Not everyone uses TurboTax or H&R Block Online to complete their tax return (surprise!). Some people don’t like dealing with large companies, some want to support “the little guys”, and some just like the feel of the other tax software packages. Regardless, there is a significant number of people who prefer to use a smaller company’s tax preparation software. Does this describe you? If it does, give one of these companies a look:

CompleteTax

Just like TurboTax and H&R Block, Complete Tax offers:

• Maximum refund guarantee
• 100% accuracy guarantee
• Audit support
• Phone support
• Security and privacy of your personal information
• And a “price lock” guarantee that says the price of your tax preparation product, once you are registered, is locked-in — your price will not increase

Cost: up to $60 if you file your state return with them

Click HERE to get started with Complete Tax

OnePriceTaxes.com

OnePriceTaxes offers you the opportunity to file your federal and state taxes online for only $14.95! Whether you need to file a simple 1040EZ, own a home, own investment or rental property, are a sole proprietor with a business, plan to itemize or now, you can file both federal and state for one low price. OnePriceTaxes.com offers AuditGuard® to provide a type of insurance against audits for an additional $19.95 (36 months coverage). Since both TurboTax and H&R Block provide this as part of their standard package, the price gap closes substantially when you consider audit protection as a factor.

Cost: $14.95

Click HERE to get started with OnePriceTaxes.com

1040Return.com

This company’s best feature is that if you have more than one state return to complete, it’s still the same price ($24.95). They also offer:

1. Ease of use - You only need to key in the data once, even for multiple state returns
2. Reliability – Their tax return processing engine has been trusted for over 30 years
3. Accuracy – Your return is checked prior to transmission to eliminate filing errors
4. Safety – Your tax return information is protected using SSL encryption
5. Free Online Tech Support
6. Free Ammended Return – If you have to make a change to either your Federal and/or State Return, 1040Return.com will prepare the return for you free
7. Free tax alert newsletters – So you can stay informed in the constant changing world of tax law

Cost: up to $55.90 if you file your state return with them

Click HERE to get started with 1040Return.com

Two more options for completing your taxes …

• Use a tax professional that you found on WiserAdvisor. Their advanced Matching Service is designed to objectively help individuals like you quickly and easily find the ideal tax advisor (or financial advisor) to meet your unique needs. It takes just 5 minutes, there’s no obligation, and you select the specific advisors you want to be contacted by.

• Plunge into the deep end of the pool while wearing concrete boots and complete your tax return by hand using a stack of booklets provided from the Internal Revenue Service.

Guess which one I would NOT recommend!

Technorati Tags: taxes, IRS

Links to products or services may be affiliate links. See my disclosure policy on the site or on my About page.

Would you feel better getting your mortgage from a financial pillar in the industry? How about the #1 online mortgage lender in the USA? How about a company that has written well over ONE MILLION MORTGAGE LOANS and plans to write many, many more? How about a company rated “highest in customer satisfaction” by J.D. Power & Associates? Welcome to Quicken Loans, the Internet’s leading mortgage lender and company we’re proud to profile here at The Wisdom Journal.

A few reasons why Quicken Loans is America’s #1 online mortgage lender

Quick closings

Few companies have the background in personal financial management like Quicken Loans, and their team of experts in the mortgage industry are keen on making sure you can get the home you deserve and can afford. They’re committed to helping you qualify for FHA, VA, or conventional loans and get you to the closing table fast.

With rates at historic lows, there isn’t a lot of down-side risk since interest rates can’t go below zero, but the upside risk is relatively large. Rates could increase without a lot of notice. That’s why closing quickly is critical. One customer in Florida closed in only 21 days!

Rate Drop Program

Not only are they committed to you today, but into the future. If rates drop over the next three years, Quicken Loans will help you take advantage of those lower rates through their Rate Drop Advantage program.

Quicken Loans Offers Over 100 Different Loan Programs. Apply HERE!

Programs for investors too

Are you a real estate investor? Quicken Loans has programs for you too. Refinancing your investment properties has never been easy but with Quicken Loans, you can easily refinance to take advantage of today’s low interest rates. If you decide to take some of your available equity off the table, those funds can then be used to further your budding real estate empire and purchase more homes … and you get to refinance without pre-payment penalties.

The best reasons to refinance with Quicken Loans?

If you have:

1. An adjustable rate mortgage with a looming rate increase
2. A balloon mortgage about to pop
3. A mortgage rate over six percent
4. A desire to lose the 30 year mortgage and get a 15 year instead

Refinance Your Mortgage Today With Quicken Loans, America’s #1 Online Lender! Apply HERE!

You really should consider Quicken Loans.

Rate increase on the horizon?

Don’t pay more for your home than you have to. Refinance to take advantage of today’s lower rates and give your budget some payment stability.

Balloon about to pop?

Many people fell victim to the real estate craze and have balloon mortgages about to pop. When they do, it’s imperative to refinance to an affordable mortgage (Quicken also offers 7 year ARM loans).

Too much interest?

There is absolutely no reason for you to pay more than necessary for your home. Though not everyone will qualify for the lowest rates, Quicken Loans’ team of experts is committed to helping you get the lowest rate possible.

Too old for a 30 year mortgage?

I’m 45 years old. I refinanced a couple of years ago from an adjustable rate mortgage to a 30 year. Though I don’t plan to live in this home for 30 years, I still shudder to think about being 73 when the mortgage is paid off. With Quicken Loans’ refinance calculators on their site, I may find that refinancing into a 15 year mortgage makes sense and brings “Mortgage Freedom Day” many years closer to the here and now.

Could you lower your house payment? Find out with Quicken Loans. Apply HERE!

Take a look at Quicken Loans

When a company builds as fantastic a reputation as Quicken, you owe it to yourself to investigate why others are so pleased with them. Are you as thrilled with your mortgage company as Quicken Loans’ customers?

The Wisdom Journal is a paid advertiser by Quicken Loans.

Links to products or services may be affiliate links. See my disclosure policy on the site or on my About page.

I recently received this email from a reader named Jeff:

Ron, how much does it take to set up an account at one of the online brokerages you’ve written about? I don’t have much to get started but I’d like to open a Roth IRA and maybe even a regular taxable investment account. Thanks for your reply and I love your site. You have a TON of information and I’m trying to sort through it all. I have especially enjoyed your recent series on Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).

Thanks Jeff. Investing in your future really doesn’t cost that much, though some brokerages do have minimum starting investment amounts, others allow you to set up your account without funding it at all. Of course, that does you no good – to earn a return you have to put up some money somewhere.

And please, DO look at it as an investment in your future. One of the best descriptions I’ve heard is that you’re sending money to your future self. That rang true for me and is one of the reasons I invest my money.

Here’s a table of the minimum starting investment required at several of the largest and most reputable online discount brokerages:

Who do I use as an online discount broker?

I personally use Scottrade and I really love their Knowledge Center and how incredibly easy it is to use the site. I can read up on the latest relevant news, get investment education, and get tax tips, investment strategies and much more. For a finance junkie like me, it’s incredible.

That said, if I were starting out again today with an online brokerage, I think I’d probably go with either optionshouse or Sharebuilder. You just can’t beat their trading commissions and when you’re investing small amounts, trading commissions are an important consideration.

For example, if you’re investing $500 and have a trading commission of $10, you’re actually only investing $490. You’ve already given up 2 percent!

Another great “option” at optionXpress is their Virtual Trading Account with $25,000 in play money. You can experiment with your trading ideas with no risk.

What if I’m not comfortable making investment decisions alone!

Of course, if you’re not comfortable making your own investment decisions, there’s always WiserAdvisor, which matches you with professional financial planners in your area. You’re able to choose between different financial advisors similar to the way LendingTree or InsureMe.com matches you with mortgage companies or insurance agents.

Setting up a brokerage account is easy

Online brokers are eager to get your business and as a result, competition is fierce! How that benefits the beginning investor is that these brokers will do whatever it takes to make things easier to get you up and running.

Remember, no money needed to open an account at:

• optionsXpress
• TradeKing
• Zecco
• Sharebuilder

Links to products or services may be affiliate links. See my disclosure policy on the site or on my About page.

Are you looking for a fabulous rewards card? Do you qualify? The Discover® More Card is designed for consumers with very good credit who are looking for a cash reward credit card. If you aren’t sure what your credit looks like, check it out at GoFreeCredit.com.

The quick look at the Discover® More Card :

Most Attractive Features

Double cash rebates at participating retailers and merchants (through the Cashback Bonus® award program); 0% introductory rate; no annual fee.

Least Attractive Feature

Low rate not available to all applicants.

How to maximize the Discover® More Card’s benefits

1. Spend over $3,000 a year (to earn the 1% cash rebate)
2. Use the Cashback Bonus® award at participating retailers (to earn double cash rebates)
3. Pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid costly finance charges)

By doing all three, you’ll benefit most from what the Discover® More Card has to offer.

Already convinced? Apply for the Discover® More Card right now!

With the Discover® More Card, cardholders get a 5% cashback bonus on purchases like gas, groceries, restaurants, and more in seasonal purchasing categories that change with each yearly quarter. Cardholders earn up to 1% for general purchases and up to a 1% cashback bonus on all other purchases automatically. You can also earn between 5% and 20% cashback bonuses when you shop at over 150 online retailers via ShopDisover.com, Discover’s exclusive online shopping mall.

No yearly limit on rebates

There is no yearly limit on the amount of rebates that can be earned, and rebates do not expire as long as the account is active within a 36-month period.

No annual fee

The card has no annual fee and features an attractive 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 full months.

Platinum benefits

Aside from the rewards program, the card also provides several platinum benefits, including up to $500,000 in travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance, and various fraud and security protection services. Cardholders will also receive discounts on products and services at participating merchants and retailers (available through Discover’s online interface).

Apply for for the Discover® More Card and begin enjoying these benefits!

Important Note:

Like many cash rewards cards, the highest rebate offered will not apply to all purchases made with the credit card. In this case, 1% will only be applied only to those purchases made after the cardholder spends over $3,000 in one year, so the overall cash rebate earned will be less than 1%, depending on the amount spent. For instance, if the cardholder were to spend $4,000, only $1,000 of this amount would be applied towards the 1% rebate. However, this does not take into account any promotional offers or the full 5% Cashback Bonus® award.

Links to products or services may be affiliate links. See my disclosure policy on the site or on my About page.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that my Gateway Netbook was running slower and slower, sometimes getting bogged down so badly that I couldn’t use it. Being the cheapskate I am, I searched for some free online software to speed up (and clean up my system) and downloaded a program that a friend recommended. It did … okay, I guess. It found a few registry errors and DID speed up my system a little bit for a little while, but not for long.

To make matters worse, I was constantly having to repair my wireless connection and on many occasions, gave up writing a blog post because my little machine just wouldn’t work. Thankfully, I was given a free copy of TuneUp Utilities™ 2011 to review. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!

After running it, all I can say is WOW ... and thank you to its developers! Even after running the program recommended by my friend, TuneUp Utilities™ 2011 found 319 MORE registry errors, hard disk errors, and other ways to improve the performance of my little Gateway Netbook.

I’m not the only one who sings praises for this awesome software:

“If you’re looking to tune up your PC, you won’t go wrong with this latest version of TuneUp Utilities. This software does a comprehensive job of cleaning up your PC to make sure it runs faster, more smoothly, and without problems. It´s one of the most comprehensive programs of its kind.”

- PC World

TuneUp Utilities has a LOT of features:

TuneUp Utilities is compatible with Windows 7™

• TuneUp Utilities supports the Windows 7™ operating system.
• As with Windows XP™ and Vista™, the new version of TuneUp Utilities runs on both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

TuneUp Utilities  has “Turbo Mode!”

• Disables many unnecessary functions in XP™, Vista™, and Windows 7™ that run in the background and are often hardly needed.
• Full power for actively running programs makes for a smoother work and gaming experience!

TuneUp Utilities Live Optimization

• Improves response times: prevents background processes from taking up too much of the PC’s resources that would otherwise make programs run slowly.
• Accelerates program startup times: TuneUp Utilities makes your programs boot in a snap, even if the PC is bogged down by a number of other programs.

TuneUp Utilities Gadget

• Shows the system health right on the desktop and gives users direct access to TuneUp Utilities functions (for Vista™ and Windows 7™).

TuneUp Utilities has a clearly laid out Start Center

• The completely redesigned TuneUp Utilities Start Center shows system health at a glance and provides direct access to key functions.

TuneUp Utilities  is ridiculously simple to use

• 1-Click Maintenance and Automatic Maintenance
• Convenient: Both features incorporate the best optimization tools to keep your PC free of clutter and stable. Now with the manual 1-Click Maintenance or Automatic Maintenance option which lets users switch off unnecessary startup programs automatically, to name just one example.
• Smart move: Automatic Maintenance only starts whenever you are not actively working or playing at your PC.
• If your laptop or netbook is running on battery, Automatic Maintenance won‘t start, that way you have more time for work.

This software WAS given to me for free but honestly, that has nothing to do with how well it works … and I feel like my Gateway Netbook runs like it did the first day I opened it.

If you’re considering a purchase of TuneUp Utilities, I can highly recommend it.

Links to products or services may be affiliate links. See my disclosure policy on the site or on my About page.