Does the government offer free tax software? + MORE Jul 18th

Q: I see there is a push to have taxpayers file electronically. Does the government offer free software, or do I need to purchase a program like TurboTax? Does NetFile take the place of these other software programs?
—R. Boyko, Red Deer, Alta.
A: “Love and marriage. They go together like a horse and carriage,” right Sinatra? NetFile and tax preparation software go together too because NetFile doesn’t replace the software you need to file online. You still need to use a program to “prepare” your return, then you “transmit” it to the CRA using NetFile. While technically you could print out your return and mail it in, that really is a waste of a stamp. The government doesn’t offer free preparation software itself but does provide a list of free certified products. NetFile and tax prep software… Sing with me: “You can’t have one. You can’t have one without the other.”
Bruce Sellery is a frequent guest on financial television shows and author of Moolala. Do you have your own personal question? Write to Bruce at ask@moneysense…

I’ve written a decent amount about Yahoo in the past few years and even more frequently in the past year. It’s not a coincidence that it started when Marissa Mayer accepted to become the latest Yahoo CEO. It was a very welcome event after an incredibly frustrating sequence of events for the purple company. There’s no doubt about it, I’ve loved the energy and passion that she brought to Yahoo and from nearly every perspective, it’s looking like a home run. I mean, just take a look at Yahoo’s stock in the past 12 months or so… this includes yesterday’s 10% gain following the latest earnings release:

 
We’re not talking about some kind of high growth startup here. This is a company that was well on its way to becoming irrelevant.  Here is a 10 year chart:

 
So Marissa Mayer Saved The Company?
Looking at these charts you would probably agree that the turnaround has been “successful”.  In many ways, it has. The employee morale is much better, which has made it possible for the company to retain & recruit key people…

SAN FRANCISCO – Google’s financial performance faltered in the second quarter as a downturn in the Internet search leader’s ad prices deepened.
The results announced Thursday show Google is still having trouble navigating a technological transition driving more online activity on to smartphones and tablets. Those devices pose a challenge because their smaller screen sizes fetch lower ad rates than on traditional desktop and laptop computers.
Google’s stock fell more than 5 per cent in extended trading.
Google Inc.’s average ad rate fell by 6 per cent from the same time last year during the three months ending in June. It marks the seventh consecutive quarter of falling ad prices.
Google earned $3.2 billion, or $9.54 per share, up 16 per cent from $2.8 billion, or $8.42 per share, a year earlier.
Revenue rose 19 per cent to $14.1 billion.
Despite the lower ad rates, Google CEO Larry Page focused on the increased revenue and the potential from mobile ads.
“The shift from one screen to multiple screens and mobility creates tremendous opportunity for Google,” he said in a statement…

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