The name change from TaxCut to H&R Block At Home was revealed in a conference call last December. The idea is to use the H&R Block brand name to its fullest, and to help tax filers understand that they have options – visit any H&R Block store, file online, download software online, or purchase software from a leading retailer like Walmart.

TaxCut 2008 Software and H&R Block At Home 2009 Software

We like the idea and think it will help to avoid some confusion about the TaxCut software brand. For a limited time only you can use the links on our H&R Block web page to get 15% off popular software editions. I just checked the link now and see the software download prices for Windows and Mac as follows: H&R Block Basic $16.96 (regular $19.95), H&R Block Deluxe $38.21 (regular $44.95), H&R Block Premium $50.96 (regular $59.95).

H&R Block Free and Online services are priced much less than the software download so we suggest that you give Online a try. And if you need assistance filing your taxes check out the H&R Block Best of Both product. You prepare your taxes online and an H&R Block tax professional will review and certify your income tax return!

• TaxCut Basic
• TaxCut Premium
• TaxCut Home & Business
• TaxCut Deduction Pro
• H&R Block Signature
• H&R Block Online Office

Of all the H&R Block TaxCut software available today, we like the H&R Block Signature software product the best. Starting at just $79.95 you get year your tax advice from an H&R Block tax professional, support in the case of a tax audit, and additional H&R Block guarantees that you might not find elsewhere. H&R Block Signature is similar to TaxCut in that you prepare your income tax return yourself online, then, an H&R Block tax professional will review, comment, edit, sign, and efile your forms.

For more information please see our TaxCut and H&R Block web pages.

IRS e-file program began as a pilot project in just 3 cities back in 1986 with just 25,000 tax returns filed electronically that year. Each year the number of tax payers choosing e-file continues to grow, with almost 90 million IRS tax returns e-filed last year according to published IRS statistics.

Among a dozen other things, the IRS also said the following today:

“…the error rate is so low for e-filed returns. In fact, the error rate is significantly reduced from 20 percent with paper returns to about 1 percent with e-filed returns.”

“Taxpayers who use e-file and who choose direct deposit can receive their refund in as few as 10 days. That’s because with e-file, there’s no paper return going to the IRS. And with direct deposit, there’s no paper refund going to the taxpayer.”

So not only does e-file deliver your income tax refund money faster than mail in tax forms,  those who e-file usually don’t make any errors. No doubt that income tax preparation software is partly responsible for the reduction in tax form errors. And we must note also that Turbo Tax and Tax Cut are quoting “in as few as 8 days” as the number of days for which you can receive your IRS income tax refund.

TaxCut Free makes it quick and easy to prepare your form 1040EZ income tax refund, automatically checks for errors, and carries an accurate calculations guarantee just like the rest of the H&R Block income tax preparation services.

If you have a more complex income tax filing for 2008 and need tax form help and advice, try H&R Block Signature from $79.95. H&R Block Signature allows you to prepare your income tax return online with the help and support of an H&R Block tax professional. Complete the income tax return yourself online, then, an H&R Block income tax professional will review, comment, edit, sign, and efile your 2008 income tax return for you.

Didn’t file your 1040EZ tax refund or payment due in 2007 or even 2006? H&R Block Signature tax professionals can consult and help you file past year income tax returns as well. Visit our TaxCut and H&R Block tax service review web pages for more information.

• Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
• Filing status (Single, Married Filing Joint Return, etc.)
• Exact whole dollar amount of your IRS tax refund

In general you can access information about your IRS tax refund 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-file tax return. If you e-file online using Turbo Tax Free, Tax Cut Free, Tax Act, H&R Block or any other income tax e-file service, first log into your account from the service provider’s web site to ensure that your e-file was in fact processed. While rare, there are instances where an e-file is rejected. Your IRS e-file service provider will generally alert you by email or post a message in your account to inform you of the status of your e-file.

If you mail in your income tax return, you can generally access your IRS tax refund information in three to four weeks after the mailing date.

After the wait period, visit www.irs.gov and click on the “Where’s My Refund?” image on the right side menu to get started. Enter the required information into the IRS web form and view your results.

Free E-File, not to be confused with IRS Free File, technically means that the electronic transmission of your income tax return is free. This tax year many of the income tax preparation service providers have increase their free service offerings to include free tax preparation along with their free e-filing service. What this all means is that if you like Turbo Tax or Tax Cut, they too offer free e-file and tax form preparation services in a software product that you may prefer over the IRS Free File product. It costs nothing to try Turbo Tax Free, Tax Cut Free, and new for this year Quicken Free which bundles well with Turbo Tax.

-Income Tax Pro

- Income Tax Pro