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$0
Federal starting price
$39.95
State returns starting price
Federal starting price | $0 |
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State returns starting price | $39.95 |
Maximum return guaranteed? | Yes |
Payment options | Credit, Debit, Pay with your tax refund |
Review by
Cassidy Horton is a writer for Finder, specializing in banking and kids’ debit cards. She’s been featured on Legal Zoom, MSN, and Consolidated Credit and has a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia Southern University. When not writing, you can find her exploring the Pacific Northwest and watching endless reruns of The Office.
TaxAct is best for those who want a reliable yet inexpensive way to file taxes this year. It’s one of the oldest and best-known tax prep software services on the market, offering 12 different packages for individuals, businesses and enterprises, plus three easy ways to receive your tax refund.
It released new features for the 2020 tax year and now has tools like a deduction maximizer, e-file concierge and expert help from CPAs and tax professionals to get you through tax season with as few headaches as possible.
But as with most tax software programs, you’ll be upsold throughout the filing process. This isn’t a big deal if you’ve researched each plan and know which one is best for you, but you may end up paying more than you’d like if you’re not prepared.
Plan and packages | Price | Best For | Features |
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Free/Basic plan | Online – $0 for federal Downloadable software | Simple filers with dependents, college expenses and retirement income |
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Deluxe plan | Online – $47.95 for federal Downloadable software | Homeowners and those with itemized deductions |
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Premier plan | Online – $71.95 for federal – $54.95 for state Downloadable software | Those with investments, rental property and foreign bank accounts |
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Self-Employed plan | Online – $94.95 for federal – $54.95 for state Downloadable software | Freelancers and small business owners |
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Estates & Trusts plan | Online – $109.95 for federal – $50.00 for state | Individuals who need to file a separate Estates & Trusts tax return |
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Sole Proprietor plan | Online – $94.95 for federal – $54.95 for state Downloadable software | Businesses classified as a sole proprietorship |
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Partnership plan | Online – $124.95 for federal – $49.95 for state Downloadable software | Businesses classified as a partnership |
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C Corporation plan | Online – $124.95 for federal – $49.95 for state Downloadable software | Businesses classified as a C Corporation |
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S Corporation plan | Online – $124.95 for federal – $49.95 for state Downloadable software | Businesses classified as an S Corporation |
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Pay Per Return plan | $150 per edition $35 per state filing $15 per e-file | CPAs and tax professionals who only need to file a few returns |
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1040 Bundle | $700 | CPAs and tax professionals filing several 1040 federal and state returns |
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Complete Bundle | $1,325 | CPAs and tax professionals with complex filing needs |
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You can pay for TaxAct’s tax preparation fees in three ways:
You have three ways to receive your tax refund through TaxAct:
Use the steps below to sign up for TaxAct online:
After you’ve completed these steps, you’ll begin the filing process.
As one of the oldest tax preparation companies in the business, TaxAct offers the following perks:
If you plan to file with TaxAct, watch out for these potential drawbacks:
TaxAct’s business tax filing options are best for small business owners with simple tax situations. Here’s why:
Adrienne Fuller
Publisher
I’ve used TaxAct for the past several years to submit joint tax returns for federal, Colorado and California. It was very straightforward for the stage of life I was in — no kids, mortgage or major debts. The price was also a bargain compared to other services at that time.
Now that my taxes are more complicated with a mortgage and an LLC, the shortcomings of TaxAct have become more apparent. While TaxAct walks users through each stage of the filing process and offers resources, it’s difficult to determine which forms I need to fill out. I find myself straying from the site to research the forms to understand them. If I accidentally skip over a form, I have to start over.
It cost $80 to submit my taxes with TaxAct this year and it included federal, state and a return for the LLC. I particularly like that TaxAct can import my taxes from previous years. This is one of the reasons I haven’t tried to switch. I know that other services can import from other software, so I plan to compare prices and try to find a cheaper service for my 2019 returns.
As of October 2020, TaxAct earns an A+ based on the Better Business Bureau’s internal criteria but a mere 1 out of 5 stars based on 76 customer reviews. On Trustpilot, TaxAct earns 2.8 out of 5 stars.
Customers complain about glitches in the 2018 TaxAct version of the software that resulted in errors on their tax returns. Others mention unreachable customer service and many share that the quality has declined.
TaxAct partners with Protection Plus Audit Defense to bring its customers full-service audit assistance. Simply enroll in the program when you file your return, and Protection Plus will cover your tax return for three full years. If your federal or state return is audited during that time, you don’t have to do anything. Protection Plus will go through the entire audit process on your behalf.
If you don’t enroll in Protection Plus Audit Defense, your audit protection is limited to an FAQ page on TaxAct’s website.
Chat with a TaxAct customer support rep in two ways