How does a "Paid" TT-Premier User (not online, but desktop downloaded or CD/DVD version) submit Program Improvement suggestions (or Errors findings) to Intuit and be able to track the suggestions and Fixes status?
As a heavy MS Excel user, I find TT-Premier to be fairly "primitive" in being able to document all of the data that is entered into the various program sections. And this is Important Data! (Unless I am missing something here?)
For example, I suggest that each "cell" have a "Notes/Comments" field (a Pop-up if necessary) where one can add supporting or helpful info (eg, Statement Dates) on the source of the data input to that cell. Some 1099 providers issue multiple "Corrected" 1099s and being able to document the version supplying the data entries would be helpful.
Each of the various TT Income, Expense, Taxes sections could provide for the "attaching" of PDFs, documenting the inputs to the entries in those sections. These PDFs could be scanned or downloaded documents such as 1099s, W-2s, property tax receipts, charitable receipts, medical expense receipts ... you get the idea. Anything that supports the data that was entered.
TT wouldn't necessarily have to do anything with the files, just "safe store" them along with the Return info. It could be very handy to have everything in one place if an audit were to occur several years in the future!
Quicken, previously an Intuit product, has had that ability (file attachments) for 20+ years.
(I suppose asking TT to OCR "Box Values" from 1099 PDFs from sources that don't provide "Import" functions is going too far?) TT could OCR and pre-fill in all the Box data and then ask for user confirmation of the values.
Additional functions that would make TT much more valuable, would be to be able to enter and "flag" temporary "placeholder" or estimated values in the actual return while waiting for the specific IRS or other financial forms and the exact values to be made available. This allows for Federal and State tax estimates to be generated before the final return. The "Review" Section could first scan all fields to ensure they are "Marked Final" and not "Estimates" before going into the full review and Filing Sections.
It would also be valuable to create whole "planning" versions within TT itself. Yes, I know, and use the "what-if" worksheet, but it is cumbersome and limited to just three alternative plans and modifying the inputs is awkward and better than nothing, but a full Planning Version of TT itself, including State taxes, without any "Filing" capabilities, would be much more valuable.
An explicit "Roth Conversion" what-if analysis capability would also be valuable.
Anything that Intuit could do to make TT more "intuitive", and flexible for users would be highly valuable!
Thanks for your consideration!
/ss
PS - Excel also has powerful "what if" and "goal seeking" capabilities that can serve as models for some of these additions!
