For me, this software is what I need to get things done for my personal and business taxes. It's not always a quick process, however, as you improve your understanding of things (your records, receipts, etc) -- it becomes much more intuitive. It may not be a great fit for every self-employed business owner or DIY tax payer, but the tools are solid. Printing what you need if you are mailing your forms is not always intuitive & I like the option of filing electronically.
Helps only with simple math, simple check boxes, and carrying values between forms. Interview help stops abruptly in areas that are only slightly more complex than typical. You then get dumped to the raw IRS forms and IRS Instructions to bushwhack through those all on your own, with no assistance whatsoever. "Go to the IRS form, fill out following IRS instructions, and then return." No value add whatsoever in all those areas.
I have been using H&R Block software for many years, but this year I had more difficulty than ever with the software itself. I could not file an extension as in past years; I created an e-file extension for business and now I cannot create an e-file to submit the final 1065...totally frustrating! Software also said I could not e-file if there was not earned income of a credit...my daughter just wants consistency though this was a bad year.
Once you become familiar with the interview process, it is relatively easy. Even better, once you have used it once, and made sure to save your file where you can find it, the following year(s) can import your old data and continue on.
Have used personal version for a couple of years. It works similarly and as well as the competition. Will keep using it.
However, the Business version, with few exceptions, simply displays the forms and lets you fill them in. Very little in the way of explanation or direction. I purchased it because my business is very simple (except for a new 401K) and I don't need an accountant (yet), but I did want some automated help (like how to fill in 401K amounts properly). Could probably have done as well simply downloading PDF's from IRS (to find my answers, that's what ended up happening anyways). Will probably look for a different solution next year for my Business.
We switched to H&R Block years ago. The best feature is the easy navigation. You can go anywhere you want at any time. It also explains not just the rules, what you should include, but also where your results come from. Numbers are loaded into the proper forms simultaneously for you to see. You never feel lost or blindly following steps without knowing where you are going to. The only thing we'd prefer more is better support for state returns.
Pros: Easy to prepare, Easy to import documents, Fast