500 Tips
Tax Software
Kiplinger TaxCut Deluxe Multimedia

Window Watch

By default, TaxCut displays a window (such as a tax form or report) as a full screen. If you'd rather have smaller, overlapping windows, select Edit/Options and uncheck the option under Screen Control. Click on OK.

Function Follows Form

If you've entered a number on one form but don't see it carried over onto a related form, choose Tools/Recalculate. TaxCut will redo the math and display the updated results on all forms.

Now See Here

Take advantage of expert tax advice. Select the Q&A tab, and at the bottom of the screen, click on Index of Audio/Video. Then choose a topic from the list to start an audio/video explanation.

Get a Jump on Things

Use the context-sensitive Jump feature to move directly to any form with information related to the calculated field in which the cursor is positioned. Press Ctrl+J or select Forms/Jump to Related. Choose the form you'd like to view from the list. When you're done, press Ctrl+E to return to the original form, or select Forms/Previous Form.

The Question Is ...

In any Forms window, click on the question mark icon to access Help, Navigation and Tools buttons.

Take a Memo

You don't have to leave TaxCut to make notes. Press Ctrl+M or select Tools/Memo Pad, jot your note and click on OK. Next time you open Memo Pad, you'll see the note, which you can modify or expand as needed.

Just Your Type

By default, TaxCut displays text on forms or worksheets in 9-point Arial regular. You can choose smaller type to see more of the form on screen, or larger type to make it more legible. Select Edit/Options, click on Form Fonts, choose the desired type style and click on OK.

My Savior

Make TaxCut save your work automatically. Select File/AutoSave and set the desired interval, then click on OK. You can enter 0 to disable this feature, but we don't recommend it.

Speed Up Printing

Use Text mode to speed printing or prevent out-of-memory messages from your printer. Choose the Print tab, click on Standard Forms and then on Print Tax Return. Check Text Mode and click on Print.

Find It Fast

Use the Rapid Find feature to locate the specific form and line on which you enter certain information. Open the Forms menu and choose Rapid Find, or select the Forms tab and click on the Rapid Find button on the right. Choose the desired topic and click on OK. TaxCut will ask if you want to go to the form or the Q&A. If you select Tax Form, you'll jump to the relevant form and line.

Lost and Found

If you accidentally delete your data file, restore it from the automatic backup TaxCut makes every time you save the original return. In Windows Explorer, find the TAXCUT96/BACKUP folder. Choose the file you want to restore and change the extension from BAK to P96. Click on the filename, and copy it by holding the Ctrl key while dragging the file to the TAXCUT96 folder. In TaxCut, select File/Open and choose the file from the list.

Accentuate the Tentative

When working with estimated figures-if you haven't gotten your W-2 form, for example-it's wise to mark them so you remember to go back and enter the real numbers. With the cursor in the entry field, select Edit/Mark Entry Tentative, then choose OK. The figure will be marked with an asterisk when you move the cursor out of that field, but calculations will proceed as usual. To unmark the entry, put the cursor in the field and choose Edit/Unmark Entry Tentative.

[ Go to 500 Tips Table of Contents ]