That WHATIF mode is great - thank you again for pointing it out (a hidden feature!). I just noticed how handy it is to just test out a change in filing status - for example, it has a simple checkbox to try out changing MFJ to MFS. And it is easy to test out HOH vs. Single.
But, the other part of my original comment still stands: there is still no good way to see a summary of TOTAL TAX DUE for Fed and each state. The top left box in dialog mode is always tax due/refund for Fed and each state (which is of course the net after w/h, applied from prior year & estimated payments).
This makes running scenarios a PITA because the steps are 1)save a duplicate ttax file (I just use Finder on my mac, duplicate the file and give it a test scenario name), 2)make changes, 3)go into Forms mode and scan down to the last page of the Fed 1040 and each state return, find the tax due number, then key it into an excel worksheet table, 4)repeat these steps for each scenario.
The WHATIF form is useful if you only are interested in the Fed 1040 and have simple changes.
I still think that Turbotax should not only highlight the tax due / refund, but should also make apparent the TOTAL TAX vs. having to search for it on the various fed/state forms.
