Review of Intuit TurboTax software for tax return preparation
A filing software for everyone — but only simple tax returns qualify for the Free Edition.
Intuit TurboTax is a convenient software solution that makes filing federal and state taxes easier and less expensive than traditional tax agencies. The company is known for having a user-friendly interface that is simple to use, and provides helpful tax guidelines. But its basic plan is bare bones and doesn’t cover most tax situations.
Alexa Serrano is an editor at Finder specializing in banking and kid’s debit cards. A certified anti-money laundering specialist, Alexa helps guide readers to the best savings and checking accounts for their financial goals. Her expertise has been featured on top publications including Best Company, U.S. News & World Report, MSN and Yahoo. And she’s frequently interviewed by broadcast news publications across the country, including Fox News and NBC News. Alexa earned a BA in English from Wesleyan College and enjoys reading memoirs in her spare time.
Expert review
If you’re looking for a DIY way to do your taxes, Intuit TurboTax could be an ideal solution for you. While it may not be the cheapest DIY tax program on the market, it’s a high quality software option that generally produces accurate and quick results. Plus, enlisted active duty and reserve military members can file their federal and state returns for free.
But watch out for product upgrades as you go through the filing process. You may not know you’ve been bumped up to a higher plan until you’re ready to pay and submit your return.
How much does Intuit TurboTax cost?
Intuit TurboTax is a tax software that uses an interview-style process to help you file your taxes. The software collects your answers to various questions, and evaluates them to determine exactly which forms to include in your return. Intuit TurboTax offers a variety of products, including the Free Edition, Deluxe, Premier, and Self-Employed package.
Plan and packages
Early bird
Price
Best for
Features
Free Edition (for simple returns only)
$0 for federal
$0 for state
Simple returns
Access to prior year returns
Covers W2 income
Earned income tax credit (EIC) and child tax credits
Deluxe
$59 for federal
$49 for state
Families and those with itemized deductions
Covers W2 and 1099-MISC income without expenses
Mortgage & property tax donations
Charitable donations
Student loan interest and education expenses
Health saving accounts
Retirement savings contributions
Premier
$89 for federal
$49 for state
Investors and those with rental properties
Auto import investment tax data
Covers stocks, bonds, robo-investing, cryptocurrency, rental property income and more
Self-Employed
$119 for federal
$49 for state
Small business owners
Covers 1099-MISC income and expenses
Maximizes work-related deductions
QuickBooks Self-Employed subscription to track expenses and mileage
When you first visit the Intuit TurboTax website, you’ll fill out a few simple questions to determine which package is best for your situation.
How do I pay?
You have three options for paying your Intuit TurboTax fees:
Debit or credit card
Prepaid card
Deducted from your federal refund
How do I get my tax refund?
There are three ways to get your tax refund:
Paper check
Direct deposit
Refund Advance on a Turbo Visa Debit Card
Free File Program discontinuing in October 2021
The Free File Program, a service delivered by TurboTax through the IRS Free File Alliance (FFA), will be discontinued in October 2021. This program allows Americans to file federal and state taxes for free, regardless of how complex their tax return is. But it has strict eligibility requirements, such as having a household adjusted gross income (AGI) of $39,000 or less.
The TurboTax Free Edition is not the same as the Free File Program and will continue to be available to all filers with simple returns. If you need to file additional schedules or have a more complex situation, you’ll be able to upgrade from the free edition to a paid version.
How do I open a Intuit TurboTax account?
Signing up for Intuit TurboTax online takes just a few minutes:
Select which tax situations apply to you and select your plan. You can either choose the one Intuit TurboTax recommends or your own.
Select how you filed taxes last year and click Continue.
Create your account using your email address, User ID, phone number and password and click Create Account.
Once you create your account, Intuit TurboTax will ask you a few simple questions to determine which tax forms you need. As you move through the filing process, you can go back and edit or delete forms you have already completed.
Pros
Those who file taxes with Intuit TurboTax will enjoy perks like:
Easy to use. Simply answer simple questions and Intuit TurboTax generates the correct tax forms you need.
Mobile friendly. The mobile app is available on both IOS and Android devices, and offers almost all the features you can take advantage of on the computer. It even lets you submit some forms by taking a picture of them by phone.
Military discount. If you are a service member, you can file your federal and state taxes for free using any Intuit TurboTax package.
Helpful resources. In addition to the vast amount of online written resources, you can also take advantage of tax experts who are happy to help via phone call.
Cons
If you plan on filing with Intuit TurboTax, watch out for these potential drawbacks:
Limited. Intuit TurboTax can handle most individual tax situations for small business owners, but it may not be comprehensive enough for those with large companies.
Cost. You typically don’t know the final cost of Intuit TurboTax until you finish your return. If your situation is more complicated than your plan allows, Intuit TurboTax automatically upgrades you to a higher plan.
Free Edition doesn’t offer everything. The Free Edition is only for simple tax returns and it doesn’t include Schedules A, C, D, E, H or K. If you are planning on itemizing deductions, or if you have to pay self-employment taxes, you may want to look into the other plans.
If you want a filing service that offers straightforward pricing, you’ll want to keep looking. As always, compare your options when considering a tax filing service.
Intuit TurboTax reviews and complaints
Intuit TurboTax earns an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) based on such internal criteria as years in business and financial security. As of July 2021, it has a 1.12 out of 5-star customer rating based on 301 reviews.
Of those reviews, many customers claim Intuit TurboTax is easy to follow, and is laid out clearly. Others complain about being tricked into upgrading to pricier plans than needed. Once you upgrade, there’s no way to undo it. You either pay the higher price or start the entire process over with a different filing service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
There are three ways to contact Intuit TurboTax customer support:
Call 1-800-446-8848
Use the chatbot on its website
Post your question in the online community on its website
Frequently asked questions
Intuit TurboTax offers a vast amount of educational resources. The company provides video tutorials, articles, a glossary, forums, and more. The website also offers a lot of previously asked questions.
Intuit TurboTax is online software you can buy. You complete the process online, and not with a tax professional in person in an office. However, you can take advantage of the company’s helpful resources if you do need assistance. More recently, Intuit TurboTax implemented a feature called Smart Look that lets you see a representative’s face while they talk. The representative is only able to see your Intuit TurboTax screen.
If you are not happy with Intuit TurboTax Online or Mobile, you do not have to pay. You can use Intuit TurboTax for free up to the point that you decide to print or electronically file your return.
If you purchased Intuit TurboTax from a retailer store, you can return it for a full refund to Intuit within 60 days of purchase. To do this, you will need your receipt.
If you bought Intuit TurboTax via direct download from the company’s website, you can still return it within 60 days of shipment with your receipt.
Yes. Intuit TurboTax offers a maximum refund guarantee. If you get a larger refund or small taxes due with another tax preparation method, Intuit TurboTax will refund the applicable Intuit TurboTax federal and/or state purchase price paid.
Yes, if Intuit TurboTax makes a calculation error, and you have to pay the IRS, a state penalty, or interest as a result, the company will cover the penalty and interest.
Intuit TurboTax offers tax calculators, as well as many different kinds of resources. You can also go to Intuit TurboTax’s website for tax tips, videos, helpful blog posts, and more.
Thanks for getting in touch! Great to know that you are gearing up for next years tax returns. Turbo Tax doesn’t have a direct line to contact them but the best way to get in touch with them is to go to their contact page. When you scroll down on the website, you’ll find HELP AND SUPPORT. You may choose TurboTax Support to read about their FAQS or choose CONTACT US to send them an email. You may also view their ABOUT tab to know how the software works in general. I hope this helps and let me know if you have questions.
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November 27, 2018
I am getting ready for next year tax returns. Can i talk to someone on which software would be best for my returns?
November 28, 2018
Hi Anne,
Thanks for getting in touch! Great to know that you are gearing up for next years tax returns. Turbo Tax doesn’t have a direct line to contact them but the best way to get in touch with them is to go to their contact page. When you scroll down on the website, you’ll find HELP AND SUPPORT. You may choose TurboTax Support to read about their FAQS or choose CONTACT US to send them an email. You may also view their ABOUT tab to know how the software works in general. I hope this helps and let me know if you have questions.
Best,
Nikki