# Recommendations for free tax filing software for self employed for 2014-2016



## tsnbmm (Mar 27, 2018)

All the same or? 

Thank you


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## tsnbmm (Mar 27, 2018)

Or is it worth a few bucks for a paid one? Maybe it would be good to get familiar with the best choice and keep using it year after year.


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

SimpleTax.ca is excellent and free. But I suggest you donate if you are happy with it!


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

+1 for simple tax
they give a series of choices for donations, i usually give them ?20 but this year since $19 was a preselected choice i gave them $19
unlike all the big guys, simple tax is simple honest and straightforward


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## mustfirstregister (Feb 5, 2018)

I use simpletax and i donated 30/year each year.


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## tsnbmm (Mar 27, 2018)

Okay thanks a lot everyone. I'll take a look at Simpletax!


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

take a look at studio tax as well.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

ian said:


> take a look at studio tax as well.


Indeed. Studio Tax resides on one's computer whereas Simple Tax is online (as I understand it).


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

I use Studio Tax. It doesn't do much in the way of hand holding like perhaps TurboTax may do, but it is more than adequate for my needs. I used to use TaxFreeway and it worked fine too. It's $9.95, so that is what I donate to Studio Tax. Both reside on computer.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Funny thing is, people always complain that "the rich" get all these tax breaks, yet "the rich" all tend to use accountants (not the H&R block types either) and the working class all look to spend as little as possible to minimize the taxes they'll pay by either doing it themselves or finding free solutions or cheap software.

Kind of makes you scratch your head a bit. I always thought you'd want to emulate those who were more successful than yourself...


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## Joe Black (Aug 3, 2015)

Just a Guy said:


> Funny thing is, people always complain that "the rich" get all these tax breaks, yet "the rich" all tend to use accountants (not the H&R block types either) and the working class all look to spend as little as possible to minimize the taxes they'll pay by either doing it themselves or finding free solutions or cheap software.
> 
> Kind of makes you scratch your head a bit. I always thought you'd want to emulate those who were more successful than yourself...


If all you have is a single T-4 and _maybe_ some RRSP contributions, I don't see what an accountant can get for you that the "cheap software" wouldn't find, certainly nothing that could offset their fees. Even self-empoyed often have rather simple taxes that can be easily done in a couple hours on SimpleTax or similar platforms.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

You know this, of course, from experience and you're not just assuming this correct?

I often spent time with my accountant discussing options I could do the next year which may be tax advantageous to me, investments I may make, techniques I'm considering employing...

Of course, if all you want to do is maintain the status quo, then you may be right. Getting a job and going to work rarely makes anyone wealthy, so let's all keep doing that and then complain about it.


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

tsnbmm said:


> All the same or?
> ... Or is it worth a few bucks for a paid one?
> 
> Maybe it would be good to get familiar with the best choice and keep using it year after year.


It doesn't sound like you are familiar with the deductions available to someone self-employed so I suspect learning what is available and the software is likely to mean missing deductions etc.

I'd say find a good accountant for this round, learn the software and then decide how to proceed for future returns.


Cheers


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Just a Guy said:


> Joe Black said:
> 
> 
> > If all you have is a single T-4 and _maybe_ some RRSP contributions, I don't see what an accountant can get for you that the "cheap software" wouldn't find, certainly nothing that could offset their fees. Even self-empoyed often have rather simple taxes that can be easily done in a couple hours on SimpleTax or similar platforms.
> ...


For some of my relatives ... this is correct, while for others - this is incorrect.

For yet others, a T-4 plus a single RRSP contribution/deduction was not being filed correctly.

IMO ... YMMV.




Just a Guy said:


> ... I often spent time with my accountant discussing options I could do the next year which may be tax advantageous to me, investments I may make, techniques I'm considering employing...


Which shows you are getting full value as well as proactive ... sadly others skip this with their accountant.


Cheers


Cheers


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

I ran into a tax accountant this year who had done someone's 2016 taxes wrong in spite of tax slips. My conclusion was that they had come to depend on the previous year's returns as their 'guidance', plus they get busy in April. So when a T5008 came along that they hadn't encountered in previous years they just ignored it. I submitted a reassessment for the capital gains and now do their taxes myself.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

There are good accountants and there are bad accountants. Like most things you have to do some <gasp> work. I realize work is a four letter word and our parents always discouraged kids from doing four letter words, so maybe let's call it research.


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

Just a Guy said:


> There are good accountants and there are bad accountants...


Yes, that was my point - with a poor choice, a person can be worse off than doing taxes themselves.
The balance of the post is drivel though.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Not really, how many people actually take the time to interview a potential accountant? How many ask someone else for a recommendation, even though their situation is completely different than anyone else? How many just "google" accountant?

In my experience most people do minimal work, then complain when things don't work out. It's the same in investing, people throw money in an rrsp, resp, tfsa based on what some banker/hot tip said and complain when they get less than stelllar results?

Sorry most people spend more time picking out a car than they do investing, imagine what results they'd get if they reversed the effort.


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## Joe Black (Aug 3, 2015)

Just a Guy said:


> You know this, of course, from experience and you're not just assuming this correct?
> 
> I often spent time with my accountant discussing options I could do the next year which may be tax advantageous to me, investments I may make, techniques I'm considering employing...
> 
> Of course, if all you want to do is maintain the status quo, then you may be right. Getting a job and going to work rarely makes anyone wealthy, so let's all keep doing that and then complain about it.


Rereading my post I realize I didn't make the point I had intended. I was thinking of "working poor" who are living hand to mouth, let's say $25K/year. People in that situation are not going to get any benefit from an accountant. I admit I've never tested that theory, maybe somehow a good accountant could put somebody like that in a better financial position than he could do himself, even after taking his professional fees, I just can't begin to imagine how.

What I objected to was your scoffing at people using "cheap software" instead of a professional accountant. There's a certain financial dividing line where on the one side do-your-own-taxes is the best option, and the other side you would do better with professional advice.

I actually see doing your own taxes as one of the first stepping stones to getting out of the "status quo". If you've never done it yourself I don't know how you can have an intelligent conversation with a financial planner or understand their recommendations, and by extension know if they are doing you any good. 

I do agree with you that complainers would be better of spending more time learning/trying/doing rather than being envious.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

The way I see it, the tax law is one of the most complicated and confusing pieces of legislation ever written, and each year it gets worse. I would rather consult an expert on this legislation than try to understand it myself. Now, there are accountants who don't brush up on the changes every year, or try to wing it, but I wouldn't recommend using one of those. 

Personally, I have a general idea of how they tax system works, enough to hold a basic conversation with someone, but I certainly wouldn't have enough knowledge to maximize my benefits, that's why I personally pay a professional.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

The challenge of engaging a professional is that some people focus on the hourly rate or the charge rather than spending time to get someone that is recommended and who will provide the desired outcome. The last time I engaged a lawyer i did not even ask what the hourly rate was. I was more concerned about getting the best result possible with the lowest amount of billable time. It is the bottom line fee and the results that we focus on.

I have used Studio Tax for a few years. I tried it at first to do a pro forma return in order to guestimate our tax liability even though the accountant was doing the returns. Our tax situation has been much more straightforward so we have used Studio Tax for the past two years to prepare and file our returns.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

The issue with lower hourly rates is, if you want to earn more for the same work, work slower.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Just a Guy said:


> The way I see it, the tax law is one of the most complicated and confusing pieces of legislation ever written, and each year it gets worse. I would rather consult an expert on this legislation than try to understand it myself.


If you find doing a tax return confusing, them hopefully you also hire an adviser to do your investing for you. Not everyone has ability to do these things and they should seek help if confused.

We have owned and run two businesses and now are retired living off our investments. We have always done our own books and tax returns. There is nothing complicated about it really, but it does take some work to stay up to date. For many in same situation, an accountant would no doubt be advisable, but I would rather know exactly what is going on.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Personally I focus on investing and running businesses. I don't have the time, energy, or intellect to be an expert at everything. Since proper tax planning is important to my success in the first two areas, I prefer to leave that to the experts. Besides, I took math in school where 2+2=4 not a $3M loss.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Just a Guy said:


> Personally I focus on investing and running businesses. *I don't have the time, energy, or intellect* to be an expert at everything. Since proper tax planning is important to my success in the first two areas, I prefer to leave that to the experts. Besides, I took math in school where 2+2=4 not a $3M loss.


Sounds like you are doing the right thing


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