Best TaxAct Alternatives
Overview of TaxAct
TaxAct is the replacement for Form 1040EZ, short and simple version of filling out your federal and state tax.
This also made one of the parents of our schoolmate very very happy. Because her father is all of them. She said, she finally got her dad to start filing their taxes online. She was very embarrassed when he was filling their taxes in his room with his calculator and a huge stack of tax papers. He has said that he’s tired of calculating the taxes, so he has switch to e-filing.
TaxAct is also one of the less known online tax filing services, but they might have a good chance to come up in the future, because they have provided a very affordable price.
We had tried TaxAct years ago when we needed to file for our parents, and we have been satisfied with its pricing and service.
It’s also better that they provide the necessary tools for us to look back and see our tax records, so we know the amount of our refund and how much we have being taxed during the year.
Cost
As a tax expert, I get a lot of questions about tax software. For customers with simple returns and no investments or rental properties, there are good alternatives to TaxAct.
Here is a list of tax software that you might consider when shopping for your tax software. They are all pretty much the same price as TaxAct.
AARP Tax-Aide
All of these services will do a good job and impose a minimal learning curve. You will need to spend a little more than on TaxAct for a complete solution. My recommendation for the home user is TaxAct because you can do it all right from the computer. But for the business user or someone who needs extra help, the extra expense is well worth it. Unlike TaxAct, H&R Block and TurboTax both offer professional support.
Note: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not endorse any particular individual or company offering tax filing software and is not responsible for the accuracy of taxpayer returns filed with commercial tax preparation software.
Features
TaxAct is a reliable, cost-effective premium tax software for business and personal taxes. However, it is not the only tax preparation software in the market. There are quite a few features that make TaxAct stand out from its competitors. However, there are some customers that are choosing other tax preparation software over TaxAct and have grown to like it better. Let’s see some of the alternatives to TaxAct:
{1}. TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA. These two companies have been growing and are giving TaxAct a run for its money. Both TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA provide great discounts to first time clients. They have been increasing their offer of free federal, state, and efile taxes to compete with TaxAct. FreeTaxUSA offers free federal and state, but they charge for efiling. TaxSlayer offers up to 1040EZ prepared at no charge and reduced prices for other tax forms.
{2}. H&R Block. H&R Block is another competitor of TaxAct. H&R Block has been around for years and has the experts and man power to gain market share and compete with TaxAct. Like TaxAct, H&R Block provides expertise in preparing tax returns.
TaxAct vs TaxSlayer
Cost
As a tax expert, I get a lot of questions about tax software. For customers with simple returns and no investments or rental properties, there are good alternatives to TaxAct.
Here is a list of tax software that you might consider when shopping for your tax software. They are all pretty much the same price as TaxAct.
AARP Tax-Aide
All of these services will do a good job and impose a minimal learning curve. You will need to spend a little more than on TaxAct for a complete solution. My recommendation for the home user is TaxAct because you can do it all right from the computer. But for the business user or someone who needs extra help, the extra expense is well worth it. Unlike TaxAct, H&R Block and TurboTax both offer professional support.
Note: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not endorse any particular individual or company offering tax filing software and is not responsible for the accuracy of taxpayer returns filed with commercial tax preparation software.
Features
TaxAct is a reliable, cost-effective premium tax software for business and personal taxes. However, it is not the only tax preparation software in the market. There are quite a few features that make TaxAct stand out from its competitors. However, there are some customers that are choosing other tax preparation software over TaxAct and have grown to like it better. Let’s see some of the alternatives to TaxAct:
{1}. TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA. These two companies have been growing and are giving TaxAct a run for its money. Both TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA provide great discounts to first time clients. They have been increasing their offer of free federal, state, and efile taxes to compete with TaxAct. FreeTaxUSA offers free federal and state, but they charge for efiling. TaxSlayer offers up to 1040EZ prepared at no charge and reduced prices for other tax forms.
{2}. H&R Block. H&R Block is another competitor of TaxAct. H&R Block has been around for years and has the experts and man power to gain market share and compete with TaxAct. Like TaxAct, H&R Block provides expertise in preparing tax returns.
TaxAct vs. H&R Block
TurboTax, and Other Popular Tax Filing Services.
If you're doing your taxes with TaxAct, you've definitely taken the less expensive, more barebones approach to doing taxes. If you've decided it's time to upgrade your TaxAct experience, it can be a tough decision to make, considering you swear by TaxAct and don't want to upset the apple cart. You may also not know what the next best alternative is.
While TaxAct doesn't have as many features as TurboTax or H&R Block, it also doesn't have the price tag. The options below also have nice, free versions that allow you to manage your simple tax forms for free. If you've got the cash, they also have premium versions that offer more features like EFTPS supports.
Cost
As a tax expert, I get a lot of questions about tax software. For customers with simple returns and no investments or rental properties, there are good alternatives to TaxAct.
Here is a list of tax software that you might consider when shopping for your tax software. They are all pretty much the same price as TaxAct.
AARP Tax-Aide
All of these services will do a good job and impose a minimal learning curve. You will need to spend a little more than on TaxAct for a complete solution. My recommendation for the home user is TaxAct because you can do it all right from the computer. But for the business user or someone who needs extra help, the extra expense is well worth it. Unlike TaxAct, H&R Block and TurboTax both offer professional support.
Note: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not endorse any particular individual or company offering tax filing software and is not responsible for the accuracy of taxpayer returns filed with commercial tax preparation software.
Features
TaxAct is a reliable, cost-effective premium tax software for business and personal taxes. However, it is not the only tax preparation software in the market. There are quite a few features that make TaxAct stand out from its competitors. However, there are some customers that are choosing other tax preparation software over TaxAct and have grown to like it better. Let’s see some of the alternatives to TaxAct:
{1}. TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA. These two companies have been growing and are giving TaxAct a run for its money. Both TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA provide great discounts to first time clients. They have been increasing their offer of free federal, state, and efile taxes to compete with TaxAct. FreeTaxUSA offers free federal and state, but they charge for efiling. TaxSlayer offers up to 1040EZ prepared at no charge and reduced prices for other tax forms.
{2}. H&R Block. H&R Block is another competitor of TaxAct. H&R Block has been around for years and has the experts and man power to gain market share and compete with TaxAct. Like TaxAct, H&R Block provides expertise in preparing tax returns.
TaxAct vs. TurboTax
TaxAct and TurboTax are two of the most popular tax software options when it comes to filing with the IRS. Both of these companies typically offer their products at the same price, so they are a great alternative for those looking for tax software that is the same without the added cost of printing.
However, there are a few advantages to TaxAct that make it an attractive option when filing with the IRS.
Retain Audit Protection
TaxAct’s audit protection program is designed to give users the opportunity to review and challenge any inaccuracies that the IRS finds during the audit process. Even if you have to pay the difference if you owe, you will be able to keep your money if you prove them wrong. This program only applies to federal taxes.
However, TurboTax does not offer this audit protection for federal taxes. They have created a program called Identity Protection that specifically protects you from identity theft throughout the year, but this program is pretty basic and doesn’t offer the same level of protection as TaxAct.
Free Audit Support
TaxAct also offers audit support for free. If you have previously purchased audit support during the tax year, you still get access to the support team at no additional charge. However, TurboTax does not offer audit support for free, and you have to purchase audit support to get access to the audit support help team.
Cost
As a tax expert, I get a lot of questions about tax software. For customers with simple returns and no investments or rental properties, there are good alternatives to TaxAct.
Here is a list of tax software that you might consider when shopping for your tax software. They are all pretty much the same price as TaxAct.
AARP Tax-Aide
All of these services will do a good job and impose a minimal learning curve. You will need to spend a little more than on TaxAct for a complete solution. My recommendation for the home user is TaxAct because you can do it all right from the computer. But for the business user or someone who needs extra help, the extra expense is well worth it. Unlike TaxAct, H&R Block and TurboTax both offer professional support.
Note: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not endorse any particular individual or company offering tax filing software and is not responsible for the accuracy of taxpayer returns filed with commercial tax preparation software.
Features
TaxAct is a reliable, cost-effective premium tax software for business and personal taxes. However, it is not the only tax preparation software in the market. There are quite a few features that make TaxAct stand out from its competitors. However, there are some customers that are choosing other tax preparation software over TaxAct and have grown to like it better. Let’s see some of the alternatives to TaxAct:
{1}. TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA. These two companies have been growing and are giving TaxAct a run for its money. Both TaxSlayer and FreeTaxUSA provide great discounts to first time clients. They have been increasing their offer of free federal, state, and efile taxes to compete with TaxAct. FreeTaxUSA offers free federal and state, but they charge for efiling. TaxSlayer offers up to 1040EZ prepared at no charge and reduced prices for other tax forms.
{2}. H&R Block. H&R Block is another competitor of TaxAct. H&R Block has been around for years and has the experts and man power to gain market share and compete with TaxAct. Like TaxAct, H&R Block provides expertise in preparing tax returns.
What to Look For in a Tax Service
Tax season is a few weeks away. Have you prepared your federal returns? If you haven’t, then you should be familiar with the best tax software on the market before getting ready to file.
Will the Software Prepare Your Return the Way You Want
When it comes to income tax preparation, software comes in many forms. You can buy it through the aforementioned software companies, at retail stores, or through tax preparers. Preparers who use tax preparation software are the most convenient option for people who are new to tax preparation and make a small number of income and expense entries. Software purchased individually can be installed on a computer and can be far more comprehensive.
Just like Windows versus Mac, software can vary, but that can be said about any industry. It’s important to evaluate a company’s return preparation software before jumping into a new relationship.
Will the Software Leave You Hassle-Free?
From income to deductions, credits, and more, the preparation of a federal return is complicated. Your tax preparer should be able to explain how the software files and processes your return. He or she should also be able to guide you through the process of using the software you choose, and you should be able to ask him or her questions during the process.
Bottom Line: It’s Not All About the Price
It’s no secret that we love free things here at The College Investor. The problem is though, that just because something is free it doesn’t mean it’s the best solution. Taxes are no exception to the rule.
What’s true for other areas of our life can also be said for finances. If it were up to our wives, we’d probably all be carrying around dollar bills in our pockets and paying our bills with dimes and quarters. Save the tax return, pay it forward!
Choosing the right tax filing service is sort of like getting married.
You want to marry the right girl for you, but you also want to make sure that you choose a girl that’s not going to let your fat wallet and fatter ego run your life.
The taxes you cough up to your government aren’t peanuts, and they need to be cared for correctly. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 5 alternative places to manage your taxes.