Each year, I review the best tax software. This list puts all my reviews together so you can easily compare and decide which tax software is best for your needs.
All of these tax software choices guarantee the greatest possible refund, accuracy, and use an interview to walk you through completing your taxes. Many offer tax apps for iPhone, Android tax apps and iPad apps. Online versions have multiple security measures in place to protect your data. If you use desktop tax software, be sure to back up your data and create a password in the software to prevent anyone viewing or accessing your data.
If you're not sure how to determine which tax software is best for your return, see my 10 Tips for Choosing Tax Software.
TaxACT
TaxACT 2011 Tax Summary
2nd Story Software. Inc.
TaxACT offers both online and Windows desktop tax software designed by 2nd Story Software with CPAs, tax accountants and software developers. TaxACT's mission is to provide high quality, affordable tax software and the company sticks to those principles. Just about anyone can file their return with TaxACT Free Federal Edition, and the Deluxe version retails for $9.95, or $17.95 for a federal and state return.
TaxACT Online is available all year-round and releases annual free preview versions in October to allow people to get a head start on their taxes or to do some year end tax planning. Full versions release in January and information entered in the preview version transfers over.
TaxACT Online is available all year-round and releases annual free preview versions in October to allow people to get a head start on their taxes or to do some year end tax planning. Full versions release in January and information entered in the preview version transfers over.
H&R Block At Home
H&R Block At Home Main Menu
HRB Digital, LLC
H&R Block At Home has online, Windows and Mac desktop versions with one feature that sets it apart from all the rest: Worry-Free Audit Support. Free mobile tax apps are available for iPhone, Android and iPad.
The audit support feature provides a trained H&R Block agent to advise and help with correspondence from the IRS, audit preparation and representation during audit proceedings. This feature and the Best of Both package make H&R Block At Home an excellent value for the price. H&R Block DeductionPro is included for help with tax deductible donations to charity.
The audit support feature provides a trained H&R Block agent to advise and help with correspondence from the IRS, audit preparation and representation during audit proceedings. This feature and the Best of Both package make H&R Block At Home an excellent value for the price. H&R Block DeductionPro is included for help with tax deductible donations to charity.
TurboTax
TurboTax 2011 Main Menu
Intuit
TurboTax is probably the most well-known tax software due to a big advertising budget and some very solid tax software. While the tax interview in just about all tax software is adequate and will help you get your taxes filed, the interview in TurboTax runs exceptionally smooth.
TurboTax includes ItsDeductible to help with finding the value of tax deductible charitable contributions, and this year, includes Ask a Tax Expert for all versions (even the Free Edition) among the options for getting tax questions answered. TurboTax has a free federal version, but is otherwise typically the most expensive tax software available. The additional cost may be worth it to experienced tax software users since TurboTax lets you move ahead in the tax interview and flag areas you need to return to later to add more information.
TurboTax includes ItsDeductible to help with finding the value of tax deductible charitable contributions, and this year, includes Ask a Tax Expert for all versions (even the Free Edition) among the options for getting tax questions answered. TurboTax has a free federal version, but is otherwise typically the most expensive tax software available. The additional cost may be worth it to experienced tax software users since TurboTax lets you move ahead in the tax interview and flag areas you need to return to later to add more information.
CCH CompleteTax
CompleteTax Guarantees
CCH
CompleteTax is online income tax preparation software from CCH, which has been a leading provider of professional tax and accounting software and services for decades. If you've ever been unpleasantly surprised by online tax software quoting you one price when you start your return and a higher price if you don't complete your return closer to the April 15 deadline, you will appreciate CompleteTax's Price Lock Guarantee. You never pay more to file your taxes than the price listed when you start your return.
CharityDeductions tax deduction tracking software is bundled with CompleteTax, and you can file your return electronically or print and mail your return, which is required for some income tax scenarios.
CharityDeductions tax deduction tracking software is bundled with CompleteTax, and you can file your return electronically or print and mail your return, which is required for some income tax scenarios.
- Prices run from free to $70.
- CompleteTax Review
- CompleteTax web site
eSmart Tax
eSmart Tax Home Page
Liberty Tax
eSmart Tax is a relatively new tax software choice, and it guarantees that the price paid when you file will be the same price advertised when you started your tax return. This online tax software starts off the interview with an introduction that is especially helpful for new users, who may need to know what tax documents to gather before staring a return, and how to navigate the software.
eSmart Tax lacks some of the flashy visuals found in other tax software, and the interview took longer to complete compared to others when I last reviewed it, but it is completively priced at free to $50 depending on version used. eSmart Tax is from the international tax preparation company, Liberty Tax Service.
eSmart Tax lacks some of the flashy visuals found in other tax software, and the interview took longer to complete compared to others when I last reviewed it, but it is completively priced at free to $50 depending on version used. eSmart Tax is from the international tax preparation company, Liberty Tax Service.
