The April 15 deadline for filing income tax returns draws perilously close, forcing Mac users to gather up their W-2s, 1099s, and tax-preparation program of choice. With an unlimited 1040 program and award winning professional technical tax support, TaxSlayer Pro is the choice for professional tax preparers. TaxSlayer Pro Classic comes with everything you need to prepare, e-file and transmit your clients tax returns.
Taxes are never, ever fun — especially when you’re trying to make sense of the new tax law changes for the first time. You don’t need to dread April 15th, though. Tax prep programs have come a long way, and if you choose the best tax software, you’ll be able to knock out your return quickly and confidently – and hopefully get a sizable tax refund you can put to good use.
Our list of the best tax software companies for 2019 features three faithful standouts: TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxAct.
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TurboTax tops our list (for the fifth year in a row) for several reasons, but the main one is that TurboTax is simply the easiest to use — and that makes a difference when you’re slogging through the drudgery of filing your taxes.
TurboTax also has a comprehensive set of features for more complex returns, but, best of all, it’s free for the millions of Americans who will file the new, streamlinedform 1040 (say goodbye to the 1040EZ and 1040A as of tax year 2018) without any additional schedules or deductions.
The Simple Dollar’s Picks for the Best Tax Software for 2019
- Best Overall: TurboTax
- Best Customer Support: H&R Block
- Best Value: TaxAct
The best tax software doesn’t just get your taxes filed — it leaves you confident about your return rather than worried about an audit. With a focus on user experience, we put each software package through the wringer, evaluating facilitation, disbursement, accuracy tools, and deduction discovery.
We also considered how much we enjoyed using it (yes, you can enjoy using tax software), and looked for a few key features: an accuracy guarantee, audit-risk identification tools, multiple refund-disbursement options, strong customer support, an equally powerful mobile app, and the ability to import all of your forms and data.
TurboTax, H&R Block, or TaxAct: What Is the Best Tax Software?
TurboTax
Start TurboTax Free Edition HereIntuit’s TurboTax remains the industry’s most streamlined and intuitive tax software package for the 2018 tax year. Whether you’re self-employed, freelancing on the side, or filing a simplified 1040, TurboTax has all the tools you need to minimize headaches and capitalize on your return. Just remember: Its pricing schedule can be a bit more confusing and expensive than its competitors, so you might wind up paying more than you expected depending on the complexity of your tax situation.
With the ability to snap a photo of your W-2 form, have the information imported automatically, and then file directly from your smartphone, TurboTax is a clear winner for people with simple, straightforward tax returns. But even those with more complicated tax situations may find TurboTax useful.
Last year, the company introduced TurboTax Live — no, it’s not a Broadway musical about filing taxes, thank God — which allows you to live chat with a CPA from your computer while preparing your taxes. Users can share their screen and receive expert help as often as they need, a move aimed at competing with H&R Block’s 12,000 in-person locations nationwide. TurboTax Live isn’t cheap — it starts at $69.99 for simple returns. But outside of sitting in a room with a tax professional, it’s among the best customer support tools in the industry.
TurboTax also has a handy tool for the self-employed called Expense Finder. Once connected to a user’s bank account, Expense Finder helps to pinpoint every single transaction from the past year that might qualify as a deductible business expense. It can be difficult to keep track of every nickel and dime spent on things like travel and food, so this is a welcome addition to the TurboTax experience. Plus, users get a free, one-year subscription to Intuit QuickBooks.
H&R Block
Llc Business Tax Return
Start With H&R Block HereH&R Block is one of the most trusted names in tax prep thanks to its excellent customer service. With over 12,000 locations in the United States, you’re likely not far from speaking face-to-face with a professional who can help you sift through the financial maze.
And regardless of which edition you choose, you can add on additional support if you need it. Ask a Pro ($40 to $50) allows you unlimited chat and screen sharing with a tax expert without leaving your home, while a Tax Pro Review ($50 to $90) involves a full, one-on-one review of your return and documentation with a tax expert by secure message or over the phone.
The company’s software isn’t quite as intuitive or feature-rich as TurboTax, but H&R Block’s Free Edition covers more tax situations: If you want to deduct student loan interest or childcare expenses, for example, H&R Block’s Free online version supports those forms, while TurboTax’s does not. H&R Block’s paid software is a bit more affordable for small-business owners and those with investments and rental properties, too – and their transparent upfront pricing is more straightforward than some competitors.
TaxAct
Start With TaxAct HereTaxAct is one of the most affordable options out there, particularly for filers with more complex tax returns. With paid tiers ranging from “Basic+” ($9.95) to “Premier” ($34.95) to “Self-Employed” ($49.95), taxpayers who itemize deductions — that includes homeowners, investors, freelancers, and business owners — can get access to the forms they need for a lot less than TurboTax.
The flipside to its affordability is that TaxAct doesn’t offer quite as smooth a user experience, nor as robust customer support as the likes of TurboTax Live or H&R Block’s 12,000+ office sites. But if you don’t mind forgoing the bells and whistles, TaxAct is one of the best, and most affordable, software options available.
Still sounding a little too spendy? Check out our Best Free Tax Software Guide to see if there’s a no-cost option that fits your needs.
What should the best tax software have?
- Accuracy guarantee: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a calculation error, the company pays you back for the penalty and interest.
- Audit-risk identification: Tools that help you identify red flags that trigger audits, like failing to report all your income, or breaking rules on foreign accounts.
- Refund disbursement options: Users can choose how a refund is paid, including via check, direct deposit, prepaid debit card, savings bonds, etc.
- Strong customer support system: A comprehensive knowledge base, live chat or screen sharing, email support.
- Online and desktop versions: Filing online allows you to pick up where you left off on a different device or location, but some users, particularly business owners, may prefer having everything saved to their hard drive.
- Easy data import: Our top three picks make it easy to fill out your forms without typing all those numbers out. They all allow you to import your W-2 by snapping a photo of it, to import information from your previous tax returns, and to directly import information from larger employers or payroll services.
Which deductions should the best tax software offer?
Aside from the standard deductions — which were nearly doubled for 2018, up to $12,00 for singles and married persons filing separate returns, $18,000 for head of household filers, and $24,000 for married couples filing jointly — we only considered software that also offered:
- Charitable donations
- Itemized deductions
- Business owner deductions
- Depreciation summary
- Vehicle deduction methods
- Rental property deductions
How to Choose the Best Tax Preparation Software for You
A salaried nine-to-five employee and the owner of a small business have vastly different tax situations. Whether you’re a single parent or a recent college graduate with multiple freelance gigs, the best tax software for your situation will be completely dependent on your specific tax needs.
First-Timers: TurboTax Free Edition
If you’re new to paying taxes, we recommend starting with the free version of our top tax software choice, TurboTax. It’s reliable and intuitive, and should make your first time filing taxes a bit less painful. If you’re a typical W-2 worker, chances are your taxes will be simple enough that you don’t have to upgrade beyond the Free Edition.
Best Small Business Tax Software: H&R Block
It’s always nice to have someone watching your back, especially if you’re in charge of a small business. With H&R Block, you can take your taxes to any local office and have an expert look them over for you (online support options exist as well). The personal touch of H&R Block’s customer service makes it a no-brainer for business owners. It’s the best tax software for small business, hands down.
Best for Parents and Student Loan Borrowers: H&R Block
Another key benefit of H&R Block is that its free version supports deductions for student loan interest and childcare expenses — which TurboTax does not. If you’ve got young kids in daycare or preschool, or paid a pile of student loan interest this year, it makes sense to use H&R Block to claim those deductions without having to spring for a premium priced tax software.
Best Tax Software for Experienced Filers: TurboTax
Overall, TurboTax still remains the best tax software for the serious tax filer. The intuitive software is built to handle even the most complicated tax needs with ease. TurboTax rapidly determines everything from refunds and deductibles to accurate audit risks.
A Guide to the Different Versions of Tax Software
Each tax prep company has multiple versions of its software, including both online and desktop versions across various price points, which can get confusing. But thankfully finding the right version for you isn’t as complicated as it seems. The best tax software allows for smooth upgrading, if needed, for your current tax situation.
If you’re unsure of which version you’ll need, start out with a company’s free tax software option and work your way up from there. Your specific mix of income, deductions, credits, and other forms unique to your tax situation will dictate which tier you’ll be in, but here’s a quick rundown of the four main levels offered by the best tax software companies:
Free Edition: The best deal, this provides the resources to prepare and e-file both federal and state tax returns, and is generally fine for about 50 million Americans with the most straightforward tax returns. Federal filing is free, but state filing can sometimes incur a fee.
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Plus, once you integrate it with the other apps you use, you’ll see the option to track your time pop up in Trello, Jira, Zendesk, and so on. Not only will it run on your Mac, but it’s also available on your phone, web browser, and even your Apple Watch. Other Klok functions include timesheets that can be exported, generation of invoices and dashboard reporting.
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Basic or Standard Edition: Includes all the features found in the Federal Free Edition with the addition of access to basic deduction-identification tools and improved support such as screen sharing with a tax expert.
Deluxe or Premier Edition: Generally offers more help in identifying deductions through industry- or occupation-specific searches. May also include more robust tools for life events, donations, and audit risk.
Premium or Self-Employed Edition: Generally grants access to the full functionality of the software with deduction assistance that expands to include rental properties and other business-specific tax deductions, along with advanced calculators and additional investment resources.
Tax Software Comparison: TurboTax vs. H&R Block vs. TaxAct
While we found TurboTax to be the best tax software option overall, each of the big three providers have different strengths. The table below compares the main features you’d likely want to consider in picking the best tax software, not a breakdown of every feature these companies have to offer.
Best Tax Software: Feature Comparison
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Online Tax Software Reviews: A Deeper Look at Our Top Three Picks
TurboTax: The Best Tax Preparation Software Overall
TurboTax is undeniably the most recognizable name in tax prep software, and it has the chops to back it up. Its audit and deduction tools are the best in the business, and its list of features is ever growing with the addition of TurboTax Live video support and Expense Finder for the self-employed. Here are a few more highlights:
- Free federal and state filing for straightforward (form 1040 only) returns
- Incredibly easy-to-use software
- The best mobile app in the business
- Expense Finder, which helps the self-employed identify every possible deduction
- Incredibly thorough knowledge base for self-guided help
- Strong customer support, including TurboTax Live expert video chat
- Heads-up audit detection while you file your taxes
- A wide array of disbursement options
- Trusty phone support hotline
TurboTax Downsides
While TurboTax is the overall best tax software in the field, it’s not without its weaknesses. As many disgruntled users will point out, the price has steadily climbed over the past few years and stands as one of the most expensive options on the market. And unlike H&R Block, TurboTax’s free edition doesn’t support some common deductions, like those for student loan interest and childcare expenses. But, the company estimates that roughly 50 million Americans with simple tax returns can file completely for free using TurboTax Free Edition.
It’s also important to note the company charges a processing fee if you opt to pay your TurboTax fee with your federal refund.
H&R Block: The Best Customer Support at an Affordable Price
With over 12,000 locations spanning the U.S., H&R Block is able to provide a personal touch that TurboTax and TaxAct can’t match. And the best part is that no matter which plan you choose — the free online edition, or the paid desktop edition — everyone gets access to a real-life tax professional. All you have to do is visit the office with the giant green block outside. Here are a few more highlights:
- Standout tools to help with more complex tax needs, including deductions
- Helpful page-by-page overviews and step-by-step workflow guidance
- Premium edition is cheaper than TurboTax’s.
- Peppered with links throughout each page to answer any questions you might have, such as “What qualifies?”
- A bookmarking system lets you tag anything you want to refer to later.
- Free Edition includes tax forms other competitors don’t, like those for deducting student loan interest and childcare expenses, plus free audit support and representation.
H&R Block Downsides
Right now, you may be asking, “With such incredible customer service, why isn’t H&R Block the best tax software?” Frankly, its bland website and slightly confusing interface can’t compete with the simplicity of TurboTax. But if you’d feel more confident having a copilot on your tax journey, or want to file for free and still deduct your child’s preschool tuition, H&R’s marginally less attractive software is easily to overlook.
TaxAct: The Best Cheap Online Tax Software
The online offerings from TaxAct are among the most affordable on the market for the standard taxpayer — its most comprehensive plan costs less than half as much as TurboTax’s top tier, and it supports the exact same forms.
A big reason for these savings comes down to its more utilitarian user experience. Even after a recent face lift, it’s not as easy to use as TurboTax, and you won’t find the same customer support that H&R Block offers. The bottom line is this: If you’re an experienced tax filer, or a straightforward W-2 employee with a simple return, TaxAct has all you need to effectively file your taxes and save some cash. Here are a few more highlights:
![Tax Program For Mac Business Llc Tax Program For Mac Business Llc](https://images.techhive.com/images/article/2014/04/accountedge-100260193-orig.jpg)
- Offers good value without sacrificing quality.
- Provides a pre-built spreadsheet where you enter information like reporting category, sales proceeds, gains/losses, and other relevant stock information
- Limited state e-filing
- A useful “Refund Snapshot” dashboard
- Mini-alerts identify errors and robust learning resources make sure you get all the help you need.
- With the Free Edition, you can file federal tax forms for simple and complex tax returns for different statuses and life situations.
TaxAct Downsides
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TaxAct’s design and educational resources have both improved since last year, but it’s still no match for TurboTax’s offerings. Its low price tag comes with limited customer support and no audit defense options, and its desktop software isn’t nearly as cheap. But for simple returns or confident filers, you can’t beat the online price.
Business Tax Programs Online
Other Tax Software to Consider
Although TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxAct were our top picks, TaxSlayer and eSmartTax are also worth a look.
TaxSlayer Highlights
- One of the lowest-cost options on the market.
- Free tech support by phone or email, and free tax guidance for Premium ($37) users and above.
- Ultimate ($57) package includes three years of audit defense plus one-on-one help with a tax pro.
- You can choose whether to be guided or not, which is great if you’re confident in your tax abilities and want to bypass all the quizzes.
- Prior-year tax form access makes it easy to prepare your forms and alter them to save time.
- The life events guide makes sure you correctly input information about births, a new home, etc.
Why TaxSlayer Didn’t Make the Cut
- Online only — no desktop version.
- Deduction tools aren’t as strong as the top three.
- Instant support is hard to come by in the free and classic versions.
eSmartTax Highlights
- A clean and modern interface makes this software easy to navigate.
- Owned by Liberty Tax, which has office locations available for in-person help.
- You can import prior-year forms and pre-populate information to save time.
Why eSmartTax Didn’t Make the Cut
- Filing a state return will cost you $30 to $37, even if you’re using the free version.
- Deduction discovery resources are very limited, which won’t suffice for more complicated tax situations.
- If you sold your home, you’ll need to spring for the Premium level. Selling a home is a fairly common transaction that would be a no-brainer to support at a Deluxe-tier level.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re filing for your family, your business, or yourself, the biggest piece of advice is to be proactive. While we all lead busy lives, it’s always best to get a jump on the upcoming tax season and not let it sneak up on you.
Admittedly, there will never be a replacement for hiring a professional to take care of your taxes. But for anyone looking to save some money and take matters into their own hands, we’ve found TurboTax to be the best tax software on the market given its ease of use and intuitive design. H&R Block and TaxAct aren’t hanging too far behind, offering unsurpassed customer service and affordability, respectively. But for the majority of taxpayers, your best bet is the slick industry hallmark: TurboTax.
Editorial Note: Compensation does not influence our rankings and recommendations. However, we may earn a commission on sales from the companies featured in this post. To view a list of partners, click here. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers. Reasonable efforts are made to present accurate info, however all information is presented without warranty. Consult our advertiser's page for terms & conditions.
What a year it's been for the IRS! The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act triggered many changes in the tax code, as well as the issuance of several new forms. The 1040A and 1040EZ are gone, and the new 1040-for-all form is much abbreviated. There are six new schedules. All these changes for 2018 returns have kept accounting professionals and tax preparation software providers busy, to say the least.
Now it's your turn. Personal tax preparation websites are up and running, and the IRS is finally accepting returns (barring further government shutdowns). It's time to think about gathering up all your tax documents and plugging your numbers into a tax site, which thirty-seven pecent of you do for yourselves, according to a recent PCMag survey.
If you're still doing your taxes manually—using paper forms, calculator, and pencil—you should really consider moving the process online. Our survey showed that (at least among people with enough computer savvy to take an online survey) only 10 percent of you were doing your taxes manually, and only half of those people were sending your taxes in via snail mail (the rest e-filing with the IRS directly). For those holdouts among you, new laws and new forms are complicating what was already a complex activity. They might even help you get a bigger tax refund!
A Smooth Transition
With all the changes that have occurred, what will you find when you log into H&R Block, TurboTax, TaxAct, or any of the other websites whose developers have been planning for the end of January 2019 for 13 months?
If you've used a personal tax preparation website or desktop software before and you go back to that same product this year, you're not going to notice much of a difference. Every site we reviewed this year has made improvements, some more than others. But they're the usual modifications—user interface tweaks and enhancements to support resources and changes to prices and product lineups.
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For the most part, this year's crop of contenders looks and works much as it did for the 2017 tax year. What's going on in the background as your tax data is calculated and rerouted to accommodate the new laws and forms, though, is very different. The companies that make today's leading tax sites worked extra hard in 2018—so that you don't have to in 2019.
What the New Tax Law Means for You
You've probably heard about at least some of the changes you'll be seeing for the 2018 tax year resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. There are two that are likely to affect you the most. First is the lowering of individual tax rates. There are still seven brackets, but they've all been reduced. You'll be taxed at rates of 10, 12, 22, 24 32, 35, or 37 percent. Second, the standard deduction has been nearly doubled to $12,000 for single filers; $18,000 for heads of household; and $24,000 for joint filers.
Congress did eliminate the personal exemption, but positive changes to the Child Tax Credit may make up for at least part of this loss. If your medical and dental expenses made up more than 7.5 percent of your AGI (adjusted gross income) in tax year 2018, you'll be able to deduct them (the minimum was previously 10 percent).
It's not all good news for individual taxpayers, though. The tax reform law has placed a new limit on the deduction for state and local taxes. If you're paying home mortgage interest, you'll no longer be able to deduct it if your home is worth more than $750,000. Interest on home equity loans and lines of credit isn't deductible anymore, either, unless they're used to, '…buy, build, or substantially approve the taxpayer's home that secures the loan,' according to the IRS.
Those are just a few of the highlights of the new tax law. For more details on what it means for your tax-preparation and filing procedures, read Filing Your Taxes Isn't Simpler This Year: Here's What You Need to Know.
How Online Tax Software Works
When you prepare your income taxes using paper forms, you spend a lot of time shuttling back and forth between them. You come to a line on the 1040 that requires a supporting form or schedule, so you go there and complete it, and then transfer the number back to the 1040. Sometimes you'll need to fill out a worksheet or chase down a document you got in the mail or double-check your calculations because things just don't look right. You may have to do this many times if your return has any complexity.
Tax websites work much differently. Once you create an account and comply with the site's security requirements, you can stop worrying about which forms you need and whether your calculations are correct. You also won't need to worry about how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is going to affect your return. That's all taken care of for you in the background.
When you use a digital tax preparation solution, you're really just filling out a giant questionnaire. These sites work like giant wizards: They ask questions on every page, and you respond by providing answers. You enter information in blank fields, select the correct option from a list, or click a button. When you've satisfied all the requirements of a screen, you move on to the next and complete that. You never have to see an actual IRS form or schedule (though in some cases, you can if you want to).
You'll probably recognize the path you're taking. It's patterned after the order of the IRS Form 1040. You provide contact information first, including Social Security number(s) and birthdate(s), and then move on to your income, deductions, credits, health insurance status, and taxes paid. When you've exhausted all the topics that apply to you and seen a summary of your entries, these sites review your return and highlight errors or omissions you might have made.
After you've cleaned them all up, the software transfers your tax data to any state returns you must file. Once you've answered miscellaneous questions there and checked your entire return, you're asked to pay the service's fees (if there are any). Finally, you can file your return electronically and print it out. After that's done, don't forget to use a good shredder on those documents once you're done.
The Tax Software Interface and Process
Along the way, personal tax preparation websites provide a lot of support for you. After all, how helpful would they be if they just displayed replicas of the actual IRS forms and schedules on the screen and asked you to fill them in using the IRS instructions?
Instead, some of these solutions, such as H&R Block and TurboTax, provide state-of-the-art user experiences. They're designed to makes what is an unpleasant task more palatable. They use color, graphics, design, and layout to present screens that are lively and attractive, rather than dull and lifeless like the actual forms.
The step-by-step data entry path that they provide generally works quite well—as long as you work your way through your whole return without a lot of backing up or lurching forward. Jackson Hewitt Online asks whether you'd like to complete your 1040 by using its comprehensive interview; this option takes you through the entire process in one long Q&A session. It asks you about every tax topic that might possibly apply to you.
The other alternative, one that every online service offers, involves selecting the topics that apply to you. You choose these from the lists they provide for income, deductions, credits, and taxes. When you select one, these sites walk you through mini-interviews to get the information they need. Then they return you to the main list to choose another topic, and so on, until you're finished.
All of the sites we reviewed are a hybrid of these two approaches. The point is, all you have to do is read what's on the screen and follow its instructions. You spend most of your time responding to questions and clicking links to advance to the next screen or using the site-wide navigation tool. These sites are good guides, most of the time.
Speaking Your Language
If you've ever filed a tax return, you know it can be a challenge to understand the IRS's language on its forms and schedules. Turning to the written instructions sometimes doesn't help much. They're quite comprehensive—so comprehensive, in fact, that it's often hard to find the answer to your exact question. When you do find it, the language, again, can be difficult to decipher.
From their earliest days, personal tax software developers have sought to interpret IRS-ese and make it more understandable to the non-accountant. They've written and rewritten their content so that the average taxpayer can understand what's being requested. Further, sites like TaxAct do more. For example, they provide hyperlinks to small help windows that further explain a term or phrase. They anticipate questions you might ask and post Q&As on especially complex topics. They try to ensure that you understand the question being asked so that you'll provide the correct answer.
More Tax Help Needed?
Sometimes, though, a friendly, understandable user experience and clarification of the content displayed on screens isn't enough. So tax websites provide online assistance. Some, including H&R Block, provide context-sensitive explanations in panes attached to the main working area.
In some cases, this guidance isn't available until you click a Help link. And sometimes when you do that, you have access to a giant database of questions and answers. You may be directed to IRS instructions and publications on a few sites, but usually the technical content has been rewritten to make it understandable.
What do you do if your efforts to find help on the site itself fail? You might have one of several types of questions: The first goes something like, 'Where do I enter the information that's on this paper form I got?' Or, 'The site won't let me advance to the next page. What did I do wrong?' Or, simply, 'I'm stuck. I can't find my way back to the screen where I enter mortgage interest information.'
All sites offer at least one of three ways to contact the company's technical support representatives: by email, phone, and or chat. TaxSlayer, for example, offers all three. Some, like H&R Block, offer online communities where you can see if your problem has already been addressed by someone else.
These technical support representatives cannot advise you on points of tax law, though. So some offer to hook you up with an accounting professional. Though you'll pay extra fees, you'll get the most innovative, most comprehensive guidance if you use TurboTax. Its TurboTax Live offering connects you with a CPA or EA (Enrolled Analyst) via live video chat, not just during tax season but year-round. H&R Block users can add unlimited, on-demand screen-sharing and chat sessions with a tax expert for an added fee that starts at $39.99, and customers of TaxAct Deluxe and above receive unlimited phone support from tax specialists.
Are There Any Free Tax Services?
Prices for this year's tax websites range from free to over $100. It turns out that you can get a lot for free. According to our tax survey, seventeen percent of you use free services, in fact. Twenty percent of you use paid software. Every company whose website we reviewed (except Liberty Tax Online) offers a version that costs nothing to prepare and file your federal taxes. All support the new Form 1040 and assume you'll be taking the standard deduction. You can record—or import, in some cases—your W-2 data in all of them.
Each goes even further than that in some ways. H&R Block is the most generous in its free offerings among the normally paid services. Block supports retirement plan and Social Security income, child care expenses and child tax credit, the Earned Income Credit (EIC), and student loan interest. TaxAct, too, allows retirement income, while TurboTax lets you report limited interest and dividend income, the EIC, and child tax credits. Using TaxSlayer, you can enter your student loan interest and education credits. And Jackson Hewitt's free edition will prepare and file the EIC, unemployment, interest income, and up to $100,000 taxable income.
Two of the online tax services we reviewed are free (or nearly free): Credit Karma Tax and FreeTaxUSA. Both support all major IRS forms and schedules. FreeTaxUSA costs nothing unless you need to file a state return; that will cost $12.95. You can also buy enhanced support for $6.99. Credit Karma Tax is the only personal tax preparation website that is totally free, for both federal and state.
Not for Everyone
The eight personal tax preparation websites we reviewed are capable of producing very complex tax returns. You'll pay more if you need more forms and schedules to complete (we reviewed the most popular versions, which in some cases were not the most robust), but the tools are there for advanced topics like self-employment, depreciation, rental income, and capital gains.
If you're not comfortable with your own ability to complete a complicated tax return but still want to give it a shot, you can go with a site like H&R Block. The company offers DIY preparation and filing, of course. But if you get partway through and realize you're not sure of some tax issues, you can have an H&R Block tax professional review your return, complete it, and sign it.
If you're so uncomfortable with taxes that you've procrastinated a bit too much, we have some suggestions for you. Our article Tax Tips for Last-Minute E-Filers is for the one in seven of you who wait till the tax deadline has nearly arrived.
Stay Safe, Protect Your Privacy
Whenever you're going to be sending sensitive information over a network you don't control, you should be concerned. Since taxes are nothing but sensitive data, you ought to be doubly concerned if you're filing from a coffee shop, say, or the airport. About half of you get this, it seems, as our tax survey shows that 47 percent of those who use online tax software are concerned about their data being compromised.
Fortunately, protecting your traffic is as simple as using a VPN. A VPN can create a secure tunnel that encrypts your data, ensuring that anyone who manages to intercept it sees only gibberish.
No amount of security software can keep you safe if you fall for a telephone, email, or in-person tax scam, however. Scammers often rely on you to simply tell them what they want to know, instead of by getting it out of your computer with malware. Instead, they simply pretend to be someone, say the IRS, who you'd likely believe might have a reason to be inquiring, and ask you for your secret information or for payments on imaginary fees you supposedly owe. Read our piece on how to protect yourself from tax-season scams and save yourself money and heartache.
What Is the Easiest Tax Software to Use?
If this is the first time you've ever considered tackling this project yourself, we recommend H&R Block, our Editor's Choice, this year. TurboTax has won this award numerous times in the past, and it also remains an exceptional family of digital tax products. H&R Block, though, has improved its website in numerous ways since last year. It offers a more state-of-the-art user experience, with exceptionally accessible, understandable guidance. That support and guidance makes a complex process easy—or at least easier. It's fast, it's a great value, it's built on decades of tax knowledge, and it's the best for the 2018 tax year.
Note that H&R Block wins for the best desktop software. If you're going to fill out your taxes on your mobile device—yes, that's right, you can do your taxes on your phone—you'll want to try out Intuit's TurboTax Return App, which is our number one choice for mobile tax filing thanks to its excellent interface and accessible, innovative help options.
While you're thinking about your financial situation and you have all your documents about you, we suggest that you also take a look at our roundup of the best personal finance services. The best day to start a budget is yesterday, but today isn't bad, either. If you're a business owner, it's also a good time to make sure your books are in order. Our overview of small business accounting software is an excellent place to get started.
Best Tax Preparation Software Featured in This Roundup:
H&R Block Deluxe 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $29.99Pros: Excellent user experience. Clear navigation. Comprehensive coverage of tax topics. Top help tools. Thorough return review.Cons: Lacks linear navigation wizard and all-in-one step-through of topics.Bottom Line: H&R Block Deluxe is a comprehensive, easy-to-use tax service that helps e-filers claim relevant deductions and credits. The site is much improved, both in terms of the user experience and help options. It's our top choice for online tax preparation.Read ReviewIntuit TurboTax Deluxe 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $59.99Pros: Excellent user experience and selection of tax topics. Thorough interview and final review. TurboTax Live provides year-round live video support from experts.Cons: Some answers in help database supplied by nonexpert users. Location of help topics uneven; help pane usually not context-sensitive.Bottom Line: TurboTax Deluxe offers thorough explorations of tax forms and schedules, and an exceptional user experience to both new and returning taxpayers, but it's help system could be better.Read ReviewTaxSlayer Classic 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $17.00Pros: Inexpensive. Supports all major IRS forms and schedules. W-2 import from providers. Email and phone help. Good knowledge base.Cons: Weak context-sensitive help. Unrefined user experience. Tax-return review not effective in testing. Mobile apps are incomplete.Bottom Line: TaxSlayer Classic is an affordable tax preparation service that gets a little better every year, but its context-sensitive help is still subpar and its user interface lacks polish.Read ReviewFreeTaxUSA Deluxe 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $6.99Pros: Fast. Free federal e-filing. Inexpensive state filing. Comprehensive site outline. Flexible navigation. Context-sensitive help. Excellent mobile experience.Cons: No start-to-finish interview option. No Life Events feature. Can't import W-2s or 1099s.Bottom Line: FreeTaxUSA is a robust online personal tax preparation service that lets you e-file federal tax returns for free, though you have to pay modest fees for state filing and extra support.Read ReviewTaxAct Deluxe Plus 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $47.95Pros: Good navigation tools. Solid user interface. Phone and email help. Thorough review process. Price guarantee. Good mobile experience.Cons: Some help links lead directly to IRS documents. Expensive per-state filing. Some tax topics moved into pricier tiers.Bottom Line: TaxAct competently supports online tax preparation for both new and experienced users. Though its interface is vastly improved this year, H&R Block and TurboTax are still easier to use.Read ReviewCredit Karma Tax 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $0.00Pros: Free. Supports most IRS and state forms and schedules. Clean, simple interface. New guidance options. Much improved mobile access. Context-sensitive FAQs and chat help.Cons: Missing some important forms. Search tool not always accurate, and overall support still sketchy. No site navigation tool.Bottom Line: The completely free Credit Karma Tax supports most IRS forms and schedules for federal and state returns, though it lacks some common ones. Support and mobile access have improved, but it has a ways to go to catch the leaders.Read ReviewLiberty Tax Online Basic 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $29.95Pros: Simple user experience. Innovative navigation pane. Excellent review process. Smart credit finder.Cons: No consistent context-sensitive help. No hyperlinked terms in Q&A. Expensive state returns. Awkward mobile versions.Bottom Line: Liberty Tax is a decent service from the well-known brick-and-mortar tax preparers. It's easy enough to use but lacks well-integrated, accessible guidance and its interface is dated.Read ReviewJackson Hewitt Online 2019 (Tax Year 2018) Review
MSRP: $109.95Pros: Good coverage of tax topics. Comprehensive interview option. Background bookkeeping. Good error-checking. Good mobile version.Cons: Amount and quality of context-sensitive help is lacking. User experience not on a par with competitors. Some navigation quirks. Expensive.Bottom Line: Online tax service Jackson Hewitt can get the job done, but it's expensive, especially considering its subpar user interface and help system. There are better choices, for less money.Read Review