Compare tax software online

Jackson Hewitt is better known for its pop-up shops and kiosks that sprout up in strip malls and big-box stores during tax season, but the tax preparer also has online software for people who want to file their taxes from home. Jackson Hewitt offers one option for online DIY filers, in addition to three more expensive tiers for people who want the help of virtual tax pros.

The Deluxe package covers homeowners and those with dependents and itemized deductions, while the Premier tier supports self-employed individuals. Jackson Hewitt is a safe bet if you prefer to file your tax returns with the assistance of a tax professional. Apart from having in-person options at your local mall during tax season, its customer support is comprehensive and even includes IRS audit assistance.

That being said, Jackson Hewitt is one of the pricier tax software companies on our list. For small-business owners or self-employed independent contractors with a modicum of confidence in their tax knowledge, TaxSlayer can offer a decent product at an affordable price. E-file emphasizes speed on its homepage , boasting that many users can file their taxes electronically with its online software in less than 15 minutes. It's not only fast, but it's also generally less expensive than other tax preparers.

It accepts promo codes, too. E-file will automatically save your progress as you complete your tax forms. Though the platform is entirely online and promotes electronic filing, it will still let you print out your tax forms to mail in yourself. If you encounter a question before that point, you can pay for phone or email assistance. Its filing process is simple: once you create an account, enter your taxpayer information and E-file will prepare your return.

The standard interface features prior-year import and a help support sidebar that guides you every step. Whether your tax situation is simple, basic or advanced, you can file your federal tax return for free.

According to FreeTaxUSA, email responses from customer support will typically take around half an hour. FreeTaxUSA offers free filing for people in all tax situations such as filing jointly, homeownership, dependents, itemized deductions, self-employed, investments, rental property, retirement and tuition program distributions. Once you file your return, it will be automatically stored as a PDF for up to seven years. If you want to file your taxes for free, most of the leading tax preparation software providers out there have strict income limits for you to qualify.

Free offerings are also often limited to people with super-simple returns, forcing filers with complex returns to dip into their bank accounts to prepare and file their taxes. This is not the case with Credit Karma ; the company offers comprehensive filing for federal and state returns for free. Credit Karma, primarily known as an online platform that aims to help its users achieve personal finance and credit score goals, has developed an e-file product: Credit Karma Tax.

To facilitate your tax preparation process, Credit Karma is equipped with easy-to-use navigation tools to guide you every step of the way. You can also easily import your using their Smart File feature on the Credit Karma Tax mobile app or your computer. Credit Karma Tax is available in 40 states. However, its services are not available in states that offer free online tax filing services.

Credit Karma Tax is the only tax software provider that offers a completely free tax filing service for federal and state returns. The provider offers support for most tax situations and forms, including Schedule C.

Drake Tax has provided tax software services to preparers since and has offered electronic filing since it became available. Drake Tax has helped a wide range of offices produce accurate and compliant tax returns.

Most notably, Drake Tax offers multiple professional tax software options that can service small offices that work with lower-income taxpayers to large CPA firms that support the more complex end of the market. Drake Tax offers multiple tax preparation software package tiers designed to meet the needs of any professional — from a single CPA working from a home office to a large corporation.

The online-only software provider is filer-friendly and equipped with a sophisticated walkthrough system that guides you through your tax return. Navigation is simple. Once you get started you can use the "tell me more" button to learn more about your taxes or ignore it and continue scrolling. Should you need support from a tax expert, That being said, if you prefer talking with an expert via phone, this may not be the option for you.

One drawback of Overall, The provider supports prior-year imports for return filers and W-2 import, which can speed up half of your tax prep process.

Tax software programs are designed to help the average taxpayer accurately prepare and file state and federal income tax returns. If you need extra support, almost all tax software programs are equipped with tools to help you answer common questions regarding your returns.

That may include a glossary defining common tax terms, a step-by-step navigation bar or a live chat or consultation with a tax professional. Tax software programs generally use two types of interface to coach you through your tax return: an interview-style questionnaire or a form-based step-by-step guide. Most tax preparation software programs also feature simple navigation tools that allow you to upload returns from prior years, W-2s and investment documents.

This can save you a substantial amount of time as the software automatically imports your information into your return. After you file, you can easily track the status of your tax refund through the company's online portal or the IRS website. Tax preparation software programs are a great resource for taxpayers who want to save time and file their returns from home. However, these services may not be for everyone. Since making sense of tax return forms can be quite, well, taxing, here are a few common forms you may come across.

Form is an IRS form used by U. The majority of taxpayers use a form to report their income tax for the year and any refund or additional tax owed. A W-2 is a tax form that shows your total wages paid as well as federal, state or other income tax withholdings for the year as reported by your employer.

The IRS requires employers to send W-2 forms to their employees no later than January 31 following the end of the tax year, which generally falls on December Banks and financial institutions use form DIV to report dividends and other distributions you have received.

You can also download a copy of your E from your loan servicer. The more bang for your buck, the higher a service ranked. Whether you're new to filing taxes or a seasoned pro, user experience is crucial to filling out and submitting your return quickly and with little frustration. The services we chose had to be relatively user friendly. The ability to speak with a tax expert or support representative was a big plus. Four out of five of the best tax software offered some form of support.

And if a service supported consumers with a generous accuracy and maximum refund guarantee, it was ranked higher. We also considered the Better Business Bureau rating associated with the software. BBB ratings help determine whether a business is operating responsibly and if it helps to resolve customer complaints in a timely manner. 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. It offers many bells and whistles, such as well-written, clear educational articles and tool tips to help guide you through the tax filing process. Even late on a Sunday afternoon, there was a short wait and the customer service representative provided clear and informative answers to our questions regarding tax expert assistance and pricing.

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?