Quicken Deluxe 2010

Quicken Deluxe nearly has it all; it is the most the most comprehensive personal finance software available. This program allows you to collect all your bills, credit card statements and expenses in one convenient location. You can track the money going in and out of your bank account as bills are paid and received. Quicken Deluxe is very similar to the Starter software, but the Deluxe version incorporates many more features, including a personal investing and goal setting feature.

Ease of Use/Install

The interface of Quicken Deluxe is almost identical to the Starter version. All the functions are clearly labeled and easy to find. Although the Deluxe version has more features, the interface is still uncluttered and easy to navigate.

Banking Bills

Much like the Starter version, Quicken Deluxe has options to view all of your accounts in one place. You can avoid going to all the different websites, such as your checking accounts, credit card accounts and savings accounts, with the Quicken products. All the information is clearly displayed and easy to read.

Quicken Deluxe can access information from almost twice as many banks as the Starter program. Also, the Deluxe version can manage brokerage accounts and other financial institutions, where the starter program cannot. The Deluxe version has more long-term investing options than the Starter application.

Reporting

The Quicken software allows you to access cash, tax and net worth reports. There are also options to archive documents and information to review later or to always have on hand.

The Deluxe version has many similar features, but there are more financial institutions available so you can monitor more information. You can use Deluxe to manage more than 6,700 accounts from banks, brokerage firms and financial institutions.

Financial Calculators

With the Quicken products you can connect directly to a program that will allow you to view financial data such as mortgage and refinance rates. This program will help you make major decisions about things like refinancing your home with information on how much a mortgage would be and a variety of other helpful financial planning features.

The Deluxe version of the Quicken product will help you plan even further ahead than the Starter version. Using the Deluxe version you can make goals based on what you have been spending in the past and the program will help track your progression. When you fall behind the financial planning, the personal finance software will alert you. You can also create customized plans to save for whatever you would like. It doesn’t just calculate mortgages; you can save for school, a vacation or any other large purchase. The Quicken Deluxe program goes a step farther than the Starter version.

Tax Options

The manufacturer of the Quicken products also produces TurboTax, one of the best tax management programs available. You can use Quicken Deluxe to export directly to TurboTax.

There are other outstanding tax management features before you export them to the TurboTax program. You can use Quicken Deluxe to organize purchases as tax deductible throughout the year. There are also help options that can give suggestions about which purchases can be itemized. This organization feature can save hours, come tax season, because all of your information will be organized and ready to file.

Support/Documentation

This personal finance software has amazing support options for all its products. There are online tutorials, frequently asked questions and community forums. There is also a great email support line where your questions will be answered promptly and thoroughly.

Archiving/Security

Quicken has options for data backup and storage for secure management of all your personal information. You can also purchase an extra plan to use their servers to store a copy of your data, just in case something happens to your hard drive.

Quicken Deluxe also has the option to import data from Microsoft Money. Microsoft discontinued the product and Quicken Deluxe has a built-in tool that can easily import all files from Money 2007 and 2008.

Personal Investing

Quicken Deluxe will help you plan and organize your money for large purchases, reduce debt and save for retirement. Quicken Deluxe also has the ability to track investments from thousands of brokerage firms and financial institutions; Quicken Starter does not have that capability. Quicken Starter does not have any of these options. And while Quicken Deluxe is a terrific tool for planning for the future, keep in mind it does not have stock quotes or stock history.

Summary

Quicken Deluxe is a step above the competition. This personal finance software has a wide array of fantastic features including personal investment planning, more banks, brokerages and financial firms than Quicken Starter and it helps you track and maintain goals. It also manages all of these wonderful features using an intuitive interface. You can’t go wrong selecting this exceptional program.