The maker of tax software product TurboTax is adding a mobile component to its offering that will enable users to file their taxes with a smartphone.
Intuit Canada said its SnapTax, tax preparation application will allow people to snap a photo of their T4 slip with an iPhone or iPod Touch device and then file their returns via NETFILE, the Canada Revenue Agency’s Internet tax filing site.
Intuit’s SnapTax
Canadians can download and try SnapTax for free on iTunes. After entering information, it costs $9.99 to submit their return through NETFILE. Download the SnapTax here.
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Intuit said the task will only take minutes.
“You take a picture, review the forms and file,” said Jeff Cates, president of Intuit Canada. “Just like TurboTax, the calculations are guaranteed accurate,” he added.
SnapTax filign can be done following these three procedures:
Point: Download SnapTax from the App Store, and then simply take a picture of your T4 slip. SnapTax’s optical character recognition technology automatically populates your tax information into an electronic form using TurboTax software.
Tap: After snapping your pic, tap through a few basic questions about your life, so SnapTax can determine whether the government owes you any money through tax credits. As you answer, SnapTax shows a running tally of your progress – showing you exactly how much you’ll get back – or owe.
File: Double-check the numbers to make sure they’re accurate and simply tap “File Now” to electronically NETFILE your return in minutes.
Snap Tax uses the same Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology used by Canadian banks to protect online transactions, said Intuit. Because no tax information is stored on your iPhone or iPod touch, tax information is not lost even if the device is misplaced or stolen.
