When tax season rolls around people are often excited about the money they might receive as a refund, but the thought of actually filling out the tax forms may seem a little scary. Filing taxes is easier now that it has ever been thanks to all of the different programs that are available to help you. Here are five of the best online tax services.
Online Tax Service #1 – Turbo Tax
Turbo Tax is a website that my husband and I have been using for about 4 years now and I really like how it is set up and its ease of use. There are different versions of Turbo Tax that you can use so you can find the one that will best suit your needs. There is a Free Federal Edition, Deluxe, Premier, Home Business, and Business. These just cover federal filing, but you can do your state for an additional fee.
The program that I use with this system is the Deluxe because it imports all of your information from the previous year so there is no need to track down past information. This version will cost you around $30, but it comes with a free e-file so you can file quickly and get your refund quickly with direct deposit.
Turbo Tax offers a variety of ways to receive help while you are doing your taxes such as the ability to chat, online communities, frequently asked question articles, as well as phone support. Another neat feature of Turbo Tax is that as you go through each screen there is a refund total at the top that is constantly updated as you enter your information.
Online Tax Service #2 – H&R; Block
H&R; Block is a service that is another option if you plan to file your taxes on your own. This site offers four different versions that you can choose from. Free, Deluxe, Premium, and Best of Both. As with others the state filing will cost extra.
You have the capability to import your previous year’s tax information with this system as well as asking questions from a tax preparer. I used this particular system a few years ago, but went away from it because Turbo Tax was easier to use. It does appear that H&R; Block has revamped their online system to make it more user friendly.
Online Tax Service #3 – Tax Act
This site seems to have the best prices, but only has three versions available. There is a Free Federal, Deluxe Federal, and Ultimate Bundle.
The Ultimate Bundle seems to be the best deal because it combines the Deluxe version with a state version. This version will only cost you around $18 which is very low compare to the other sites. This site also offers free phone, e-mail, and audit support, but does not have the online live chat like some of the others do.
Online Tax Service #4 – Tax Brain
Tax Brain will build you a tax package tailored to your needs. The cost of this program can range from $14.95 up to $69.95. This will just cover the federal portion of your taxes, but you can add any state program for an additional $29.95. This site does offer free live chat, phone support, and email for any questions that you might have while preparing your taxes.
Online Tax Service #5 – Complete Tax
Complete Tax has four versions that you can choose from. Free, Basic, Deluxe, and Premium. These packages will range from free to around $50. You can also import your previous year’s information with this program. This site offers free email support, but you will have to pay an extra $4.95 for chat support.
These are my top five picks for online tax services that you can use to prepare your taxes online. Be sure to pick the program that best suits your needs and has all of the features that you are looking for.
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