TurboTax Software
Prepare Taxes and File Taxes
with
TurboTax Basic
TurboTax Basic is the ideal tax preparation program for taxpayers who do not have a complicated tax situation. TurboTax Basic is available on the web as an online tax preparation program for people who want to prepare taxes and file taxes easily over the internet using a tax software program. TurboTax Basic is recommended as a great online tax preparation program for wage earners who have income to report to the IRS because they have received a W-2 from their employer. TurboTax Basic is also recommended for people who have income to report to the IRS because they have worked as an independent contractor and have received a 1099 from someone else. People who have received alimony payments or social security payments can also use the tax software program to prepare taxes and file taxes. Taxpayers who need to prepare and file a simple 1040 tax return or a 1040EZ tax return with the IRS will find this tax software program a good match for their tax preparation needs.
TurboTax Basic is also recommended for taxpayers who do not have very many deductions to claim on their tax return, such as mortgage interest from owning a home or from charitable contributions made to a church or nonprofit organization. TurboTax Basic has the capability to allow TurboTax users the ability to itemize tax deductions on a Schedule A. However, taxpayers who have a good number of itemized deductions are better off using one of the more advanced versions of TurboTax, like TurboTax Deluxe Deduction Maximizer to prepare their tax return. If a taxpayer has itemized deductions that turn out to be bigger than the standard deduction amount allowed by the IRS, then TurboTax Basic will automatically use the itemized deductions on the tax return so the TurboTax user gets the best possible tax advantage. In other words, the TurboTax online tax program will take the larger amount of the two numbers and include it on their tax return. Taxpayers who do not buy and sell stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other investments can also use the online tax program to prepare taxes and file taxes.
TurboTax Basic is easy for users to navigate because it guides taxpayers easily through their tax return preparation with a step by step guide. This easy step by step guide uses simple questions to ask taxpayers about their tax situations in order for them to complete their tax return. The answers given to the simple tax questions are used by the online tax preparation program to complete the online tax return. The easy step by step navigation guides lets the TurboTax Basic user go back to a previously answered question to review the question again or to change an answer if needed. The step by step navigation guide also allows TurboTax Basic users to move ahead in the program and to go back and forth between questions and tax topics in the program. If a tax topic does not apply to a taxpayer, the TurboTax user can skip over those tax topics and proceed to another area in the program that applies to their tax situation. Summary pages are at the end of each tax section in the tax software program so that the taxpayer can review the tax topics that may apply to them. The tax software program has an error check to help reduce errors on their tax return.
Taxpayers who do not have to file a state income tax return can also use TurboTax Basic to file only their federal IRS income tax return. A great feature of the online version of TurboTax Basic is that the online tax preparation program is free to use by taxpayers to prepare taxes, so taxpayers can try the online tax program for free. Taxpayers pay only when they want to print their completed tax return or e-file their tax return with the IRS.
It is easy for taxpayers to always know what their tax refund will be when using the tax software program because the program automatically calculates the amount of the tax refund and instantly displays it visually in the program. As with all TurboTax products, once the tax return is completed and ready to file, the taxpayer can electronically file their tax return directly to the IRS by using the tax software program. Once their tax return has been successfully transmitted to the IRS, the program will provide the taxpayer with a confirmation of their electronic tax filing with the IRS and that is comfort all taxpayers can use.