion by T. Rowe Price
Use this link to get to the promotion page
| Federal | State | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $10.45 | $29.95 | $40.40 |
| Deluxe | $20.95 | $29.95 | $50.90 |
| Premier | $34.95 | $29.95 | $64.90 |
| Home & Business | $52.45 | $29.95 | $82.40 |
5. Promotion by Chase
Go to this page and click on “Save 30% on TurboTax Online”.
| Federal | State | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0.00 | $29.95 | $29.95 |
| Deluxe | $20.95 | $29.95 | $50.90 |
| Premier | $34.95 | $29.95 | $64.90 |
| Home & Business | $52.45 | $29.95 | $82.40 |
Open to company clients
1. Vanguard Flagship
Open to Vanguard Flagship Services™ and Asset Management Services clients. Go here for more info.
| Federal | State | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Deluxe | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Premier | $9.95 | $0.00 | $9.95 |
| Home & Business | $48.70 | $0.00 | $48.70 |
2. Vanguard Other
Open to other Vanguard investors. Go here for more info.
| Federal | State | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $9.70 | $29.95 | $39.65 |
| Deluxe | $19.45 | $29.95 | $49.40 |
| Premier | $32.45 | $29.95 | $62.40 |
| Home & Business | $48.70 | $29.95 | $78.65 |
3. State Farm
You have to be registered on StateFarm.com and have “at least one product (Bank, Insurance and/or Mutual Funds) displaying on My Account page”.
If you do, login to your account and look for “FREE tax filing” on the left side. Preparation and filing is free.
Looks like T. Rowe Price is doing 30% off, even for visitors.
http://www.troweprice.com/comm.....tarted_Now!&rfpgid=12435
Thanks for the tip. Looks like a great offer! Unfortunately there is no discount on state filing. I have added T. Rowe Price as number 4 in my list.
T. Rowe Price does have a 20% discount on TurboTax Download products which includes the State software. The difference being that you can’t e-file for free with this offer. With the 30% discount on TurboTax Online products, State is not included, but you can e-file for free.
T. Rowe Price seems to offer the best deal if you are not a member of the other institutions. At $20.95 you can’t beat it.
T. Rowe Price offer no discount on state filing. I think I will go with Fidelity this year. I like doing everything on-line and I need that on-line state filing discount
I’ve never understood paying for the state part of the taxes. I believe most states (I live in MD, but have done this in IA also) you can file state taxes for free through the comptroller website. Sure it takes a little time, but if you already have your turbotax 1040, 95% of the work is already done.
Or, you can use TaxACT (www.taxact.com) do your fed. taxes for free and pay $13.95 for your state return.
The most you can spend at TaxACT is $19.95, why would you pay $30 or more for TurboTax?
Texas does not have a state tax return so T Rowe Price is the way to go if you only have to file a federal return.
Greg, -good tip about taxact…i checked it out but after i put everything in as best i could (same as Turbotax which i had already done) the Fed Refund was about $200 less than turbotax. I think the main problem was rolling a 403b to a trad IRA to a Roth, then having to recharacterize back to trad IRA, all in one year. Turbotax figured it out pretty easily, but i got lost in the 8046 form on taxact and couldn’t figure how to put it in correctly. Next year will be alot easier so i’ll have to try again, but this year it’s worth it for me to pay $35 and be done with it.
I removed my business from TaxAct after I once complained
about the inability to generate aparticular form through their online(PAID) software because when I mentioned TurboTax had always done it for me the TaxAct CSR said something to the effect: “How can you compare us with a big company like TurboTax?”
The USAA link totally worked, thanks very much for collecting these discount links!
Did TurboTax Online raise their prices? I’m seeing a shift on their site compared with the prices here: Deluxe for the price of Premier ($30s vs. $20s), Premier for the price of Home & Business ($50s vs $30s), etc.
I hope I’m just doing something wrong. I’m certain I did Deluxe last year and it was $24, not the $34.95 I’m seein gnow. (I’m talking about Federal-only, btw) Thanks.
Gaah, never mind. I see I paid the price for procrastinating this year. I guess I was hoping the price increase would be April 1 for some reason…
It appears that State Farm is only offering free filing for Bank customers only. All I have is insurance with them.
Last year I did it through SF for free but don’t see the “Free tax filing” on the left side of My Account now.
Could anyone clarify if State Farm offers customers free filing for both Fed and State? Thanks!
Unfortunately, State Farm will offer Deluxe Turbo Tax only to the first 25,000 BANK customers, not insurance customers this year. I confirmed this with them directly through secure email and through internet support.
Looks like you can get the same discounts at the Intuit web site.
All products have been marked down.
Wish you would update for 2008 taxes. I’ve done a lot of research and looks like Fidelity is still the best if you aren’t a member of something.
If you are looking at the Download product, which includes State for everything except Basic, T. Rowe Price has the same discount as Fidelity (25%). However, if you only need Federal, T. Rowe Price has a better discount for the Online product with a discount of 35% versus Fidelity’s 25%.