Customer reviews were also taken into consideration. After reviewing the above features, we sorted our recommendations by best for overall tax filing, runner-up, free tax software, most affordable and best accuracy guarantee. The federal and state filing fees for the software programs mentioned above are subject to change without notice.
Many programs don't charge you until you file, so there's a chance the fees can change from the time you start your return until you submit it. Skip Navigation. Select Logo. Follow Select. Our top picks of timely offers from our partners More details. Upstart Personal Loans. LightStream Personal Loans. SoFi Personal Loans. We may receive a commission from affiliate partner links. Click here to read more about Select. Click here to read our full advertiser disclosure. We may receive a commission when you click on links for products from our affiliate partners.
What happens if I miss the tax deadline? How much does it cost to file taxes? Simple tax return vs. Learn More. Yes, with more restrictions. There are many software providers out there, and each one offers different packages for different taxpayers.
When choosing, it's likely most helpful to start with your individual needs. If that sounds like you, you may not need tax software built for crazy-complicated tax situations. You may need to upgrade if you don't know how much to claim for those things and want the software to calculate it for you.
Skipping around to specific spots can be a little tricky, but a banner across the top keeps track of where you stand in the filing process. Read full review. With its intuitive design and experience and variety of support options, TurboTax is in many ways the standard for the do-it-yourself tax-prep industry.
What makes it easy to use? You can skip around if you need to, and a banner running along the side keeps track of where you stand in the process and flags areas you still need to complete. Embedded links throughout the process offer tips, explainers and other resources.
And help buttons can connect you to the searchable knowledge base, on-screen help and more. Notable handy features include import capabilities that let you switch to TurboTax from another provider, auto-import certain tax documents, a donation calculator and the ability to access and work on your return across devices.
All of this comes at a price, and similar offerings from competitors this year may provide a better value. If you don't know what you need — or how much you need to pay for — it might help to examine the providers individually and what sort of experience each one offers.
Here are a few areas to dig into:. User experience: Software that feels like an interview — asking questions about your income and any live events that might allow for deductions — offers more guidance than a basic fill-in-the-blank process. The ability to import forms like a W-2 is better than having to manually type in numbers.
Support options: Most tax software offers a searchable FAQ section or knowledge base, and some offer video tutorials or user forums to help answer questions.
One recent differentiator has been one-on-one help from a human tax pro, live on your screen. Depending on the provider, these pros might be able to give you tax advice or review your whole tax return before you file. This sort of help comes with an extra charge. Availability of tax forms: If you find a provider that excels in the areas above, you then want to choose their package that covers all the tax forms and schedules you need. Quick facts. New human-support options available at an extra cost.
Free version has a fee for state returns. It may not be as fancy in some ways, but you can get on-demand, on-screen access to a tax pro like the other guys offer, and the data-entry process is similar to most of the competition. Live, on-screen support option offers human help at extra cost. Some of the most expensive software on the market. TurboTax is generally pricier than everything else out there, but even though confident filers may not need all the bells and whistles that most TurboTax online products offer, many people will find the experience and the availability of human help worth the extra cost.
Free version is an option for more people than competing free versions. Access to tax pros on demand at an added cost. There are multiple ways to contact customer support for tax filing assistance, including phone, chat and email options. We also loved the helpful articles available throughout the program.
TaxSlayer Classic is best for users who value great customer service. It offers great support options, including phone, chat and email. What we love most is that you can file both your federal and state taxes for free. Other software programs, like TaxAct and eFile. Programs such as eFile. Finally, it covers the widest variety of common filing scenarios among the competitors we evaluated, including most tax filing scenarios for parents, college students, retirees and employees.
Here are some of the forms you can file for free:. Its step-by-step process and simple layout can help you quickly complete your tax return. The software provides examples of deductible expenses and links to informative articles at the exact points in the process where you need them. We began our analysis by looking at eight online tax software providers: eFile. We decided to exclude Credit Karma and Liberty Tax from our reviews. Credit Karma is in the process of selling its tax software business , and it remains unclear what this would mean for consumers.
In December , the Department of Justice settled with Liberty Tax for not taking steps to prevent the filing of fraudulent returns prepared by its franchisee stores. We reviewed each of the tax online software to determine the following best categories:. Best Free Online Tax Software. For best free online tax software, we analysed which provider offered the most impressive overall package of features while also charging no fees for federal and state tax return filings, lacked income or filing status restrictions, and offered the broadest selection of tax filing forms.
An easy-to-use platform is most important for many users. Self-employed, freelance workers generally have more complicated income tax filings. Ensuring that online tax software caters to the special needs of freelancers and self-employed individuals is essential at tax time.
We determined if the online tax software provider offered phone, live chat, email, or help articles for users, and evaluated each option.
Also, we contacted customer service departments by phone to evaluate its hold time and customer service quality. Each category was weighted and scored feature by feature. The author, a certified public accountant CPA with over 20 years of taxation experience, completed all tax software testing by opening accounts with each provider to perform hands-on evaluations.
Ease of use, costs and fees—including free options—and customer service are the three broad areas to look at when choosing the best platform for you. We know filing your tax return might be challenging. However, some tax software providers can help you ease through the process. Before selecting a tax software provider, consider the following questions:. Selecting a product that not only fits your needs but does not break your budget is key. It is a good idea to review the price of each product and consider the following:.
If you have a simple tax return, including a W2 and a few tax deductions, you may be able to file your taxes for free. Many tax online software providers offer an advertised free tax filing version for simple returns on their website. If you need extra hand-holding while completing your tax return, make sure your review support options.
Here is a listing of questions to consider before selecting your product:. If you reside in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas , you may have more time. The IRS announced residents of these states now have until June 15, to file their tax returns due to recent storms. If you need more time to file, make certain to file an extension to extend the tax due date to October 15, —although be aware that any taxes that you owe the IRS will still be due on May But while these tax online products do provide limited free filing options, many of the same providers partnered with the IRS Free File Program to offer a different free product for those who may qualify.
Your AGI is your total income minus certain deductions. Before using this service, you should browse each product offering to see which free product works best for you. While this program has been in existence since , you may not have heard of it. Since online tax software providers donate these services, they advertise them very little.
The main difference? Here are some scenarios where you should consider hiring a tax pro:. Tax online software providers may allow you to complete simple tax filings at no cost.
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