Sherrmann: I don't know how to do italics either, so I'm just going to use the age old quotes, should I quote you. =0) The different systems were all listed on a website at one time, but it was several months ago, I believe it's "hillaries" plan that has the communist bent I mentioned (though I could be wrong on that....). Obama had one that makes a immediate "check-up" mandatory, though I don't remember what happens if you tell them to pound sand. "WHY ARE YOU NOT BOTHERED BY THAT?" Who says I'm not?!? Ok, I'm not as bothered by companies restricting the folks who choose to use their company, because each and every one of those folks have the choice not to give that company their money. (I also understand that those companies have made agreements with the doctors on their list, that they can only charge their people certain amounts, thus saving the insurance company and the consumer both money. Thus the reasons for the lists.... of course you can go outside your system, but the company will only pay the amount they have worked out with the doctor on their list... you will have to pay the rest.) Consumers seem to have forgotten that what they buy, they get. If there is not an option out there that they find ok, then they have the choice not to buy at all. We had a post either here or in the money saving forum that proves that point to the letter. Someone wanted to be able to pay their bill by phone without charge. At least 5 folks came on saying that they should just accept what the company offered, even if it wasn't what they wanted. Excuse me WHAT?!?!?!? Why the heck should we do that? There are too many companies offering similar services to settle for what one company offers. My dad just had a woman for a satellite company tell him that he had to either pay $70 for a service call, or pay a monthly fee to have them come out and fix their equipment, that there was no other choice. She was actually shocked to find out that HIS choice would involve a rival company and NOT paying this company's bogus fees. (they came out and fixed their stuff without charge) Yes, I know, just like that lady on the phone, many believe that they do not have a choice in the insurance company they choose. It's simply not true. You always have a choice. It may be between something bad and something worse, but it is still a choice. "I DON'T THINK IT IS OK FOR "SOME OF US TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS." NO ONE IS MORE ENTITLED TO GOOD HEALTH CARE THAN ANYONE ELSE." No, it's not "OK", but it IS going to happen. No matter how good the system it's still run by people, and people aren't perfect. There are folks in every system in the world falling through those cracks. Are wealthy people "entitled" to more/better care simply because they can pay for it themselves? As much as it seems to go against the grain, and that I hate the word "entitled"....... Yes. In the same way as they are "entitled" to better houses, better cars, and even better tvs. They can pay to fly to where ever the expert in their particular problem is, they can afford to stay as long as they need to in that area, they can afford the fees that the best can charge. They can also chase all over the world for the latest "cure" not available here, to the scientists and the wackos who they think can help. They can pay to have a private nurse come to their home and stay with them for 24 hours a day for months and/or years. And as much as many may hate it, those wealthy folks chasing the fountain of youth, allow the experts to volunteer their time helping those that may not have as much. Allows them to charge less if anything to those who can not afford to pay. And in the case of a home health nurse... pays a living salary for someone else. This does not mean that everyone should not be able to get some basic care. It does not mean that everyone should be able to get good care. And if you need me to pay for your basic health care, then you should be willing to go through the systems currently in place. They may be broken, but they are in place. Somehow it seems to speak to the "throw away" society we have become that no one is interested in fixing what we have, they just want to go out and buy "healthcare 2.0". Kidney cancer (hopefully you are doing better now) is not a minor ailment. I believe that the comment was directed at those who could not be bothered to take a few hours off work to take a kid with a cold to the regular doctor. Anyone who has ever been in an ER has seen the number of folks with routine care concerns that are filling up the seats and bogging down the staff. Each and every one of those folks are going to be charged ER rates, which is probably 2-3 times more than a regular office visit, even including the time off work. Which may have something to do with Americans "paying twice as much" for care than other parts of the world, if in fact we do. If we do it is probably the ONLY thing we pay more for. I believe that I am intelligent enough to make my own decisions, and am old enough to take responsibility for my own actions or inactions. Whatever they may be. I wonder how many folks will be thrown into financial trouble by these plans (even those without a communist bent). With many living paycheck to paycheck and that's without insurance... how much worse off will those that we are supposedly trying to "help" be? How many will tank out and go under with the additional tax burden? Yes, it sounds good as long as you do not scratch the surface. So did ARM's and IO loans not too long ago......

I have used HR Block on line for years..Think it cost 30 dollars or so and its a hand holding simple walk you thru it, read carefully and fill in the blanks. Its free to do it until you go to file and that is when you pay. I dont even have to enter our basic information anymore..Its all saved..of course it gives you the chance to change anything that might need to be changed..ie when our daughter got married and we could no longer claim her. Give it a try!

We are fortunate to have our own accountant in the family. DD runs her own tax service aside from her regular job. Short story. Several years ago a young woman came to her for the first time. DD offered to drop off her finished taxes at her home since it was on the way. Girl's dad asks her why she went to DD instead of the "name brand" chain of tax preparers he and wife used. The young woman said "look what I'm getting back". LOL He was impressed enough to take his taxes to DD the next year. Sure enough he ended up a happy camper and has been a loyal customer. A good accountant can find savings where the others don't bother to go. They stay current on tax law and also are knowledgeable at helping you plan for the following years etc. The one size fit all programs don't do that. They will always err towards the government. A good accountant will find the legal loophole to save you money if there is one.

Actually, for certain income guidelines the state version of TurboTax and several other places is also free. I downloaded and used TaxAct and did the free e-file but I wish I would have waited and used TurboTax for everything. Could have prepared and e-filed Federal, State and my property tax refund all in the one program. Couldn't find a way to just e-file the state version though and since I had already filed the fed I just downloaded the computer forms from the state and did those. My return is fairly simple these days. The big difference I found is that the TaxAct can be downloaded and done on the computer where TurboTax must be done online. Online is much slower and clumsy. But in the end it would have been worth it. I did print the TurboTax version to a file and compared it to the TaxAct version and the one I did. They were all the same. But then, they should be. And not to nitpick, but the paper forms cost me 3 stamps to mail, plus paper and toner to print (I guess the other option is to drive somewhere to get the forms at $3.19/gal I needed since they mailed the wrong ones), while e-filing the federal in reality cost me nothing. Even the electricity can't be considered since it would have been on anyway. So which is "truly free"? Now there is one thing that I don't really understand is paying $15 or so to e-file! OK, you get your refund a few weeks early, but that's a pretty high cost to get it IMO. I really did like TaxAct. Very simple and straightforward. Very user friendly. TurboTax wasn't bad but nowhere near as user friendly. For people who are nervous about doing taxes they probably would find TaxAct much easier to use. I was so impressed, I even considered splurging and buying the state version for the $13 or $14, whatever it was. But then I used the computer form and thought that would really be an extravagance to do that. Plus I learned my lesson. Next year, I'll try TurboTax first if it's still free. And use TaxAct as the second opinion.