Filing taxes can be a grueling and time-consuming task and if you don’t get your figures right, it can cause you plenty of headache in the long run. Thankfully, technology, on its never-ending quest to make our lives easier, has concocted some pretty handy solutions for your tax-filing troubles, making completing your tax returns easier and quicker.
Some of these tax software products can do some core filing for a basic fee, while others charge more as they take care of additional tax areas, like real estate or investments. Regardless, here are some of the best tools to make managing your tax returns as painless as possible.
If you feel confident doing your taxes completely by yourself, then the Online collection of packages is the right for you. It allows you to get the work done securely from your desktop or mobile device. If you have a W-2, have kids and education costs, then you qualify for the Free Online option, at a federal cost of $0 plus $0 per state. You’ll get snap-a-pic W-2 importing options, access to help center and tech support via chat.
The Deluxe Online package is designed for maximizing credits and deductions, plus HSA contributions and will cost you $49.99, plus $44.99 per state filed. It includes free features plus six years’ access to tax returns, DeductionPro to optimize donations, as well as tech support via chat or phone.
Premium Online costs $69.99 plus $44.99 per state filed and is intended for freelancers, contractors, and investors. It includes the deluxe features plus importing expenses from popular expense-tracking apps, as well as cost basis calculation.
Self-employed and small businesses should go for the aptly named Self-Employed Online plan, at the price of $104.99 plus $44.99 per state filed, as it will get them premium features plus importing Uber driver tax information. All of the Online plans allow you to start for free.
Online Assist is for those who need assistance from a professional in their tax management. Basically, all of the packages take the plans from the Online collection and equip them with unlimited expert help. The first is Basic Online Assist costing $69.99 plus $39.99 per state filed. It combines the Free Online package with unlimited expert help.
It is followed by Deluxe Online Assist at $109.99 plus $49.99 per state filed, Premium Online Assist at $159.99 plus $49.99 per state filed, and Self-Employed Online Assist at $189.99 plus $49.99 per state filed.
The offer doesn’t end there, not by a long shot. With H&R Block, you can also get your hands on tax returns delivery service and virtual filing. Specifically, the Drop-Off service offers various options for tax delivery, all starting at $69 plus an additional fee per state.
Tax Pro Go, on the other hand, allows you to have a professional do your taxes without even visiting an office – just upload your tax documents and the company’s expert team will get all the work done for you. Different packages are available, such as Simple for W-2 income or social security income only, at $49 plus $45 per state filed, Student/Retired at $129 plus $45 per state filed, Family/Investor at $199 plus $45 per state filed, and Business Owner at $249 plus $45 per state filed.
With the In Office option, you can also choose to make an appointment with a tax pro and work together on your tax returns, starting at $69 plus an additional fee per state.
H&R Block also allows you to download its software under several pricing options – Basic Tax Software at $29.95, Deluxe + State Tax Software at $54.95, Premium Tax Software at $74.95, and Premium & Business Tax Software at $89.95, all with potential additional fees.
It offers its services under quite a few pricing options, starting with the free tier for simpler tax returns, both federal and state. This offer covers W-2 income, Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC), and child tax credits.
The most popular is the Deluxe package at $59 federal plus $49 per state filed that covers all W-2 and 1099-MISC income, mortgage and property tax deductions, charitable donations, student loan interest and education expenses, health savings account contributions, and retirement savings contributions.
It is followed by the Premier tier at $89 plus $49 state and is ideal for investments and rental property. The features include auto-importing of your investment info and tax data, scanning your return to check if everything’s in order, and on-demand help from a TurboTax specialist.
The Self-Employed, at $119 plus $49 per state covers personal and business income and expenses and adds guidance for freelancers, contractors, and small business owners, industry-specific deductions, audit assessments, and the QuickBooks Self-Employed bookkeeping package.
The vendor also throws in the ItsDeductible option to help you calculate donations deductibles. On top of that, you can store your documents online if you need them for later, like in case of an audit.
For those not really savvy with bookkeeping, there’s also a Deluxe package where you can find features like Priority Support and Audit Assist, and the capability to manage amended returns. It will only cost you an additional but very reasonable $6.99.
FreeTaxUSA will take care of a wide array of areas, including self-employed income, government payments, retirement, debt cancellation, home sale, payment processing, social security, stocks and interests, as well as tuition program distributions.
As for the paid packages, the cheapest is Deluxe+ at $54.95 plus $54.95 per state filed, covering homeowners plus people with credits, adjustments, and deductions. It takes everything from the free tier and expands it with additional options, like itemized deductions, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, student loan interest, HSA, adoption credits, as well as tax specialist phone support.
Premier+ costs $79.95 plus $54.95 per state filed and will get you everything from Deluxe+ plus stocks, gains, and losses, sales of home or other investments, royalty and Schedule K-1 income, investment income expenses, rental property income, foreign bank and financial accounts, and prioritized support with screen sharing.
Finally, at $109.95 plus $54.95 per state filed, Self Employed+ throws in freelance income, business and farm income, personalized business deductions, depreciation calculation, and year-round planning resources.
There are also bundle deals, combining individual and business options at $200, as well as downloadable editions of Basic ($26.95), Deluxe ($96.90), Premier ($101.90), and Self-Employed ($124.90) packages.
The most affordable paid option is the Classic package which covers all tax situations and costs $17 plus $39 per state filed. It is followed by Premium at $37 plus $39 per state which allows you to quickly prepare and e-file, as well as getting the IRS audit assistance and priority support.
If you’re in need of 1099 and Schedule C support, tax tips and resources, or a deduction finder, and you’re willing to pay $47 plus $39 per state filed, then Self-Employed is for you.
Should you get stuck on which package to choose from, you can take advantage of the provider’s online guide to help you out.
If you do have children and other dependents, as well as in need of coverage for student loans, educator expenses, schedule EITC and child tax credit, dependent care expenses, or retirement income, then the Deluxe option is the one for you, at $49.95 plus $44.95 per state.
Finally, the Premier package at $69.95 plus $44.95 per state is designed for the self-employed taxpayers, those with incomes over $100,000, folks with rental property, and includes itemized deductions, as well as other deductions, credits, and income.
The platform is simple enough to master and the company guarantees maximum refund and claims it will cover the difference if any other service does the job better.
Before you can start using it, this service requires you to register for a Credit Karma account. Once you get it done, you’ll notice that it sports an intuitive and minimalistic interface that is easy enough to get around in, even for a beginner.
That said, if your tax situation is more complex, you might want to look elsewhere as the free service doesn’t support some forms and is rather simplistic. It does, however, feature solid customer support and help along your tax filing journey.
