[nfb-talk] taxes

Sun Mar 29 19:51:32 UTC 2009

My experience has been that TurboTax is not responsive where their software is concerned.  However, I think we 
played a role a number of years ago in getting them to make their web site accessible.  This needs to be followed up on.  
I am going to copy Curtis Chong on this, too, because I think he was working at the Center at the time and was 
involved.

Laura, beyond that, I have used the TurboTax software and I know of others who have used TaxAct.  This isn't on-line, 
I know.  TurboTax is partly accessible and I believe TaxAct is substantially more accessible.  The TurboTax interview 
method has not worked well with screen readers for a long time, but I don't know if anything has changed this year.  
TaxAct has JFW scripts as I understand it, but you have to rename them each year so they connect to the current 
version of TaxAct.  Again, this was as of last year, I don't know about this year.

If you are wondering why anybody would use a program like TurboTax when it is not completely accessible, it is 
because I usually do my taxes by forms and the forms can be used with a few tricks.  However, I always do taxes with a 
reader because of the various statements that have to be examined.  She does the reading but I enter the data, but she 
is able to assist if I run into accessibility problems.  However, by the time I pay a reader and buy the software, I believe 
an inexpensive preparer would be cheaper but I like to have some control over what I am submitting.  While tax 
software has to change every year, their forms logic is separate from their main engine so they don't like to make 
changes to that.  However, I believe that anyone making money from a government process such as tax returns should 
be obligated to make their software accessible.  TurboTax and Taxact are both close enough so that it shouldn't be that 
difficult, but I'm dreaming a little now.

My understanding is that many of the forms are supposed to be available in accessible PDF documents from the IRS, 
but I do not know how difficult they are to use.  

Good luck.

Best regards,

Steve

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 02:53:45 -0400, Michael Bullis wrote:

>I don't know which ones are accessible but I will tell you a short tale of 
>my own.
>I did my taxes with turbotax online.  Although it did take some figuring 
>here and there about certain links that weren't visible, in general the 
>process worked and I completed my two State and one federal return.  They 
>were fairly complex returns and the system worked well.
>Unfortunately, at the very end of the process, right after, and I emphasize 
>the word after, you've paid them, they require you to varify a captcha.

>Needless to say I was furious almost beyond words and the words I used 
>weren't very pretty.  Fortunately, after looking around I found a phone 
>number to call and was able to speak coherently enough to finally get 
>someone to understand that I would be their mortal enemy for life if this 
>didn't get worked out quickly.  It was already after 11 PM Eastern time. 
>So, the guy at Turbotax linked up with my computer and read the captcha.  It 
>took a few tries to link correctly, Etc. and I did inform him that they were 
>truly a law suit waiting to happen.

>I offered to assist Turbotax in finding an alternative to captcha and 
>avoiding what I see as a serious legal issue but have not been contacted to 
>this point.  As I see it, the real problem is that they lead one along 
>through a lengthy experience and then, after taking your money, they drop 
>the bomb that you have to access a captcha.  Bad feelings aren't even what 
>this creates.
>So, Hope this helps.
>Mike Bullis

>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
>To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>; "Multiple recipients of NFBnet GUI-TALK Mailing 
>List" <gui-talk at NFBnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 10:44 PM
>Subject: [nfb-talk] taxes

>> Hi all -- sorry for the cross post, but it's tax time and I am wondering 
>> if
>> there is an accessible program for calculating and submitting taxes 
>> online.
>> I am trying to avoid hiring someone to do my taxes, as they are easy 
>> enough
>> that I can handle them, but since I lost my print vision I have been 
>> giving
>> them to someone else to do.  I want to take over my own taxes again, but
>> have not as yet tried anything like quicken or turbo tax.
>> I have my checkbook in a MoneyTalks file, which can be exported to a qip
>> file, whatever that is -- I assume it has something to do with quicken,
>> right?
>>
>> Anyone out there doing their own taxes? I really would like to get a 
>> handle
>> on it.
>> Thanks!
>>
>>
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