Just a few weeks ago, TurboTax announced the launch of TurboTax for Android tablet customers.  Today, we are expanding that announcement to include TurboTax (Kindle Fire Edition).  It’s exciting to add yet another mobile offering to the robust suite of mobile apps available to taxpayers this tax season.

TurboTax(Kindle Fire Edition)

With sales of Kindle Fire units on the rise, the new app reaches more customers and helps them prepare and e-file their federal and state tax returns on the device of their choice.

Designed and optimized specifically for the Kindle Fire, this app gives you the freedom to work on your taxes anytime, anywhere, and without always being connected to the Internet.  With the 7-inch screen in landscape position, you can easily navigate (or tap) your way through your taxes with step-by-step guidance to your maximum tax refund.

Just like other TurboTax apps, your tax return can be password protected for an extra layer of security. You can e-file your tax return directly from your Kindle Fire tablet and get a refund in as little as seven days with direct deposit and then easily and securely email a copy of your tax return to your computer.

While you currently cannot transfer previous year tax information or import income automatically, the app is ideal for new TurboTax customers, who haven’t yet started their return.

Need free tax advice?

This year, TurboTax is the only software to offer everyone free one-on-one live tax advice, via phone or chat from highly experienced tax professionals.

Free to download, pay when you’re done!

Kindle Fire customers can download the app via the Amazon Appstore.  Users can start in TurboTax Deluxe, for $29.99, and based on your tax situation, you can choose TurboTax Premier or TurboTax Home & Business for an additional cost. State tax preparation is additional. All pricing is subject to change and includes e-file at no additional cost.

To learn more and see the new app in action, check out the video.

Android Tablet App

New TurboTax for Android Offers True Native Experience

Designed and optimized specifically for Android tablets, the new mobile app gives you the freedom to work on your taxes anytime, anywhere, and without always being connected to the Internet.  The customized, native app takes advantage of the tablet environment with a unique look and feel, easy navigation and automatically presents customized keyboards, on devices that support it, to make entering tax data easier and more intuitive.

Tax returns can be password protected for an extra layer of security. You can e-file your tax return directly from your tablet and get a refund in as little as seven days with direct deposit and can easily and securely email a copy of your tax return to your computer.  The app supports Android tablets that are 3.x and above.

This is another effort to reach an audience of both new and existing customers on the devices they prefer.  While you currently cannot transfer previous year tax information or import income automatically, the app includes the same step-by-step guidance to help you reach your maximum tax refund.  This year, TurboTax is the only software to offer everyone free one-on-one live tax advice, via phone or chat from highly experienced tax professionals.

TurboTax for Android tablets is the first and only tax prep app designed specifically for Android tablets that enable taxpayers with simple and complex returns to prepare and e-file both their federal and state taxes completely from their tablet. For Android phone customers, SnapTax, an app designed for a simple return (1040EZ) is also available.

To learn more about the apps, go to Android tablets.  You can download the app for free from the Android Market, and pay when you’re done.  You can start in TurboTax Deluxe, for $29.99, and based on your tax situation, you can choose TurboTax Premier or TurboTax Home & Business for an additional cost. State tax preparation is additional.    All pricing is subject to change and includes e-file at no additional cost.

Check out this video demo to find out more about using the new TurboTax for Android tablet app.

earned income credit app

According to  the IRS, an estimated 20 to 25 percent of qualified workers fail to claim the EITC each year.  Intuit has just launched the free app called the EITC Finder to help determine if you can reap the benefit of one of the most missed tax credits, which may put up to $5,700 in your pocket.

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a tax credit for people who work, but have low wages.  The tax credit not only reduces the amount of tax you owe, but it also may give you a tax refund even if you didn’t pay enough income taxes.

In order to claim EITC, you must meet specific criteria, which is where the new app comes in to simplify the process of helping you determine your EITC eligibility by guiding you through a few simple questions about your marital status, dependents, and wages.

If you are eligible, the app estimates how much will be applied to your federal and state tax refund.   The EITC Finder then tells you how to easily claim your credit by preparing and filing your tax return with one of the free products offered through IRS Free File program, which includes more than a dozen brand-name tax software products donated by private companies, including Intuit’s TurboTax Freedom Edition.

The app, available for iPhone, iPod touch and Android, also provides nonprofit organizations and others that serve lower-income tax filers with an easy and flexible way to help their clients determine EITC eligibility anytime, anywhere with Internet access.

The EITC Finder is now available in both English and Spanish from the App Store, Android Market or Amazon App Store .

More Help if You Need it

Intuit’s Free File product offer , TurboTax Freedom Edition, is specifically targeted to EITC-eligible taxpayers and all filers with an adjusted gross income of $31,000 or less. It is also available to active duty military personnel with an adjusted gross income of $57,000 or less in 2011.

Since 1998, Intuit has donated more than 22 million tax returns to low-and moderate-income taxpayers. In 2010 alone, Intuit donated more than 2.15 million federal and state tax returns via the IRS and state Free File programs.

Find Tax Assistance in Your Community

The Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation works with nonprofit partners across the country to help more taxpayers access its Free File product offering. These include the nation’s network of IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs, where taxpayers can get help from a volunteer to prepare and file their taxes for free. The Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation is partnering with sites in 11 states and 48 communities to bring TurboTax Freedom Edition to taxpayers this year.

“We are really excited to build upon our success from last season,” said Jason Smerican, senior product manager.  “We have the benefit of going through the full tax season this year and can’t wait for even more customers to experience the convenience of doing their taxes from their iPad.”

With the first apps in the market, to allow people to prepare and file their tax returns all from their mobile devices, TurboTax apps make it easier than ever for taxpayers, anytime, anywhere.  You can estimate your tax refund, prepare and e-file your tax return, and track the status of your tax return after you file, all from your mobile devices.  Unlike other tax apps, TurboTax apps are specifically designed and optimized specifically for an app user experience.

The new suite of apps includes:     

• SnapTax: Designed for taxpayers with simple tax returns (1040EZ), SnapTax lets you snap a photo of your W-2 with the camera in your phone and then, automatically transfers information right onto your tax return. You then answer a few simple questions, review your tax return and tap “File My Taxes” to e-file in minutes.  Available for iPhone or Android devices.

•  TurboTax for iPad:  Improved for tax year 2011, TurboTax for iPad, now includes the ability to easily transfer information from your prior year tax return and automatically import income information directly from 400,000 employers, banks and financial institutions. Free one-on-one tax advice from highly-qualified tax experts is now available if you use TurboTax for iPad and SnapTax as well.  This year there will also be new apps for android tablets, including Kindle Fire.

• TaxCaster: Now available for iPad as well as iPhone and Android devices, TaxCaster is a free and easy way to estimate your tax refund.  With this interactive and engaging app, you can quickly and easily enter information using visual icons and sliders to see where you stand before you file. 

• MyTaxRefund: After e-filing, you can check the status of both your federal and state tax returns with this free and easy mobile app available now for iPad, as well as iPhone, Android devices.  MyTaxRefund also tells you when to expect to receive your federal tax refund based on IRS projections.

• TurboTax Card Mobile- Free to TurboTax customers who choose to receive their tax refund on a TurboTax Prepaid Visa® Card, the TurboTax Card Mobile app is available for both iPhone and Android devices.  The app allows you to track your federal tax refund, activate your card, check your balance and transactions, locate ATMs and more!

 TurboTax Online products are also accessible to mobile users.

All TurboTax online products, including Free Edition, are now compatible when accessing through a browser on the iPhone, Android, Kindle Fire, iPad and other tablets. With an improved mobile experience, if you are using a browser, you can move between your mobile device and your computer giving you more freedom and choice to prepare your taxes whenever and wherever you want.

TurboTax Goes Mobile

To check out new videos of the tax apps, click here to see TurboTax for iPad and SnapTax in action.

Pricing and Availability

All apps from TurboTax are free to download.  TurboTax for iPad and SnapTax customers pay when they are done.  All pricing for TurboTax mobile apps is available on the App Store, Android Market, or Amazon App Store for Android.

What could be better?  The ability to accurately and easily estimate, prepare, and e-file your taxes or track your tax refund all while being mobile.  So what device do you use to file your taxes?

Check out SnapTax and TurboTax for iPad on YouTube here:

Just in time for end-of-year tax planning, TurboTax launched its free TaxCaster app available for iPhone, Android and for the first time, the iPad. Updated for tax year 2011, TaxCaster, is a free tax calculator app that quickly provides an accurate estimate of your tax refund so you know where you stand before you file.

Quick, simple, and accurate. Sounds good to me! Just enter basic information about you and your family, your income, and tax deductions to get a good sense of whether you’ll owe money, or hopefully, get a nice tax refund when it comes time to file your taxes. Every time you enter information, the refund meter shows you how an item instantly impacts your outcome.

Also, new this year, TaxCaster allows you to input negative numbers if, for example, you need to show a loss. You can also modify your information or do “what-if” scenarios to see how actions may affect your bottom line. This makes it convenient to use the app year-round, especially if you have changes that impact your taxes, like a new child, buying or selling a home, or even adjusting withholding amounts.

The new app for iPad is optimized with iPad specific features and has a final review that displays all of your information at a glance. For the iPhone or Android app simply click on “details” to see your summary.

The cool sliders help you quickly modify your information by dragging the bar. You can also choose to enter information numerically. And…it’s safe.  Simply tap the “clear” button to remove data before closing the app.

TaxCaster features all the latest tax law updates and calculations of tax estimates are 100% accurate based on your input. While TaxCaster is not a tax preparation app, it will recommend the right TurboTax product to file your taxes, based on information you enter.

First, some good news this year.  Did you know there are three extra days to file your federal taxes?  The federal tax deadline is Monday, April 18 instead of April 15. Double check with your state though, as not all state tax deadlines are the same.

Here are a few tax savings tips to think about:

• In the rush to file, don't miss out on opportunities to reduce your tax bill.  Contribute to your IRA. Even procrastinators can save money on their taxes and they have until the April 18 deadline to contribute to an IRA and get a deduction on their 2010 tax return.

• Remember all those charitable contributions throughout the year. This includes cash and non-cash, household items like clothing, electronics and toys you may have donated.  If you itemize, these donations can add up to tax savings.  Mileage to and from charitable events, even babysitter fees while you are volunteering can be deductible too.

• Don't just take the standard deduction if you think you're running out of time. It may be worth more to itemize. Tax software programs like TurboTax can compare both and help you decide which is best for you.

• No time for an appointment.  The easiest way to file on time is to go online. Taxpayers can go online to prepare and e-file taxes up to the last minute. Online tax preparation is fast, easy and convenient.

• Be sure to efile your tax returns. It's faster and more accurate.  You avoid long lines at the post office and with direct deposit, you get your refund back in as little as eight days and acknowledgement from the IRS that your return has been received.

• Need more time? Don't panic.  Taxpayers can get an extra six months to file (until Oct. 17, 2011) a tax extension. But remember, a tax extension is not an extension to pay your tax bill. Individuals still need to send the IRS a payment for taxes owed, within 90 percent accuracy, to avoid late penalties.  To file a federal tax extension (tax form 4868 for all you tax savvy folks) for FREE, go to TurboTax.com.

• Can't pay it all now...you're not alone. Taxpayers who can't pay the full amount they owe can request an installment plan. You may qualify for a plan as long as you don't owe more than $25,000, and you must be able to pay your tax bill off within five years. There are fees to do this, but may be worth it to avoid fees and penalties.

• Plan ahead.  Ok, it may feel like it's too soon to start thinking about your 2011 taxes, but things you do throughout the year, like donations, volunteering, or medical expenses may have an impact at tax time. The more you plan the better prepared you'll be come next tax day.

Watch a short video of the iPad app in action:

Optimized for the iPad, the app lets users choose whether to work in landscape or portrait view and gives them the freedom to work on their taxes anytime and anywhere, even when they’re on the go.

Like all TurboTax products, TurboTax on the iPad guides people step-by-step through their returns to their maximum refund.  Customers can also e-file their return from the iPad and get a refund in as little as eight days with direct deposit.

To try it out, taxpayers can download the mobile app for free from the Apple App store and pay when they are done. Customers begin in TurboTax Deluxe, starting at $29.99 and based on their tax situation, and can choose TurboTax Premier or TurboTax Home & Business for an additional cost. State tax preparation is additional. All pricing includes e-filing at no additional cost.

After they have filed their taxes, for a true end-to-end iPad TurboTax tax experience,  taxpayers can check the status of their federal tax refund based on IRS projections with the free MyTaxRefund iPad app.

TaxCaster – Want to know how big your tax refund is going to be? TaxCaster is a free tax calculator app that will give you a quick tax estimate. Just enter basic information about you, your income and tax deductions to get a good idea if you will owe money or – hopefully – get a nice big tax refund. (iPhone, Android, WP7, WordPress plugin)

SnapTax – Prepare and file your taxes on your phone. Available nationwide and designed for taxpayers with simple tax returns (1040EZ), SnapTax allows you to snap a photo of your W-2, answer a few simple questions, review your return and e-file your federal and state tax return directly from your phone.  Download and try for free, pay $14.99 when you prepare and are ready to file. (iPhone, Android)

MyTaxRefund – Wondering “Where’s my refund?” MyTaxRefund, a free and easy app, is available to any taxpayer that has e-filed their federal tax return.  MyTaxRefund shows you the IRS projected status of your e-filed, federal tax return, tells you if your tax return has been accepted by the IRS and when the IRS estimates you’ll get your federal tax refund. (iPhone, iPad)

Apps can bring a little bit of fun and definitely convenience to your daily routine, so why not use them to help with your taxes too.

The ‘All Star Celebrity Treasure Hunt’ hosted by Brooke Burns, takes place during the commercial breaks, and will pit three teams against each other in a challenging competition for the chance to win $50,000 for their designated charity. The teams include award-winning recording artist and actress Brandy Norwood, actress Lisa Rinna (“Dancing with the Stars”), and Jeremy Roenick, a former National Hockey League player and NBC analyst.

Just watching TV could earn you some cool prizes. Viewers can play along throughout the night at http://www.NBC.com/TurboTax for their own chance to win $25,000 and other unique prizes. There are also multiple opportunities to win cool prizes online through April 18.

This special event incorporates how TurboTax provides easy, expert guidance to help people get their maximum refund. For example, the same way that the GPS system guides the ‘All Star Celebrity Treasure Hunt’ teams to their destinations, TurboTax helps guide taxpayers to their own treasure by identifying all the deductions and credits to which they are entitled.

For more information or to play along, go to http://NBC.com/TurboTax

This year, SnapTax is available for all states AND for both iPhone and Android mobile phones.  SnapTax is all about making it simple to file your taxes.  Just shoot, snap, file and you’re done.  So easy, it’s like magic! Here’s a snappy video to help illustrate.

SnapTax uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to snap a photo of a W-2 and transfer data to the tax return. Very cool! Answer some basic questions, check the return for accuracy and tap “File Now” when your ready to electronically file your return. There’s a running tally of the refund, or taxes owed, every step of the way. Your tax information is literally at your fingertips.

You can download SnapTax for free in the Apple App Store and Android Market and pay an introductory price of $14.99 when you are ready to e-file your return. The price includes federal and state preparation and e-filing.

Last year, SnapTax was limited to CA residents with an iPhone only and quickly achieved a 4 star rating in the Apple App Store. Feedback from customers was great. Avery Ryder, a 21-year-old college student and the first person to file a return using the app shared his reaction. “It captured all of my information perfectly and the import worked great … surprisingly great because I didn’t have to re-enter anything”, Ryder said.

This year, SnapTax is available to millions of taxpayers in all states. Designed for those with a simple return (1040EZ), SnapTax will quickly and easily walk them through the process. Sounds like something you may want to check out for yourself? There are some qualifications to help you decide is will work for you. Check out the Apple App Store or Andoid Market or go to www.SnapTax.com. So what are you waiting for…Snap to it!

TurboTax tax experts will be on the phones to answer one personal, tax-related question for free through Jan. 31 at www.FreeTaxQuestion.com. Anyone can submit a question – whether you’re a TurboTax customer or not. Simply submit a tax question online, and you’ll receive a personalized, one-on-one call back at a time you request.

TurboTax is moving up its annual free offer into November to help taxpayers get a jump on last-minute tax deductions or to better understand what they can do now in the face of pending tax legislation.

Whether someone has had a baby, lost a job, or simply wants to know where to enter information in tax software, TurboTax experts are here to help answer the top questions on taxpayers’ minds

Our experts are IRS-Enrolled Agents, Certified Public Accountants and Tax Preparers with advanced education and experience in tax law and return preparation.

This is the fourth year that TurboTax has offered Free Tax Question.

There’s no purchase necessary to participate, but it is subject to availability and for a limited time, so be sure to take advantage of the free offer with your taxing question.

Answers Anytime.

If you happen to miss out on the free tax question or don’t have a question now, then be sure to check out TurboTax Live Community.  If you’ve never experienced Live Community, you’re in for a treat.  It’s fast, easy and free.  The Live Community offers year-round, anytime access to online answers from a community of millions of TurboTax customers and tax experts.  Just type in a question and immediately find answers.

Giving taxpayers free options for their questions is just another way TurboTax makes it easy for people to get their biggest refund possible.

[taxcaster]

TaxCaster takes full advantage of Microsoft’s easily styled controls and animations to create a compelling user experience. The pivot control enables you to quickly navigate through the application to enter your tax data.  TaxCaster builds on the momentum of Intuit’s innovative, multi-platform suite of mobile offerings for consumers and small businesses. We expect to introduce several new WP7 apps in the coming months.

TaxCaster is expected to be available for free download to Windows Phone 7 users in the U.S. on Nov. 8. Updated versions for the current tax year for all mobile platforms, including Android and iPhone apps, will be available in mid November.  Bloggers can also download it as a plugin here.

]]> http://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/2010/10/28/taxcaster-mobile-app-for-windows-phone-7-arrives-november-8/feed/ 9 turbotaxcolleen http://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/2010/04/19/you%e2%80%99re-done%e2%80%a6now-go-celebrate-and-have-some-fun/ http://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/2010/04/19/you%e2%80%99re-done%e2%80%a6now-go-celebrate-and-have-some-fun/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:43:26 +0000 turbotaxcolleen http://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/?p=3142 Full story]]> So maybe it’s not your 10 year high school reunion or your 40^th birthday, but finishing your taxes is a milestone nonetheless.  And, even better, it’s a reason to celebrate!  Here’s some 7 ways to celebrate Spring and your taxes being done!

Take time to relax.  If taxes had you stressed or even if they didn’t, the best way to unwind is with a trip to the Spa.  Looks for weekday deals or even packages that might include multiple treatments or meals.

Take me out to the ballgame. Along with the American obligation of taxes comes the All-American spring-time ritual of the beginning of baseball season.  What’s better than a hot dog, peanuts and that “1,2,3 strikes you’re out” to celebrate?

Spring is in the air. Along with Spring comes new life, like baby animals and flowers.  Plan an outing to your local zoo to check out the newest additions or even try the botanical gardens/national parks.  It’s a great way to get closer to nature.

Music makes the heart feel good. There are lots of options if you look around. Take in a concert or outdoor festival.  Many are free and a great way to expand your musical palate.

Splurge a little…you deserve it. If you are getting a refund, as about 80% of Americans do, pull aside a small amount to splurge on something you wouldn’t normally do.  Try a new restaurant, stay at a cool hotel, or even rent a convertible for a day.

Happy hour with friends. You’ve been procrastinating about lots of things lately, so no more excuses…friends can often be the best way to celebrate any occasion.  Why not tax time.

Go for a ride on a coaster. Now that the weather is getting warmer for most, nothing gets the adrenaline flowing like a ride on a thrilling roller coaster or free fall from 100 ft in the air. Amusement parks are a great way to have some fun.  Investing in a season pass might be the best way to go…and you get to be a kid again.

Don’t panic though.  If you just can’t make that deadline, or the dog ate your W-2, you can file an Extention (form 4868), which gives you another 6-months, until October 15th, to file your taxes.   You don’t even need to provide an explanation, so there’s no need to blame poor Fido.

So here’s what you need to know:

• Go online.  If you haven’t started your taxes yet you can file an extension online with TurboTax Easy Extension for $9.95.  You can also file a business extension for $19.95
• Print and mail.  Taxpayers looking to file an extension for free can go to IRS.gov and print out and mail in the necessary forms.

The big benefit of filing online is the ability to e-file, which gives you confirmation that the IRS has accepted your extension and allows you make any payments due easily online.

Sorry…if you owe, you still need to pay.  Remember that while an extension does give you until October 15, 2010 to file your taxes, it is not an extension to pay if you owe taxes.  You must make any payments due by the April 15^th deadline or the IRS will charge interest and penalties for late payments.

The good news is that there is more than $100 billion in financial aid available to students and their families to help pay for college.  FAFSA is the application used by the government and nearly all colleges and universities to determine eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs.

Completing your FAFSA correctly and on time gives you the best chance to get funding. That’s where TurboTax FAFSA comes in.  It is a new, simple online option for families to complete the FAFSA, helping put them one step closer to achieving their dreams of college.

When you use TurboTax to complete your 2009 tax return, TurboTax can automatically transfer up to fifty percent of the required tax information directly onto your FAFSA form for you, saving you time and helping with accuracy.

And the best part, TurboTax FAFSA is completely free.  All you have to do is follow TurboTax’s famous step-by-step guidance to answer all the questions, then print and mail your application to complete the process.

So if you are applying for college in the near future, don’t delay, it’s better to apply early and state deadline vary.  Be sure to put “complete FAFSA” top of your “to-do” list and check out TurboTax FAFSA for help to get started.

The good news is there may be a silver lining in the way of non-cash charitable donations.  This is actually a win-win for you if you itemize on your taxes, making you eligible for a deduction, saving you money.  And, even better, you can feel good knowing you donated your valuable items to a worthy charity.  The big question is how valuable are they?  Surprisingly, most people underestimate the value of their donations, missing out on savings in the way of deductions at tax time.  To the rescue is a great free online tool I’ve used to help answer the question of how much is my “stuff” worth.

It’s called ItsDeductible and you can check out for yourself online.  If you do a lot of donations throughout the year, I’d suggest trying the online version as it allows you to add information whenever you want, all year round, then transfer that information right into TurboTax when you’re ready.   There’s a nifty online toolbar that you can download and use with Internet Explorer.  This allows you to simply add in a donation whenever you want without even going to the website. However, if you prefer to do it all at tax time, that’s an option too as ItsDeductible is included in TurboTax Deluxe and above.

There’s some cool features you get with ItsDeductible, including:

• Easily tracks thousands of donated items, as well as mileage, cash, bonds, and mutual funds.
• Provides resale values for your non-cash donations, based on the style and condition of the item.
• Instantly imports to TurboTax Deluxe and above at tax time, and fills out the right tax forms for you.
• Add donations any time- 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Helps reduce your risk of an audit with values based on IRS guidelines.
• Get fast answers to your donation questions for free with TurboTax Live Community.

In addition to the free TurboTax Live Community, which allows you access to tax questions and answers, you can now view videos to help you get the most of your charitable donations and even share your own video to help others.

For those of you on the ball…you can kick start your donations for next year, beginning January 1, 2010, by entering your 2010 item donations.