Tax Slayer. Liberty Tax. Tax Act. See all of our Tax Preparation Software reviews. The 7 Best Tax Preparation Software. Continue reading below. How does tax preparation software work? Tax preparation software walks you through a series of questions, much like you'd get with a human tax preparer: are you married, do you have a mortgage, and so on. The program fills in your tax forms based on the answers you provide, and at the end your return is ready for filing. Most tax prep platforms allow you to file your returns electronically, but you always have the option to file them by mail.
That's up to you! Almost every tax preparation platform today makes it possible to do your entire return online, no downloads or CD-ROMs necessary. But, if you prefer to do it the more old-school way, you can still find tax prep software that downloads to your computer and lets you work on it offline.
How do I know which tax preparation software I need? That depends on several factors: the more complicated your financial situation, the more likely it is that you'll need a tax prep package that goes beyond the basic program. Most providers of tax prep software will walk you through the options and recommend the right product for your needs.
Can I use tax preparation software for both federal and state returns? Yes, most of the time. Many providers will take the information you entered during your federal return and carry it over into your applicable state return. Keep in mind that you may have to pay extra: both for the software for your state and for electronically filing a return. You can usually opt to file your federal return electronically often included at no extra charge and your state return by mail.
How much does tax preparation software cost? For the most basic tax returns those that only have W2 income, no investments, no mortgage interest to deduct , many tax prep software programs are completely free.
What if I have a question or I need help? You'll often find answers built right into the tax preparation software: look for a button on the page where you're having trouble to click for explanations and additional info. If you'd like to get help from a tax professional, you might be able to connect with someone by phone or online though that may incur extra charges.
A few tax prep software providers have in-person options if you get stuck and want a tax preparer to take over or just want to go over your return face-to-face. What if I make a mistake on my return? The good news is that your tax preparation software will likely have a robust detection method for uncovering any errors you may have made. Of course, it can't tell if you entered the wrong number for your income, but if it spots anything obviously wrong you'll get a notification and a prompt to review that part of your return.
Receive a Notice of Assessment immediately and your refund in as little as eight days. Good level of support — Support is available via phone, online chat, and extensive help center. How Does It Compare? Article comments. Cancel reply Your Name Your Email. Auto-fill my return from CRA, SmartSearch, importing return from previous years, express NOA, eight-day refund, audit assistance, maximum refund guarantee.
Phone support, in-person support at branches, online help center, chat support. Get buying tips about Tax Software and Services delivered to your inbox. Thank you, you have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations. I used the paid online service and it went well. I paid twice in taxes for than I did in the last 8 years, but that's not their fault.
My advice, use the free service unless you want a pro to go over your taxes for peace of mind. I always get confirmations when my tax filing is accepted by the IRS and I do not get an excess amount of email solicitations from them.
Very professional and respectful company. This tax software is easy to follow and asks comprehensive questions for your initial federal and state tax run thru. I had more difficulty going back to add a form that I forgot. The search option was not as flexible as I would have expected.
I tried to search on the div form. In addition, I had a problem using my AGI. Do not know why, but would have had to pay to find out. Needed expert review which was "not available at the moment". They downgraded me automatically to Online Assist which didn't work. So I decided to remove it. The phone robot said it would delete all my filings. I called customer representative to remove the non working online assist from my bill without deleting my input but the lady deleted everything then apologized saying that her screen didn't give her the option to keep my inputs.
I believe this is way to coerce people into paying for options they don't want. Good for the beginner all the way to the small business owner. Associate editor Jane Switzer used TurboTax Standard, which both she, her brother, and her parents are using.
Since nothing changed from last year address, marital status, etc. Honestly, I have no complaints. I had one freelance cheque to include as income. The only other receipts I had to enter were my monthly public transit passes.
Depending on your knowledge and experience with filing taxes as a self-employed freelancer or small business owner, you may want to use an accountant.
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