What Is The Best Free Online Tax Software This Year?
Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at
10:41 am
Last year I had the worst experience with a local tax office and want to file online this year. I’ve done some research and narrowed it down to Turbo Tax, HR Block and TaxAct. They all offer free e file. I’d like to know which is the easiest to use. Thanks!!!
Tagged with: Best • Free • Online • Software • This • What • Year
Filed under: HR Software
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In an effort to help tax payers file their taxes fast the Internal Revenue Service teamed up with a group of tax preparation companies to form the Free File Alliance. The Free File Alliance provides a free electronic tax filing service to U.S. tax payers who have an adjusted gross income of $54,000 or less. These companies (TurboTax, HR Block and TaxAct all participate in the FFA) offer online tax preparation software that allow you to file your taxes electronically any hour of the day for free. The Free File Alliance companies will use direct deposit to get you a fast refund in as little as 10 days.
Out of the three FFA tax companies you mentioned my best experience is with TurboTax. TurboTax has participated in the Free File Alliance since October 2002. USA Today ranked TurboTax the “#1-rated tax software year after year” and now you have the opportunity to use this efile software free. TurboTax guarantees that you will receive the biggest refund using their program or they will give you your money back. The TurboTax Deluxe, Premier, or Home & Business edition covers over 350 deductions so you don’t overlook any opportunity to save more cash. Their program is easy and quick. The TurboTax efile program asks easy questions, handles the changes in your life, collects your tax information for you and answers all your tax questions.
Before you try any other program I would suggest checking out how easy TurboTax is. Here’s a site that provides great information on filing your taxes for free- http://filetaxestoday.com/
For a simple free e-filed return they’re pretty much equal. If your state has an income tax, keep in mind that most of them will charge you for your state return. Check your state’s tax site to see if they have a free e-file option with any of the tax prep firms. Most of them will have a free Federal e-file option, so go with that one for the lowest possible cost.
For more complex returns, TurboTax does have a slightly friendlier interface, but TaxCut makes it easier to override their calculations for specialized situations.
Opinions, of course, vary. My own preference among those three (and I’ve tried dummy returns in previous years with them) is TaxAct.
As previous responders indicated, TurboTax is popular. Actually, any would be adequate, unless your tax situation is complicated (in which case you wouldn’t be eligible for online free filing).
TurboTax, they guarantee you get more money back..and i got back 1500 dollars more cause the software found deductions i didn’t know i could get. http://www.turbotax.com,you can do your taxes online. Good Luck!
TurboTax, still the leader for a reason.
Intuit is still putting out a great product after all these years!