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One of the many ‘alternative’ tax packages following in TurboTax and TaxCut's wake, CompleteTax offers a stripped-down, competitively-priced third way between old-fashioned self-preparation and the exhaustive approach of the major suites. CompleteTax focuses on speed, simplicity and clarity.
Versions
Unlike many other suites, there are no differently-priced bundles or “flavours” to speak of in CompleteTax. A federal return is $29.95, and a state return is $14.95. If you need a Federal extension , that will be $9.95 extra, please, thank you very much, now let’s move along.
Features
The first thing you will notice about CompleteTax’s interface is that upon starting a new return, it opens a popup window that automatically maximizes, perhaps hinting that this product is designed to command your full attention for a short period of time, after which you will have successfully filed a return. The look is austere, and navigation is handled through simple right and left buttons at the bottom of each screen. You are free to skip ahead and go back, and when a page is complete, you place a check in a box at the bottom. Interview questions are terse and to the point. First-timers will appreciate a visual representation of the forms you will need to gather before starting your return, complete with pictures.
Similar to other ‘bargain’ suites, CompleteTax lacks any sort of investment or retirement planning features, or the ability to create and compare scenarios, such as joint vs. separate spousal filing. CompleteTax also lacks certain key features shared by most of its competitors. Online filing veterans will notice the absence of the ability to import tax data from anywhere at all, no refund/deduction meter tracking their refund or deduction in real time, and an option to file multiple returns at the same time. On the other hand, it has several “premium” features that other similarly-priced suites do not—namely, an extensive library of help materials on tax laws and forms, a feature for suggesting deductions you are eligible for and might have missed, a handy JavaScript calculator that will pop up on request, a flash demo explaining how to file, and a even tool that will attempt to project your refund or deductions into the following year.
Support
An interesting help system displays FAQ questions related to the current interview sections on a sidebar. If that isn’t enough, support is provided by chat for a per-issue fee of $4.95, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm CST.
Conclusion
CompleteTax is a great option for users who are at least somewhat tax-savvy and who want to file quickly and efficiently and cheaply without too many extra bells and whistles. Those who think they might need technical support or advice from a tax professional should probably look to other suites.
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