The Which? logo on books and software tends to give a warm glow of reassurance to consumers. And the Consumers' Association's TaxCalc 2002 doesn't disappoint. Back in its umpteenth edition, this should keep you out of trouble with the taxman. Which? proclaims that TaxCalc 2002 is "all you'll ever need" to deal with your tax affairs. And, unless you're a Member of Parliament (who are subject to slightly different rules on income tax) we think they are spot on. Employment, self-employment, partnership, share schemes, land and property, foreign income, trust and estate income, capital gains and the rest are dealt with in assiduous detail.
Better still, the whole process is just so simple. The program is now in its 20th edition, and the process has got pretty refined over the years. It quizzes you for all the information it needs to complete you and your family's tax returns, making it near impossible to forget or leave anything out. You simply type in the answers to the questions. It then calculates the tax you need to pay and tells you if you're in for a refund. It offers more than 40 tax-saving tips. It constructs "what if?" scenarios, so you can decide whether it's really worthwhile taking that company car. And it lets you file your return to the Inland Revenue via the internet.
TaxCalc 2002 is straightforward, simple to use and it should quickly untangle the messiest tax affairs. It's a lot cheaper than getting an accountant to do it for you, and a whole lot nicer than getting fined for filing a late tax return. --John Rennie
