nalor511 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:49 pm
Kevin M wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:46 pm
Since buying the 2nd copy delivers the same installation EXE file, I wonder if just copying the original EXE file to 2nd computer and installing would allow installing the 2nd state on the 2nd computer. I realize that one would not receive a 2nd activation key, but the activation key only is required to efile and print returns, I believe.
Since I already bought the 2nd copy, I won't bother trying this though.
Kevin
Maybe. It definitely uses your key when downloading state, because if you only pay for fed it wants a credit card payment to download state
I didn't enter the activation code after installing 2nd copy on 2nd computer (selected, "I'll enter it later"), and it installed 2nd state just fine. I assume the EXE file is different for fed+state and just fed.
Another note. My data file is on a shared drive accessed by both computers, so I didn't even copy the data file to second computer. The return of interest just appeared in the program on 2nd computer, and then I went to state, clicked on "Buy state", and downloaded the 2nd state (for free). Then opened the file on the first computer, on which I had already installed the first state (for a different return), but hadn't yet started working on it for the return of interest, and I was able to simply click "Prepare state" for the first state.
In terms of integration, the 2nd state provides a tax credit for tax paid to the 1st state. Last year I did some returns that worked the other way, and I prepared the 2nd state returns manually, then simply entered the appropriate numbers into the 1st state returns for the credits. So I'm not worried about this part.
I would have purchased the state software for the 2nd state last year (since others would have paid for it), but the HRB software for that particular state didn't support non-resident returns. Fortunately doing the returns manually was quite straightforward, but software would have simplified the data entry.
Kevin
If I make a calculation error, #Cruncher probably will let me know.