When I downloaded my Turbo Tax DeLuxe for Macs I received the message "cannot use application Turbo Tax DeLuxe with this version of Mac OS X" What should I do?

Macster77... If you opt to use TurboTax Online, all your historical tax information will be preserved. You can also save that data to your computer so if you purchase a newer one in the future, you'll have all your TurboTax information. You have a very good migration path today without having to buy any new OS or Mac. Please see my posts above.

Bob Meighan

VP, TurboTax

The choice to use the Cloud is yours and we respect that. Most new development tools do not support 32 bit Mac architecture. So we either tell 95+% of our Mac customers that "sorry, but we're held hostage by a small number of 32 bit Mac customers... so no enhancements to the product" OR we say to the small number on 32 bit that "we're moving forward and we have a fallback solution for you".

We want all of our customers to be happy, but this is one where we had to make the decison to move forward or remain grounded in old technology. There is no easy or simple solution here.

Bob Meighan

VP, TurboTax

I'm glad I found this thread, as I too have purchased TT 2012 only to find out that it won't work on my Mac (and no help on TT's website to explain why). The most frusterating point is that the TT box says that the product works on 10.6.8...I have 10.6.8. I would never buy software that has a listed requirement that I don't have, but nowhere on the box does it say that you need to have a 64 bit machine (mine is 32). So now I've waisted money on this pruduct (that I've faithfully used for years) and it's doubtful that the retailer will let me return "opened software." While I disagree with your business decision to discontinue support for 32 bit, that is your decision. Your failure to properly list system requirements on the package, however, is fraud...and that is unacceptable.

tiggerpounce... I regret that you feel misled. It is never our intention to provide less than full disclosure and for that I apologize. To my knowledge we have updated our system requirements to reflect the 64-bit. Nevertheless, it is too late for you. If you don't receive a refund from the retailer, pls contact me at "turbotax_advocate" + "@intuit.com" and I'll get it processed. Otherwise, I'll be glad to issue you a code for use of the 2012 TurboTax Online product, which will preserve all your historical data by transferring all your 2011 and prior information. Pls let me know.

Bob Meighan

VP, TurboTax

Bob -

Thanks for adding to the discussion. I've got a 32bit MBP from 2005. Great machine, not ready to upgrade. I also have an iPad 3rd Gen running iOS 6.1. I've been using TT for the past 5 years or so. I would be happy to use the iPad version if it has all of the functionality that I need (I use Deluxe on the Mac) and if I can transfer previous years information to the iPad version. Is that possible?

thanks!

Magellan16... Thanks for your loyalty and interest in using TurboTax again this year. The iPad solution will work fine for you since it has comparable functionality. If you have your data file from last year (and you should), you can use iTunes to transfer your data file to the iPad so TurboTax can transfer all relevant 2011 tax information to 2012. That way you won't lose any of your historical data. The iPad also allows you to save your data file, so going forward you can always switch back to the Mac if you want (or even TurboTax Online, which is an option for you today). There is an FAQ on our support site if you need extra help. Otherwise, TurboTax iPad provides step-by-step directions. Thanks for the great question.

Bob Meighan

VP, TurboTax

I'm in the same unfortunate boat as a lot of other people here. I got the e-mail in November saying that I'd need OS 10.6.8 this year, which I have, so I thought I would be fine. Then I purchase and download from Amazon and it turns out that it won't run on my machine because I only have an Intel Core Duo processor, which isn't 64-bit. I have lots of software on my machine that runs just fine. For many years, TurboTax has had very permissive system requirements. It's hard to see how all of a sudden it requires the latest and greatest to make tax calculations, when the latest version of MS Office, as just one example, doesn't require 64-bit.

Also, I'd be more forgiving if Intuit were a bit more friendly to Mac users. I'm still using Quicken 2007, which lacks many features of the Windows version.

Bob, I'd be curious to know what are all the great features over last year's product that you couldn't have offered in a 32-bit version.

Now to figure out how the heck to get a refund from Amazon for downloaded software ....

John... Pls read my responses above. I've also posted elsewhere on this site (??) that addresses your question. The bottom line (without even discussing the new features) is that the new development tools used to create the TurboTax product do not support 32-bit. In other words, when we put all the code together and use these development tools to create the software, it will not run on 32-bit. These are the compiler, libraries and other tools that will not create the executable to run on 32-bit. One last example. For us to make TurboTax for Mac available on the Mac App store (and every software developer needs to be there), we had to use tools that support 64-bit only. I hope that info helps. As I've mentioned to others, I encourage you to use TT Online or TT for iPad.

By the way, we have made a sizable investment in Mac my migrating our entire code base to the latest development tools and languages. If we were NOT serious about Mac, we would have left all code on legacy systems/tools and let the product languish. But we see great opportunities in the Mac area and so that is why we are here today. Transitioning to the future sometimes requires some difficult trade-offs and this was one of them. But keep in mind that you have two options available from us to preserve your historical TurboTax data and prepare your 2012 return-- TurboTax Online and TurboTax for iPad.

Thanks.

Bob Meighan

VP, TurboTax

Bob,

I've been using my old 2006 Mac mini Core Solo for TurboTax Home and Business for years. I have some carryover info that I need to use.

Exactly how do I migrate the old TurboTax apps and data to a newer 64-bit Core 2 Duo Mac so the Mac will see the previous year’s tax data? Precisely which files?

In the past my TurboTax apps could not be installed on more than one Mac.

I will not use TurboTax Online or any other cloud for my sensitive personal and tax information since they are not secure in my opinion and experiences.

Macs_since_1984... Thanks for the note. The data file is the only file you need to migrate to the new Mac. If you accepted the TurboTax defaults when saving your file, it is something like this "2011 Doe John Tax Return.tax2011". This is the file you need to migrate if you wish to transfer this info to 2012 TurboTax. I'd create a folder on the new machine called TurboTax and put the file here. When you start your 2012 return, you'll have to point to this file to do the transfer. You may want to do the same for all earlier years' data files. This way you'll have them all on your new Mac.

You can install TurboTax apps on more than one Mac. Always have been. Just honor the license agreement.

I hope this helps.

Bob Meighan, VP TurboTax

Thanks Bob,

This will be easy--I have all the earlier years TurboTax files!

Glad to see you here. FWIW, you're getting noticed elsewhere: http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/taxsoftware/index.html.

Bob,

REALLY appreciate the transparency you are bringing to this discussion, and your willingness to stand up in front of us and answer each point.

Not to hijack the original subject, but you did specifically say, "By the way, we have made a sizable investment in Mac my migrating our entire code base to the latest development tools and languages. If we were NOT serious about Mac, we would have left all code on legacy systems/tools and let the product languish. But we see great opportunities in the Mac area and so that is why we are here today."

I can't reconcile that with the huge disparity in feature sets between the Windows versions of QuickBooks and the Mac version. Even if I could do without the Windows-only functionality, you can't even move your Windows data file to your Mac and have it work!

I'm just sayin'...

I *have* 10.6.8 installed and bought turbotax based on the email that you sent out. However, now that I bought turbotax and it arrived, I cannot install it! Further, I cannot upgrade to 10.7!!😠 I just wasted $100.

emrecio... Please read the above posts from me. You have not wasted your money. If you need to contact me, which you probably do, my contact info is above.

Bob Meighan, VP TurboTax