Thanks to everyone for their responses.

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

AK47 wrote:

- quote -

The desktop versions of TurboTax (not TurboTax Online) have
a forms mode that allows you to work directly on the forms.
You can get it with or without the state. It supports
e-filing, at an additional fee. A lot of the entries on the
forms come from worksheets. In those cases, you have to use
the worksheets. If you force an override in order to make
the entry directly on the form, it is likely to mess up the
integrity of the automatic calculations.

If you get TurboTax, I would suggest that you give the
interview a try. It's not linear. You can jump around to
whatever topic you want, and you can flip back and forth
between forms mode and the interview, so you can use the
interview for some areas and the forms for others. For some
parts of the return you might find the interview helpful,
and using it will introduce you to how the worksheets are
set up. You can display the current form in a window on most
of the interview screens, and jump to the form with one
click if you want to.

All desktop versions (Basic, Deluxe, and Premier) have the
same forms. The differences are some options for extra depth
in certain parts of the interview, and the inclusion of
additional reference material like IRS publications, a tax
handbook, and some videos. If you are going to work
primarily or exclusively with the forms, there is no point
in paying extra for a better interview. But if you are going
to use it for a state return, the Deluxe version with one
state download included will cost less than the Basic
version plus buying the state separately.

Bob Sandler

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

AK47 wrote:

- quote -

I believe all the popular consumer software products have a
"forms" mode, as well as an "interview" mode. Read the box.

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

AK47 wrote:

- quote -

H&R Block's TaxCut can be used in Form mode (but it prefers
to hold your hand via interviews). The cheap Standard
version should be all that you need.

Use Ctrl-F to get the Forms, then Click the Whole Form
button and start filling in.

---
Fred J. Tydeman Tydeman Consulting
tydeman[at]tybor.com Testing, numerics, programming
+1 (775) 358-9748 Vice-chair of J11 (ANSI "C")
Sample C99+FPCE tests: http://www.tybor.com
Savers sleep well, investors eat well, spenders work forever.

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

AK47 <ak47cats[at]hotcoolmaildogs.com> wrote in

- quote -

Try TaxAct. Both interview and non-interview formats (at
least the professional version).

Catherine

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

AK47 wrote:

- quote -

Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF)
+
www.irs.gov

-Mark Bole

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

K47
<ak47cats[at]hotcoolmaildogs.com> wrote:

- quote -

Both TurboTax and TaxAct allow you to bypass the interview
and enter data directly on the forms. TaxCut may also allow
you to do this. Note, however, that you may not be able to
enter all data on the "final" forms with some programs and
still be able to e-file, but there should still be some sort
of work sheet for entering the data that allows you to
bypass the interview process.

--
Vic Roberts
Replace xxx with vdr in e-mail address.

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

"AK47" <ak47cats[at]hotcoolmaildogs.com> wrote:

- quote -

AFAIK all the major sofware packages have a direct forms
input mode, at least on their downloadable products. I know
TaxAct does for 2005.

Many of the .pdf IRS forms now have input, although no
calculation, permission. You can tell when you open the
form. (You need a current version of Adobe Reader.)

Some states have direct input capability. (I know MD does.)
You can get to any state through the www.firstgov.gov
portal.

--
Phil Marti
Clarksburg, MD

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >

Is there a software package out there on which you can make
your entries on the form rather that have to sit through a
tedious "interview"?

I'm thinking of something cheap, preferably supporting
e-filing.State taxes may or may not be included.

This is intended for use by a knowledgable person.(e.g. a
retired accountant).

<< ================================================== ===== > << The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only > << and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. > << ================================================== ===== >