H&R Block TaxCut Deluxe 2002 Federal Filing Edition Full Version for PC (1016600-02)

Pros: Price, No spyware, No anti-copy protection or product-activation
Cons: Not well integrated with financial institutions, Import features do not work well

After reading several reports about Copy-protection on this year's Turbo Tax I searched for an alternative to complete my taxes for 2002. I have seen TaxCut previously over the years and at one point thought it was a Microsoft product but as always...

Pros: No spyware, can be used on more than 1 computer, slightly cheaper than Turbo.
Cons: Several features are awkward, some functions failed to work for me.

I have 96MB of memory and am using Wndows 98 wich came with the computer. I had already bought TurboTax when I read about the sneaky surveillance program which comes with it so I decided to try TaxCut Deluxe (2002).

I installed TaxCut for...

Pros: $5 rebate; partial or full rebates on other programs purchased at same time
Cons: horrifyingly inaccurate

I've used TaxCut for three or four years. Prior to that I used TurboTax, but when TurboTax stopped supporting Windows 3.1 while TaxCut still did, I switched. I was quite satisfied. Even though the next year TaxCut also dropped Windows 3.1 support, I...

Pros: Faster return with efile
Cons: Errors importing fm MS Money, They lost my Rebate, No Stock Option Advisor like advertised

I will avoid TaxCut in the future. I have always done my taxes by hand, however this year I wanted to take advantage of electronic filing, so I researched programs that would allow me to efile. I chose TaxCut premium in 2003 for the following ...

Pros: Comprehensive, straightforward, inexpensive
Cons: Not much to speak of

For 3 of the last 4 years I have used for our tax return. The fourth year we used H&R Block because of a very complicated return that year. In retrospect I should have used it that time too because they basically use their own TaxCut software when you...

Pros: none
Cons: Real pain to use. Horrible support.

Based on some reviews from this and other sources, I decided to try TaxCut 2002 Deluxe for the first time (I had been using TurboTax for several years). I purchased the program for $24.95 plus tax and installed it on my PC without any problem. However,...

Pros: Easy installation, very helpful in complex return, great rebates, no "spyware"
Cons: To file multiple state returns you must pay for separate copies of TaxCut "State."

This is in no way meant to be a comprehensive review of this software. I am no tax expert, but in the past I have been able to file my tax returns manually. But in facing my joint-return for 2002 (11 W-2s, 2 Schedule C's, 4 state returns), I needed...

Pros: Very easy to use . Imported all from last year's Turbo Tax files.
Cons: It should link up to more mutual fund companies and stock brokerages to import data.

I decided to try H & R block's Tax Cut this year. It had received a very positive review in PC World magazine. See their review at: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,808675,00.asp

I have used Intuit's Turbo Tax Deluxe for two years but I...

Pros: The products performs well and is easy to use.
Cons: Undeniably bad customer service.

I've used TaxCut for a few years, and have found the product to be pretty good. The co-promotion (built in ads, marketing icons on your desktop and Start Menu) is sleazy and annoying, but tolerable based on the performance of the product. This year, ...

Pros: straight forward, carry over previous years common info
Cons: warning-pay by credit costs 2.5% of due$!

this Taxcut program has numerous features, allows jumping around the tax forms to fill in info later and recalculates each change, has help files and planners, but the individual pages for filling out the forms lack some immediate clarity as to how to...

Pros: Actually works, compared to competition.
Cons: Doesn't import data well

Last year, I tried TaxCut 2001 in response to frustrations with Intuit's marketing of TurboTax. I found the 2001 version of TaxCut to be inferior to TurboTax, despite the high ratings from magazine reviewers. So this year, I planned to switch back to...

Pros: Excellent for continuing past entries.
Cons: Confusing to begin or change data/

I purchased the TaxCut Deluxe version because State was included as a bonus. The price was $19.95 after a $5 mail in rebate. I registered online, mailed in the sales receipt and product identification and received the $5 rebate.
In March I began...

Pros: Very Straight Forward, Easy Navigation, Flawless importing of TurboTax info
Cons: none

After reading the review on the TurboTax I decided to give TaxCut a try. My reasons to try TaxCut were as follow. My first tax software I used several years ago was TaxCut and I found it straight forward and worked well. I have been using TurboTax for...

Pros: Ease of use
Cons: Handles imported data poorly

Please see my review of TaxCut 2001 for background. The interview process is good, except for some ...

Pros: None, there are much better tax programs out there than TaxCut.
Cons: They cheat on rebates. Never buying TaxCut again.

TaxCut offered a full refund rebate on TaxCut State with purchase of TaxCut Deluxe or higher. I sent in everything they asked for & when I got my rebate check they were several dollars short. They refused to send me the difference unless I mailed back my original check, which defeats the purpose of sending everything (UPC, receipts, etc) correctly the first time. I was afraid it might get "lost" in the mail if I sent the original check back. Not that I don't trust the post office, I just did not trust H&R Block's rebate center to send back my corrected amount rebate since they couldn't get it right the first time & were unwilling to make it easier for the customer by just sending me the rest of my money. They had all my info on record, & admitted they sent the wrong amount but did not fix THEIR mistake.

I've used TurboTax in previous years, and will go back to them next year. Besides the fact that they cheated me on the rebate, TaxCut was not as user friendly as other tax software programs I've used.