You Can Now File Your Taxes Via iPhone

[Michael Essany]

In case you missed the biggest news in the world of electronic tax filing, Intuit has announced the iOS arrival of its hugely popular tax software TurboTax, making it possible to complete and file your federal and state income tax return for 2010 via iPhone. If you plan to e-file - and have remarkably simple tax needs - this free app dubbed SnapTax may be for you.

"SnapTax offers an entirely new and unique way to file taxes," said Barry Saik, vice president of product management for TurboTax. "Now, millions of taxpayers across the country can do their taxes easily and accurately from their mobile phones in just minutes." According to Saik and the promotional material available about SnapTax, the mobile app is fairly straightforward. The filing process begins by photographing your W-2 form(s) from the iPhone or an Android-powered smartphone. The app then "extracts the data" via optical character recognition technology. Pretty nifty, indeed.

In minutes you can complete and review your completed tax return. If there are no problems, you can e-file directly from your phone. But there are several catches to the process, not the least of which are the simplistic requirements of your tax needs. For instance, your reported income can only be logged from W-2, interest or unemployment forms. Also, if you earned more than $80,000 (single) or $100,000 (married) in 2010, the app is not for you.

Although the app is "free" and available now for download http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/turbo...406364213?mt=8 there's a $14.99 charge to e-file your returns from the iPhone.

Intuit

[steve-z17]

Cool, I'm gunna give it a shot.

[Xcellerator]

Nice, though I'll probably stick the doing taxes by hand/computer.

[muzmurad]

For those wondering, it's for the US only.

Quicktax in Canada was changed to TurboTax starting this year

[javiert30]

I always doit online with them, but I tried with the app and when I fill up the answers it dont allow me to doit because I had dependents last year. So I think that we all that file with dependents last year we are not going to be able to doit with the app, it sends you to file online. Useless for us

[Hyperextension]

Like I want to be doing my taxes on a MUCH smaller screen. Wow. What a useless app.

[StealthBravo]

Its a pretty cool idea

[jiggyjae]

Like I want to be doing my taxes on a MUCH smaller screen. Wow. What a useless app.

Agreed

[moon#pie]

Its a pretty cool idea

Useless for you though.... lol

[pdiddy21502]

Think i will still be doing my taxes the old fashion way.

[delusion950]

What's an average time of completing the taxes? 2 days?

[wolverinemarky]

sounds like a cool app buy im gonna stick to the turbo tax website but will try it out

[ohthatguyagain]

Great idea! Eventually, I can see this expanding to cover almost all versions of the full turbotax... Who knows, the phone might even help autofill the id process at the end, pre-submission.
I would probably have qualified to use the app, but opted for the full web version on my mbp

[AKCHRIS]

WOW..an App for taxes..Guess what..if ya mess up..guess where ya gotta go? BACK too your Computer..lol..i <3 Apple BUT...not this App.lol

[JazJon]

I'm going to try it, nice.

[EskimoRuler]

Like I want to be doing my taxes on a MUCH smaller screen. Wow. What a useless app.

For you, maybe others will find it helpful

[GellBrake'rrrr]

If I hadn't already done my taxes (with TurboTax) yesterday.... I would have given it a shot. Great idea!! Pretty soon the question will be "what is it that you /can't do/ with your iPhone"?

[Sanady361]

I'll still be using Tax Act.

[Hondamaker]

Tried it. It works, but some of the fields are left blank and you have to enter some info manually. Not bad, though.

[santacruzlocal]

Nice ... Not sure how much I trust it !!!