N C Income Tax Forms (employment, bill, money)

[dodgeguy]

Why can't North Carolina use a simple income tax form like the Federal 1040EZ or 1040A? Why do they use a form that requires a taxpayer to use the taxable income from your Federal return, multiply, divide, add and subtract and fill out several worksheets to come up with a taxable income amount for the state? Years ago, NC was like this, you started from scratch for both state and federal. I guess they are hoping that you will make a mistake and they can bill you years later...............with interest and soak us for more money.

[wheelsup]

Even better is if they'd be like FL, TN, TX, and NH (probably a few more) and have no income tax forms...

But I agree it is extremely hard to follow what they want us to do. Even VA's was easier.

[CHTransplant]

Use tax preparation software. The state form is pretty much filled out by the time you finish the federal form.

[dodgeguy]

I agree, it would be nice not to even have a state tax. However, if you don't pay state income tax, you'll pay elsewhere.

I have never tried filing by computer. I was told that some of the software like Turbo Tax would not let you go back and correct mistakes. Always done it with paper returns. Guess I am old-fashioned, but some things like tax returns and voting are better done on paper.

[RaleighLass]

I have used online versions of Turbo and HR Block and have been able to go back and make corrections, there is an edit function. As another poster said, it makes the NC one much easier.

If you still want to do NC using the hard copy form, then you have to completely finish your fed tax return first.

Try the online way, you don't pay until you actually "file" it on line. So if you try Turbo and don't feel comfortable with it, try Block. If you don't like either, then go back to the paper version...good luck!

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by dodgeguy

I have never tried filing by computer. I was told that some of the software like Turbo Tax would not let you go back and correct mistakes. Always done it with paper returns. Guess I am old-fashioned, but some things like tax returns and voting are better done on paper.

That's not really true, especially for the big name ones. You can go back and change things as much as your heart desires.

Personally I like H&R's Tax cut as you can enter numbers directly into the electronic form, no need to enter it into the program if you don't want to. But doing so makes your life so much easier. Well worth the $30 for a state return.

[RaleighLass]

Forget to say, the good thing about doing it online is that it can import your info from last yrs filing once it's in their system. This saves you re entering employment info and EIN, etc.

[raleighkc]

You can edit as much as you want on tax preparation software. I recommend using the online versions. TaxCut, TaxSlayer, TurboTax, etc, - I've used or helped friends use them all. Your state info is filled out by the time you finish the federal info. There's usually just a few state specific questions.

[dodgeguy]

Might give it a shot this year. I guess most of the "bugs" have been ironed out of the software by now. Probably will be required to file online before much longer.

[CHTransplant]

Originally Posted by dodgeguy

Might give it a shot this year. I guess most of the "bugs" have been ironed out of the software by now. Probably will be required to file online before much longer.

I've been using software to do my taxes since 1993. (If you can believe it, the first program I used was DOS-based.) The bugs were ironed out years and years ago. Most of the software programs are vastly superior to the ability of the average human being to complete a tax return.