Normally this is the time of the year I go out and buy TurboTax and get ready to review the product for this magazine but not this year.

For several years Intuit provided review copies for us to evaluate and inform the readers of how the program performed. Then, when they quit furnishing us the copies, I decided to buy a copy and report on it since I liked the way it functioned.

TaxCut does much the same as TurboTax – that is, it leads you through an interview process, imports data from select accounting programs if you have them, calculates the tax you owe or the refund you have coming, offers electronic filing, and prints the selected forms. The programs work well.

OK – if they work well, why the suggestion of “none”, you ask?

Well, let’s review a couple of recent offers for the programs from a major computer retail store.

TurboTax is “only” $29.99 after mail-in rebate plus they throw in a great FREE software bundle of TurboTax state edition, Quicken Basic, Internet Security Suite, a Personal Firewall, and EZ Armor.

TaxCut is “only” $19.99 after mail-in rebate plus a software bundle FREE that substitutes Microsoft Money in place of Quicken, plus the other programs.

Of course, the kicker is that you must spend $269.94 plus tax for the TurboTax package and $279.94 plus tax for the TaxCut package. Why? Well, they all call for mail-in rebates and, in some cases, you must have the older edition of the program so you’re upgrading your software. Otherwise, no rebate, no refund.

My personal opinion is that this is a rip-off of people that are inexperienced in buying software and hooks you into having to mail in countless forms (at 37 cents a shot) plus loading up your computer with programs you don’t really need.

What are the alternatives?

Go to your favorite search engine and look for free income tax filing. There are hundreds of sites that will allow those that qualify to file electronically free – yup, absolutely positively free. Elderly and low-income people qualify.

Go to the library near your home and people volunteer to help you file the returns free.

AARP offers free filings for those over 55.

If your return is not complicated, file the 1040A yourself – it isn’t difficult to follow the instructions. This is for those that don’t itemize deductions and have nothing unusual to work on.

If you itemize deductions, take your time since the newest tax laws allow us to deduct our sales tax like other state residents are allowed to deduct their state income tax. Those tables aren’t ready yet so do be in a big hurry to file.

When you Google for a free filing you’ll find that the IRS has a site that will help you file free. It works!

Electronic filing is the way to go and I’ll be doing that sometime in 2005, but this year I don’t think I will spend $29.95 or $19.95 or whatever it will sell for at Costco/Wal-Mart/Sams/HEB/Walgreen/etc. By the way, it is running about $18.00 on eBay but watch the shipping costs.

I believe I’ll work on the taxes on the Internet, using a secure site, and save the money this year. If I do decide to buy the program, you can bet I’m not going to go for the “bundle” – I can’t afford to save that much money!