This program has more bugs than an ant hill in south Louisiana.

I said last year that I would not use this program again, especially since I wasn't able to use the state program that I paid for with the "Deluxe" multimedia version. Well that flew out the window when I was at the local Wally-World, (Wal-Mart for you purist) and compared the prices between the different tax programs,(I've been called tight by the best of us penny pinchers).
I went with the $5.95 basic Federal return package with FREE Electronic Filing,( after you give them $12.95 to do this FREE Electronic Filing they will use your money for 60 days then refund it back to you, with out interest mind you).

The first problem I ran across was transferring last years information to the new program. It didn't. I had already started to manually fill out the info. when the program decided to do what it was programmed to do, you guessed it, it transfered the file from last year. I had to go back and delete all the info. that was now doubled.

Through out there were problems, such as ; as a self-employed person I have a vehicle for WORK ONLY that I take a standard mileage deduction on. The program would not accept that I owned the vehicle and posted the vehicle as being owned by my employer. It also posted my state refund from last year under unemployment benefits, would not post a W-2 that did not have any deductions other than retirement,and,and, and, well you get the picture. If I were new to filing my taxes I would not have known what problems I was facing. So beware all you first time users!

The icing on the cake is, are you ready for this, to this day I have yet to gain access to the e-file. When I try to send, there is a window that comes up, with "unable to access port443-error1",I immediately went to the help file that referred me to the website. In the technical dept. they had a reference to this particular problem, the advise was to try it again.
I called the "tech" dept. on land line, and after 45 min. on my dime (who said tight) a sweet sounding fair maiden came on the line and after my explanation proceeded to tell me the problem was that I had to clear my cookies before trying to send the e-file, WHAT?"! well, I don't know if your cookies could possibly have an effect on making a connection to there system so I cleared them all, even the crumbs, it didn't work. "It didn't?", exclaimed my fair maiden, "well you have to be at our website for that to work properly", she said. What?"! When I informed her that I was at the website, she replied that I would have to try it again tomorrow since they were so busy at the tech dept. today, and promptly hung up on me.WHOA!

Since I don't particularly like to be hung up on I was almost ready to call back when I remembered how long it took the first time,(and how much it cost at 5 cents a minute anytime anywhere)Ahem! wrong commercial, so any way I went on an e-mail campaign to any and all links to the website that I could find. That was yesterday 2-17-00, I haven't and I doubt that I will here from them. My next e-mails will include links to Epinions .com, maybe it will stir some interest, then again if the fair maiden who "helped" me in the "tech" dept. is any indication as to what level the employees are trained it may just mean that there will be a higher level of unemployment next year when nobody buys the Taxcut program.

I'll update this as the events warrant, or to at least let you know if and when I get a response.

Update 2/24/00
I learned from a friend (2/22/00)that in order to e-file that I first had to clear all temp. internet and history files, reboot the computer and then call up the Taxcut program. Only then could I e-file my returns.
Apparently the program cannot decipher information not needed from the other stored files when connecting on the net.
I received two canned responses to my email campaign just this mourning reffering me to the tech. dept. and possibly a friendly chat with my fair maiden again, only five cents a minute anytime anywhere.
I've sent for my rebate for the FREE e-file, and also for a refund on the purchase of this program, since they offer a 100% money back, if not satisfied, guarantee.

On 2/22/00 I went on another email campaign inviting all comers to view the epinions reviews on their product. I'm curious as to whether anyone will take time to look.

And I did receive confirmation that the IRS did accept my return. Lets just hope they don't find anything that I missed and hit me with fines and interest in a couple of years.(They usually wait three years for interest to build before telling you about YOUR mistake.)



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