H & R Block Tax Software Giveaway!

by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2008-02-0726

This giveaway is over! Note that H & R Block TaxCut software has been rebranded as H&R Block At Home and Online products. If you’re interested in these items, I’d like to invite you to read our H & R Block Tax Services review. You may also access the software through our review page.

On occasion, we hold tax software giveaways. The following free tax sweepstakes is no longer active but check this page for future promotions on H & R Block offerings.

Expired Promotions From H & R Block

Tax season is upon us and if you’d like a jump start on doing your taxes, I have a couple of copies of H & R Block’s TaxCut Premium Online software to give away! A representative from H & R Block has contacted me with an offer to give away two copies of their TaxCut Online Premium + e-File software, each valued at $20.

If you’d like to participate in this contest, please leave a comment below on this post which includes your contact email and let me know of your interest. Any relevant comment is fine but you can also answer this question: “in this presidential election year, what kind of changes to the tax code would you like to see the new administration make?” I’m curious to know what thoughts you have about our current tax system.

All approved comments will be eligible as entries to this contest, from which I’m planning to hold a random drawing for TWO winners, whom I’ll be contacting via email. There’s a special URL and a key code I’ll be providing you if you win, so you can access the software online.

So just drop me a line and we can get going! The contest will be open till Tuesday.

taxes

 
Image Credit: markey.house.gov

Copyright © 2008 The Digerati Life. All Rights Reserved.

{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }

Steven February 7, 2008 at 9:36 am

I think we ought to have the Fair Tax. I am impressed how it will solve lots of problems.

brandon February 7, 2008 at 11:28 am

it’s a scam though, right H&R Block and the others make huge profits by loaning you the money that you expect to get back as a refund, and taking a huge fee, this also gives them an incentive to file for deductions that are disallowed by the IRS, watch out for advances on your refund, the fee is a huge interest rate percentage-wise, if you were living within your means and your budget you would not need to get the refund now, you could wait for it. I would “Just Say No” to free software from H&R Block.

Silicon Valley Blogger February 7, 2008 at 11:46 am

Interesting….I’ve never heard of a scam like the one you are describing. Anyone want to chime in on this?

This contest is for tax filing software and assistance (for efiling, in particular) and has nothing to do with loans for refunds.

More on tax preparation software reviews here.

I also found this review against an older (2005) version of TaxCut Online. And this more recent one.

theWild1 February 7, 2008 at 1:12 pm

I am not a pro on taxes and doing them so any help would be appreciated 🙂

Ron@TheWisdomJournal February 7, 2008 at 1:29 pm

Hello SVB Count me in!
I’ve used TaxCut for probably 10 years and have always been pleased. I even used it while preparing taxes for my small business several years back (I’ve sold it since then). Since it was a sub S corp I could put everything on my personal return.

As far as the refund anticipation loans, if someone is crazy enough to ask for one, why beat up H&R Block for giving their customer what their customer demanded? It’s like beating up the grocery store for selling bacon and eggs to fat people.

colette February 7, 2008 at 1:39 pm

the change i’d like to see is that the US should stop being the only country in the western world that taxes its expats. it’s completely absurd, and causes some people to give up their citizenship just for stupid tax reasons!

brandon, i’ve heard about what you’re talking about (on marketplace on NPR, i think). the scam is the “tax advance loans”, where they give you a check for what they expect your return to be. there are lots of problems with this, not limited to high interest rates on this loan that most people don’t know is a loan. it also can encourage dishonorable tax preparers to fudge things to make the check bigger. they really target poor working neighborhoods with this, and it really sucks. all the major tax preparers do it, and i think it’s supposedly their largest source of income.

Mrs. Micah February 7, 2008 at 2:14 pm

I think Brandon is referring to their “I got people” commercials about getting your cash in the form of a loan against your refund. As their Emerald credit card, I believe.

While it’s legitimate, it’s not in the best interests of most people and it could lead to a conflict of interests, which I think he’s alleging. After all, the more refunds they can find you, the more money they can lend you, the more money they can make off that money (though I don’t know the terms of this deal).

I’m actually planning to look into the Emerald card and write it up sometime soon…just to get the facts, rates, etc out in the open.

Mrs. Micah February 7, 2008 at 2:15 pm

Whoops. That said I’d still like the software. I wouldn’t be getting the refund that way and if worst came to worst I could buy Turbo Tax.

JRich February 7, 2008 at 3:06 pm

I like the FairTax, but doubt it has any significant chance.

Otherwise – Remove the bottom tax bracket completely. Any more money those folks get will go straight back into the economy.

Aryn February 7, 2008 at 3:18 pm

I’ve been using TaxAct online for several years and would be interested in trying someone else’s software.

There are couple big changes I’d like to see:
1. the removal of the income cap for student loan interest deductions. My husband and I have a high combined income, but we also live in a high-tax, high-cost state and that income is a result of large loans. But we’ll probably lose the deduction next year.

2. the same goes for the childcare tax credit, which phases out at high incomes, but those very incomes usually mean both parents are working and live in high-cost states.

2. truly removing the marriage penalty. Yes, they did boost the standard deduction to twice that of singles, but my lower income is still taxed at my husband’s higher rate, which means we pay more tax than we would have to if we were single. It’s basically a disincentive to marriage for anyone who doesn’t plan on having kids right away!

whatley February 7, 2008 at 4:06 pm

get rid of the IRS let do the fairtax or a flat tax or a vat tax any thing other than the same scam from out federal government.

Alan February 8, 2008 at 6:38 am

Thanks for this opportunity!

In theory, I like the Fair Tax system, but I’m not sure we could make that leap all at once. I would really like to see a tax credit put in place for purchasing your own health insurance. By placing the responsibility and incentive on the individual, they will be more apt to controlling their health costs and living healthier lives.

Dave February 8, 2008 at 8:23 am

Index the AMT qualification levels to compensate for inflation.

thewild1 February 8, 2008 at 8:32 am

Its awesome

Jeff February 8, 2008 at 10:41 am

The Fair Tax would be a disaster. It wouldn’t come close to paying for government services at their current level. If the government has to pay the same sales tax on everything they buy, that extra cost would just be passed on to taxpayers. Do you think the states would be happy to pay an extra 30% to the federal government on all of their purchases?

Also with 30% sales tax that would cause a whole new black market economy to open up. No way some form of cheating wouldn’t occur with tax rates that high.

Alas, I don’t know how to reform the tax system, just not with a Fair Tax. But I would love some free tax software!

Jesse February 8, 2008 at 3:04 pm

Jeff, 99% of economists agree that the Fair Tax would be dramatically better. EVERY study that has been done has placed the required % between 17% and 30%. You picked the highest number and with no data backing say it wouldnt cover government costs? Come on now…

Heidi February 8, 2008 at 3:18 pm

I’m with Aryn – I’d like to see the cap removed from the student loan interest deductions, and I’d like to 86 the marriage penalty.

I would love to see the US go to a flat tax, or some other, simpler tax system. I hate that filing has to be so complicated.

plin February 11, 2008 at 12:26 pm

Any tax prep software would be helpful; I like filling out several and then comparing to see which gives me the most refund (or, in most cases, to which I owe less).

I am no expert on taxes but I do find it unjust that people such as my parents who have worked hard their entire lives and are now happily retired STILL have to pay taxes. Didn’t the gov take enough of their money already? Aren’t they already suffering under the crap social security healthcare coverage?

Tommye Rodrigues March 13, 2008 at 4:38 pm

I would like to see revisions to our tax code that reflect capitalize on the fast-growing number of Americans with assets equal to or greater than a million dollars. We have the largest number of billionaires in America’s history, as well. Both our millionaires and billionaires typically pay NO TAXES. We would quickly remedy our desperate financial situation in this country if we allowed these two groups to contribute their fair share, for a change!

GW February 7, 2009 at 9:48 am

Can I get the HR Block Software for 1099’s, W2’s, LLC, Rental and Mortgage Interest Income? Please mail to [address masked] or email to [address masked]. Thanks, GW

Silicon Valley Blogger February 7, 2009 at 10:00 am

GW,

Thanks for your inquiry. The giveaway is over, unfortunately, although I’ll keep my eyes out for any free resources. I’ll post what I find.

Thanks for visiting!
-SVB

Larry Clark January 1, 2010 at 11:58 am

I use H&R Block’s tax software last year and was very happy with it. I will be using it again this year. I recommend it.

kurye February 18, 2010 at 6:41 am

I use H&R Block’s tax software last year and was very happy with it. I will be using it again this year. I recommend it.

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