Best alternative to TurboTax for 2025?

[Sophias_Dad]

So, now that Intuit are being stupid about this windows 10 fiasco, what is the best alternative? I ask this both for myself and the community at large. I may or may not stay with TurboTax for 2025, as I already have access to a windows 11 device. If I find a decent alternative, I'm gone. I had already considered a new Win11 laptop for myself, but I certainly don't want Intuit to reach its money-grubbing hands into that decision.

My return is not THAT complex, but complex enough:

Stocks, including ESPP and RSU's

Rental income

Gift tax (Form 709), although I don't think TurboTax does that anyway.

Small business income

Things I require: 

NOT online tax information

Import from 2024's .tax form, not some crazy scanned PDF method.

Windows 10 support until the end of ESU

[M-MTax]

TurboTax does not support Form 709, but here's some software that does:

https://www.puritas-springs.com/product-category/federal

[M-MTax]

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@Sophias_Dad wrote:

Import from 2024's .tax form, not some crazy scanned PDF method.

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Not sure how much success you'll have with the import process, but I've seen reports asserting that TaxAct is better than H&R Block, just generally (and those are your only two choices for consumer-level desktop income tax prep software). TaxAct is also more expensive.

https://www.taxact.com/download-tax-software

[baldietax]

your desktop s/w options are basically TaxAct or HRB

or stick with TT if you have access to Win 11 maybe you're saying that's inconvenient.  A year from now this will all be moot as you'll most likely be on Win 11 if you're considering it anyway.  A lot of people are spending a lot of time and agita to throw out a multi-decade tax process, for an extra 6 months or so on Win 10.  Turbotax won't be ready til February anyway.

even is ESU is extended if that's the hope, other third parties will likely drop support for Win 10 as the user base declines so you could switch to HRB, then upgrade to Win 11 anyway, then you're stuck with HRB as your tax process (but if that works for you then great).

you could file an extension and then it's not Intuit forcing you to get Win 11, it's Microsoft's fault.

otherwise try setting up a Win 11 VM I would have thought that would be a fairly standard YouTube solution at this point and then who cares what Intuit decides.

you can also just get a cheap Win 11 laptop or mini PC solution for a couple of hundred bucks I believe.

a few options.  this is easily solvable if you like your tax process.  when all the dust settles on these things and the big bill changes etc, Turbotax delivers a solid flexible product (usually) which is why everyone has used it for 20+ years.

good luck!

[M-MTax]

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@baldietax wrote:

A lot of people are spending a lot of time and agita to throw out a multi-decade tax process, for an extra 6 months or so on Win 10. 

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Absolutely true. Just my opinion, but it would be wise to bite the bullet now rather than later in order to retain a process that has been used time out of mind.

[SPLITRIMZ]

Intuit is not listening,   I''m hoping for an alternate solution to Turbo Tax

[M-MTax]

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@SPLITRIMZ wrote:

Intuit is not listening,   I''m hoping for an alternate solution to Turbo Tax

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"Hoping for an alternate solution"? There are only two DIY, consumer-level, desktop income tax prep software developers; H&R Block and TaxAct. Take your pick. I'm sure each has its pros and cons.

BTW, don't think for one minute that either of those companies are going to be "listening" to you (i.e., don't be delusional; they don't care about you any more than does Intuit).