Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have used Mac TurboTax (and its predecessor MacInTax) for over 20 years. Finally, I have been forced to abandon TurboTax completely on account of Intuit's evolving design philosophy to wrest ultimate control of your tax return away from you and force it to look the way they want it to look. Specifically, my complaint is that TurboTax is increasingly limiting the user's ability to OVERRIDE values on the return. In the past -- for many, many years -- a user could override any calculated or transferred value anywhere on the return. But beginning in 2011 and continuing to the present, that ability has become increasingly restricted. As a practical meter, this means that you can't necessarily make your tax return look the way YOU want it to look. Now, Intuit essentially tells you how it HAS to look (if you use their software). At first, limitations on overrides only appeared on Form 8582 (Passive Activities) AND its worksheets. In 2011, 2012, and 2013 I had to prepare Form 8582 and its worksheets with a TYPEWRITER (!!!). But then in 2013, it got even worse when the "no overrides" principle was extended to Form 4562 (Depreciation). My federal return makes extensive use of both Form 8582 and Form 4562. These are critical forms and without the ability to complete them the way I want to complete them, I simply can't and won't use the TurboTax program. So I'm done with it. What to do now? In 2013, as an experiment, I purchased and used both TurboTax and H&R Block's Tax Software to prepare my return. Interestingly, the paper return I ended up filing (I always file paper returns) was a mixture of pages from the two programs. The difference between the two programs was huge. H&R Block is what TurboTax used to be: It is intuitive, easy to use, and every entry on every form is totally within control of the user. You can prepare your return to look EXACTLY like you want want it to look -- H&R Block is not looking over your shoulder, so to speak, while you do it. It's also much cheaper, at $35 for the "Deluxe" Federal and State version. I will admit that TurboTax is slicker, has a fancier interface, and might cover some unusual tax situations that H&R Block doesn't. (But not in my return, which is pretty complicated as these things go.) But I don't need "slick." I need something that will prepare my return the way I want it prepared.... exactly as I want it prepared. If you are an experienced DIY tax return preparer with even a moderately complicated return, you should want the same thing. I would highly recommend anyone to investigate the H&R Block product. For me, it's perfect.