2009 Tax Year Media Guide

Transcription

1 2009 Tax Year Media Guide 2009 Tax Year Media Guide 1

2 TaxACT Overview 10 TaxACT Facts You Should Know Table of Contents 2-5 Overview TaxACT Free Federal Edition and Deluxe cover simple and complex returns with all the forms most taxpayers need to prepare and file a 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ return. Both TaxACT products cover business income, capital gains, rental income, itemized deductions and depreciation. TaxACT State Editions integrate completely with either Free or Deluxe Editions to quickly transfer Federal data to a State return, allowing users to complete their State return in minutes. Users can choose between Online and Desktop software (download file or CD-ROM). 6-7 Free Federal Edition 8-9 Deluxe Federal Edition 10 State Edition 11 Ultimate Bundle 12 Data Archive Service TaxACT Endeavor Card 13 Federal Business Editions 14 State Business Editions 15 Home & Business Bundle 16 Contact Us TaxACT Free Federal Edition is truly free for everyone it includes all e-fileable forms to prepare, print and e-file an IRS return. Anyone can try TaxACT risk-free no obligations or gimmicks. Four reasons to be worry free with TaxACT Maximum Refund Pledge, Accuracy Guarantee, Price Lock Guarantee and Money-Back Guarantee. Web and Desktop versions of Free Federal Edition, Deluxe, State and Ultimate Bundle (Deluxe + State) are offered. All products include unlimited and Web support and video tutorials. TaxACT is the only Webbased tax planning and preparation product to offer a year-round tax preparation solution (Preview versions are released each October, with Final versions released in January) TaxACT State integrates with Free and Deluxe Editions so that Federal data transfers quickly and seamlessly to your State return. In the 2005 tax season, TaxACT became the first to offer free Federal software and free e-file to all American taxpayers. 2nd Story Software, a privately held company, was founded in TaxACTOnline.com is the 2nd most visited online destination for tax preparation services.1 Since 2000, TaxACT Online has assisted with more than 15 million e-filed Federal returns. 1 According to collective week end reports released by Hitwise during the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 tax seasons Tax Year Media Guide 3

3 Personal Tax Products Online / Web-based Price E-file Online Free Federal Edition FREE one Federal e-file Online Deluxe $9.95* one Federal e-file Online State $14.95 one State e-file Online Ultimate Bundle (Deluxe + State) Best Value $17.95 Federal & State e-files Download or CD-ROM** Price E-file Free Federal Edition FREE one Federal e-file Deluxe $12.95 Business Tax Products Download or CD-ROM** Federal 1065, 1120S or 1120 Price $39.95 each one Federal e-file, $7.95 for each additional Federal e-file State $14.95 $7.95 per State e-file Ultimate Bundle (Deluxe + State) $19.95 one Federal e-file, $7.95 per State e-file About 2nd Story Software 2nd Story Software, Inc., a privately held company founded in 1998, is critically acclaimed as a leader in developing affordable tax preparation software and providing Web-based services directly to consumers. TaxACT continually gives users wellinformed tax strategies in an easy-to-use format, while maintaining focus on providing best value for customers. More information about TaxACT products is available at 2nd Story Software has earned the BizRate Circle of Excellence for six consecutive years. The award recognizes the top performing online retailers that provided outstanding customer experiences throughout the year, as rated by their customers. A True David and Goliath Story TaxACT was created from the ashes of a product called Personal Tax Edge marketed by Parsons Technology. In 1994, Intuit, the makers of TurboTax, acquired Parsons Technology and Personal Tax Edge, their next closest competitor. By 1997, Personal Tax Edge was gone, but the discontinuation of Personal Tax Edge led the founders of 2nd Story Software (all of whom had worked on the Personal Tax Edge product) to create TaxACT. Starting with a simple goal to provide high quality tax preparation software to taxpayers at an affordable price, TaxACT launched in In less than a decade, 2nd Story Software claimed its place amongst the Goliaths of the industry, becoming the number two destination for online tax preparation. State 1065, 1120S or 1120 Home & Business Bundle (One Federal Business Edition, Deluxe and State 1040) $14.95 per State $51.80 All States $54.95 each *All prices and product features subject to change without notice. **Prices do not include S&H charges Tax Year Media Guide 5

4 FREE FREE FEDERAL EDITION FREE to Prepare, FREE to Print, FREE to E-file for Everyone! TaxACT also guarantees the biggest refund possible and 100% accuracy. Free - Online & Desktop New! All e-fileable forms for simple and complex returns Including Forms 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ and Schedules C, D, E, and F answer simple interview questions and TaxACT will complete the correct forms for you Free federal e-file Get your Federal refund in as few as 8 days with e-file and direct deposit New! Competitor Import Import tax data from 2008 returns prepared by other software solutions* TaxACT TaxPayer Support Unlimited and free tax help via Enhanced! Help Center & Video Tutorials In-depth help topics with stepby-step directions for tax questions and TaxACT program support Maximum Refund Pledge Biggest refund guaranteed for accepted federal e-filed returns. New! Stock Assistant Enter stock data quickly and get a summary of investment income College Financial Aid Worksheet New in Free Edition! All the tax information you need for the FAFSA in one printable document New! Quick entry option Enter data directly into forms or complete the step-by-step interview, including W-2 and 1099 data Enhanced! Audit Assistant Guides you through the process if you happen to be audited by the IRS TaxACT Guarantees Maximum Refund Pledge, Accuracy Guarantee, Satisfaction Guarantee (Online only) & Money-Back Guarantee (Desktop only) Examiner Series Boost your tax savings with Credit, Deduction and Income Examiners TaxACT Alerts Warns you of errors, omissions and tax-saving opportunities you may have missed Loan & Savings Calculators New in Free Edition! Estimate payments and future values based on amounts, interest rates and time period 6 * See Web site for a complete list of software supported 2009 Tax Year Media Guide 7

5 Deluxe Federal Edition Recommended for last year s TaxACT customers and those seeking extra one-on-one tax help, tools and guidance. Includes all the features in Free Federal Edition, plus all the features listed below. $9.95 Online $12.95 Desktop Enhanced! TaxACT Import Import essential tax data from last year s TaxACT return to save time and reduce error New! Stock Import Import stock transaction information provided by your brokerage company using a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file to save time and potential error Enhanced! Donation Assistant Maximize your non-cash charitable contributions by tracking donations and obtaining audit-backed values for 700+ commonly donated items TaxACT TaxPayer Support Unlimited and free tax help is just an or phone call away Forms Preview New in Online Deluxe! View Federal forms as PDFs as you complete the interview upon payment TaxACT Guarantees Maximum Refund Pledge, Accuracy Guarantee, New! Price Lock Guarantee (Online only), Satisfaction Guarantee (Online only) and Money-Back Guarantee (Desktop only) TaxACT TaxTutor Guidance Interview questions link to tips and extra information from J.K. Lasser s Your Income Tax TaxWatch 2010 Customize a plan to help lower 2010 taxes TaxACT Life Events Helps you understand how life changes such as getting married, having children and selling your home can affect your taxes Tax Calculator New in Online Deluxe! Perform what-if scenarios without adjusting the actual numbers on your return summarizes your return and allows you to see the impact of adjustments Loan & Savings Calculators Estimate payments and future values based on amounts, interest rates and time period Joint vs. Separate Report See how filing separately or jointly will change your tax obligation National Averages Comparison Compare your taxes to the average U.S. citizen to identify hot spots that the IRS may notice Capital Gains Summary View all stock and asset sales to quickly compare and reconcile with your brokerage statement Depreciation Summaries View all depreciation and disposal assets in one list for current and future years W-2 Import Import W-2 data from select employers or use the quick entry method to save time Tax Year Media Guide 9

6 State Edition Ultimate Bundle (Deluxe + State) One of the most affordable State tax solutions available. Finish a State return in minutes! $14.95 per State - Online & Desktop Best Value TaxACT s best value! Save more than 25% and get everything you need to prepare and print your Federal & State returns - includes free federal e-file. $17.95 Online $19.95 Desktop Additional States - $14.95 per State Free state e-file For a faster refund available for all income taxing states that accept e-filed returns (Desktop users can print for free or e-file for $7.95) Complete your State return in minutes Information from your Federal TaxACT return transfers seamlessly into your State return just answer a few questions to e-file your State return in minutes ALL part-year & non-resident forms TaxACT makes it easy to file a partyear or non-resident return if you lived in multiple states this year or worked in one state but live in another each state sold separately Forms preview New in Online State! View State forms as PDFs as you complete the interview upon payment New! Tennessee forms and city forms for New York and Michigan* For a complete list of income taxing states, visit Included in Online Ultimate Bundle TaxACT Deluxe + one State Edition of your choice One free Federal e-file One free State E-file Included in Desktop Ultimate Bundle TaxACT Deluxe + one State Edition of your choice One free Federal e-file add up to 4 more Federal e-files for just $7.95 each Desktop State e-file - just $7.95 each Prepare and print unlimited returns 10 * See Web site for a complete list of city forms 2009 Tax Year Media Guide 11

7 Data Archive Service (DAS) ACCESS 2009 TAXES UNTIL 2013 Getting a copy of your tax return from the IRS involves completing a form and paying nearly $60. TaxACT DAS gives you full unlimited online access to your tax return for up to 3 years after the tax filing deadline. Finish an existing return, print a backup copy, plan for next year s taxes and more. Federal Refund Options Taxpayers who e-file with direct deposit can have their refund in as few as 8 days. Online Deluxe, State and Bundle users can pay for their TaxACT product by deducting the amount from their refund. All users can receive their refund on a TaxACT Endeavor Card, a pre-paid debit card. NEW! Use all or part of a refund to purchase U.S. Savings Bonds in increments of $50. $ $ Online only Price based on product & purchase date 5192 VALID THRU Federal Business Editions 1065, 1120 or 1120S Editions TaxACT walks you through your partnership, S corporation or C corporation return, calculating & filling in forms. TaxACT also allocates and updates Schedule K-1 items as income changes. Afterwards, take advantage of depreciation reports & powerful calculators for business analysis & planning. $39.95 each* - Desktop only Easy interview process Answer simple questions and TaxACT will do the calculations and complete the appropriate forms for you Automatic partner/shareholder allocation All 1065 and 1120S Schedule K-1 items are automatically allocated and updated as business income, deductions and credits change Depreciation reports Printable lists of all depreciable assets, quoting depreciation for the current year and next year sort report by either asset name or date acquired Loan and Savings Calculators Calculate loan payments or the future value of savings deposits, then print amortization & accumulation schedules TaxACT Alerts Warns you of errors, omissions and tax-saving opportunities you may have missed Password protection keep data safe from others who may have access to your computer Multiple occurrences of supporting forms Enter as many supporting forms as you need (e.g., data for several rental properties) * Price does not include S&H charges Tax Year Media Guide 13

8 State Business Editions Home & Business Bundle State 1065, 1120 or 1120S Editions Seamlessly integrates with TaxACT Federal Business Editions to prepare and print a State Business return quickly and easily. $14.95 each* - Desktop only Need to file personal and business tax returns? Save money by purchasing all your software in one package! $54.95* - Desktop only Additional States - $14.95 each Complete your State return in minutes Information from your TaxACT Federal Business return transfers seamlessly into your State return answer a few questions and complete your State return in minutes 1065 and 1120S State Editions Available for AZ, CA, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, MN, MO, NC, NY, PA, SC, WI & VA 1120 State Editions Available for CA, FL, GA, IL, MN, NC, NY, PA, SC, VA & WI Includes Your choice of TaxACT Federal Business 1065, 1120 or 1120S TaxACT Deluxe (for your personal 1040 Federal tax return) TaxACT State (for your personal State tax return) One free Federal 1040 e-file State e-file for just $7.95 New for * Prices do not include S&H charges * Prices do not include S&H charges 2009 Tax Year Media Guide 15

9 Contact Us 2nd Story Software, Inc th St. NE, Suite 300 Cedar Rapids, IA Need More Information or a Complimentary Copy of TaxACT? Jessi Dolmage Public Relations & Creative Solutions Manager p: (319) x:2193 e: pr@taxact.com Sales (319) Fax: (319) Technical Support & Tax Help (319) Social Media New! Mobile site New! blog.taxact.com m.taxact.com For TaxACT System Requirements, please visit our Web site nd Story Software All rights reserved.