Filing taxes is one of the most dreadful tasks for 80 percent of the general population. The lack of necessary financial education is one of the major causes but one thing is for sure, if you ever ask anyone if they have filed their taxes yet, you will hardly ever get an enthusiastic answer.
You will instead hear horror stories when you ask for advice from anybody in your circle. You will hear warnings like calculate properly, do not miss any points, and every single cent that you leave out will cost you a fine.
What is the easier alternative for any problem in today’s age? Well, it is the internet. Chances are, there are online solutions available for every problem that you have. There are also many software tools available to assist you in filing your tax returns online. These tools range from free versions to the ones that charge a fee but the fee that you pay will always feel justified when you think about the convenience they give you while conducting an important task like filing taxes.
We have researched and compiled a list of the best sites to file taxes online in the USA. these online tools will help ease your burden and reduce the anxiety that surrounds filing taxes.
We hope that these tools really help you manage your taxes.
Best Sites to file Taxes in the USA
1. Turbo Tax (Free Version)
Turbo Tax is one of the best tools that you can use for filing taxes online. They offer a free as well as a paid version.
Why Turbo Tax (Free Version)?
- You can get a free version if you are just filing basic taxes. If you want access to the premium features, you can also pay for the Premium version. You can choose on the basis of your budget.
- The site makes it really easy for you to file your taxes. You just have to follow some simple steps on the website. The site asks you some basic questions to get to know your income and other details. These details are later used to decide your filings and to give you better suggestions.
- The site tells you the refund that you are eligible for before you file the returns. Then you can pay at your own convenience when you are satisfied.
- The site has great reviews that you can also see on the website. So many satisfied customers make for a great reliability score. This means that you can trust the website.
- The site also informs you about important information like who qualifies as your dependents. You can file taxes accordingly when you are better informed.
- If you have been using the site for a while, you do not have to input most of your information repeatedly. The site transfers your last year’s data for free. You can make the necessary changes for whatever has changed in your portfolio.
- Taxes are hard to understand but on this site, you can also educate yourself with expert advice. You will find expert information on various aspects of tax filing. The site also gives you personalized advice on top of that, related to your portfolio.
- If you go through major changes in your income like job changes etc, you can find advice on how this will affect your taxes and what you need to change.
- There is a helpful community to help you with any problems that you encounter on the platform. If you still need immediate and better advice, you can also contact the experts.
- You can import all your tax forms into the software by just clicking a picture.
- Without waiting for your W-2, you can get your tax forms added automatically. This is possible due to the partnership of Turbo Tax with many financial institutions.
- The site is secure and you do not have to worry about your information getting leaked. This is really important when you are dealing with sensitive information.
- Before you file your return, you can take a look at the review of your tax return. This ensures that you do not miss vital information in your filings.
- If there are any mistakes in your calculations that cause you penalties in your returns, you can get the penalty refund from the platform.
- They also have an app that you can use compatible with both Android and iOS for added convenience.
2. Turbo Tax Deluxe
This is the paid version of Turbo Tax. you can use this when you are filing more than just the basic taxes and need access to some advanced features.
Pricing: $59 for Federal. State Charges cost Extra
Why Turbo Tax Deluxe?
- The version is paid but you can still start for free. You only have to pay when you are actually ready to file through the website.
- The site has great reviews and is really reliable. There are around 63k reviews which is a lot.
- To make sure that you get the most deductions on your taxes, the site searches through more than 350 deductions and credits.
- If you own a house, this platform can help you get the best tax deductions on this big investment. You can also get benefits on the basis of charities that you have donated to.
- They help you with the education expenses that you or your child may have. You will get credits on the basis of your educational expenses.
- They help you identify who qualifies as your dependent and then you can get special credits on the basis of special policies. The platform searches for the best policies and you do not have to do that yourself.
- You can get expert support on the site whenever you ask for it. Other forms of support include a helpful community, FAQ, and Expert articles.
- You can take a look at your tax return and go through every detail before you actually file to avoid missing any vital details.
- The site is secure and you can be sure that your sensitive information is in the right hands.
- They always do accurate calculations and in case you get a penalty for the calculation that went wrong on their part, you will always get a refund for that penalty.
- They have a great app that is both Android and iOS compatible for your convenience.
- They can also help you file taxes when you have already missed the deadline. All the penalties are calculated for you with the returns.
3. TaxAct
This is also a great tool to fill your taxes online. A safe site with some great reviews and many tools to help you get the maximum benefit on your online tax filings.
TaxAct free
Why TaxAct free?
- You can get simple filters for W-2 income. All of the benefits of this version are free.
- You can import all the data from the previous year’s filings onto the next year for free. You also have the option to edit the details that have changed with the new year.
- You can get access to expert tips on how to file your taxes and what can save you the most amount of money.
- You get free technical support whenever you face any issues with the taxes.
- You can get benefits like unemployment income, retirement income, child tax credits, and earned-income credits.
- You can get a personalized plan for filing your taxes called personalized my tax plan.
- You also get insights on the maximum tax deductions you can get.
- This is the best for student and dependent credits.
TaxAct Deluxe
Pricing: $46.95. State Charges extra
Why TaxAct Deluxe?
- You get all the benefits from the TaxAct free and there are additional features that you can access for the price that you pay.
- You can get access to itemized deductions
- You can get access to adoption credits and child and dependents care.
- Mortgage interest and real estate taxes are added.
- You can claim deductions on the basis of your student loan interests.
- You also get access to the dedication benefits of a health savings account.
- It is the best option for the filers that have children as well as loans.
- Easy import options are available.
TaxAct Premier
Pricing: $69.95. State Charges extra
Why TaxAct Premier?
- Great ratings from the paying customers attributing to its credibility.
- This is the best option for you if you are actively investing in different sectors and struggle to include the investments in your tax returns.
- You can include the stock gains and losses in your returns and the calculations are made for you.
- If you have a rental property that you are earning from, you can also include that in your filings.
- Royalty and K-1 income are also included.
- If you have any accounts in foreign banks, you can include the financials in your tax returns.
- Apart from these benefits, you also get all the benefits of a standard plan+deluxe plan.
TaxAct Self-Employed
Pricing: $94.95. State Charges Extra
Why TaxAct Self-Employed?
- In addition to all the features that you get in the previous plans, you can extra benefits for the income that you make being self-employed.
- The plan takes into account your freelance income that can easily fluctuate and also includes 1099-NEC
- If you have a business or farm income, this is the plan that accommodates that too.
- You also get the tools to calculate depreciation.
- Access to round-the-year planning resources is also a great feature.
- This is the best plan for individuals with business or personal incomes.
- You can also get personalized deductions on the basis of your business. This will be calculated by the platform.
Common Features
- If you get a tax audit in the next three years of filing your returns, you can get expert defense for the same through this platform.
- If there are any important changes in your portfolio, the tax returns will get updated accordingly.
- Easy importing of your earlier tax returns by just uploading a PDF.
- Expert advice at every point if you are confused with the returns and filings.
- It is relatively cheaper as compared to other platforms.
4. Keeper Tax
Pricing: $16 per month+ $89 filing charges
If you are an independent employee, freelance worker, business owner, or employee, you can use this platform to file your taxes.
Why Keeper Tax?
- You can file taxes with the help of this platform and in addition, you can also track your expenses making it a great expense tracker as well.
- If you are not convinced that you want to use the platform, you can take a trial of the platform and what it can do for you before you decide to pay. You can enjoy a 14-day trial period before paying.
- You also get access to a personal bookkeeper that can help you keep track of the expenses and what deductions you can claim on the basis of that.
- When you join the platform, you are asked a bunch of questions that help make a distinct profile for you. They also ask you questions on the basis of which you can claim tax benefits.
- You will always get tax change notifications via text if anything changes.
- If you want to transfer your details elsewhere, you can pay $39 and get the details transferred wherever you want.
- They also have a great app compatible with both Android and iOS. You can keep track of your fluctuating income and as a result, fluctuating tax returns all year round.
- You also have the option to link your credit cards or bank accounts so that your bank statements are automatically tracked to update your taxes. They have a connection to more than 10k banks which means that you will most likely find your bank on this list.
- You can get text recommendations from the personal bookkeeper on what expenses can be put in the category of work expenses so that you can claim deductions on the same.
- All the analyses made on the app can be easily transferred to a spreadsheet for easy tracking and presentation.
- You can easily plug Schedule C categorization into your tax filing software. This is a great feature to keep track of your expenses without keeping bills.
- To calculate the quarterly tax payments, you get access to a calculator tool on the platform.
- The platform was launched in 2018 and therefore, the features of the platform are relatively new and updated.
5. E-File
One of the quicker options to fill your taxes online when you may not have much time on your hand.
Why E-file?
- The site claims that you can file your taxes through the platform in less than 15 minutes. This is great if you are struggling with a deadline or often forget when the returns are due.
- You can make an account for free and then only pay when you are satisfied.
- The software calculates the deductions according to the information that you entered. You do not need to enter the data repeatedly for the calculations to be made.
- The site also claims that you will get refunds earlier than the other tax-filing platforms.
- You also get the option to choose from filing the taxes online, or printing the return and then physically mailing it. The choice is yours.
- They have a great customer support line that you can call to ask about any queries that you may have about the taxes or returns.
- They have an electronic filing system that makes it easier to get the refunds directly into the bank account.
- The platform prices are relatively lower when compared to the other platforms in the same field.
- They have three plans to choose from. The first one is free where you can access the basic features.
- You can find exclusive articles on the platform about everything related to the taxes and important dates.
E-File Deluxe Plus
Pricing: $20.99 + $22.49 for the state
Why E-file Deluxe Plus?
- You can file the taxes with dependents and get reductions on the basis of the dependent expenses.
- If you have a mortgage, the interest will be deducted from your tax returns.
- You can file for taxes in an income bracket of up to 100k.
- The tax returns also include your retirement income if you are eligible for the same.
- You can get online as well as phone support for any issues that you may encounter while filing taxes through the platform.
E-File Premium Plus
Pricing: $37.49 + $22.49 for State
Why E-File Premium Plus?
- You get access to the itemized deductions on your taxes. All the items are calculated separately and the refunds are added.
- If you have specific credit schedules, they are also accommodated on the platform.
- You can also include your business and personal income. The tax filings also accommodate your freelance incomes if you have any.
- You can get exclusive support on the phone any time you want for any grievances that you may have with filing your taxes.
- There is also IRS audit assistance provided with this plan. This helps you in case you get an audit for the taxes that you filed through the platform.
6. EZ Tax Return
A great website where you can start filing your taxes for free. Some great additional features unlock when you decide to pay for the premium versions.
Why EZ Tax Return?
- You can start with the free version and it is completely free if your taxes are basic.
- The site has transparent prices for everybody. There are no hidden prices involved at any point.
- If you are not eligible for the free version of the site, you still have to pay very low prices as compared to any other tax-filing platform that you may come across. You can also find combo offers if you pay for the federal and state price together.
- You can get easy and fast refunds through a special VISA Netspend card if you file through the platform. If you sign up for the card, you can get almost all the benefits that you get with a normal bank card which is an extra benefit.
- They ask you to answer some simple questions about your finances when you sign up on the platform and then a profile is created for you which makes it easier to calculate your returns.
- The site also provides IRS acceptance within 24 hours and this also makes the process faster and easier.
- The site claims that they always provide you with accurate calculations and never need to worry about cross-checks. This saves you the time and hassle of making the calculations yourself.
- They have a free customer support line for any issues that you may face while filing the returns through the website.
- They guide you through the entire process of filing the taxes step-by-step so that any confusion can be cleared instantly and your taxes can be filed faster.
- The site does not use your personal information for anything other than filing your taxes. You do not need to worry about the misuse of your sensitive financial information.
7. TaxSlayer
Get the biggest refunds possible on the basis of your tax situation.
Why TaxSlayer?
- You can start with a free plan if you have simple tax returns to file. It also includes one federal and one state return for free.
- They have four different plans that you can choose from based on the tax bracket that you qualify for.
- You get the maximum possible refund that is possible in your tax bracket and the site claims to be ahead of all the other tax-filing platforms in this segment.
- The site has great reviews that add to its credibility.
- You can also choose what way would you like to receive your tax refunds and through what transactions.
- They calculate according to your tax bracket what forms you may need and then provide you with all the forms that you will need to fill out.
- They have great tools on the website like the refund calculator where you can calculate the tax returns for free without even purchasing a plan.
- They have a great financial blog on the website where you can understand the new additions to the tax rules and what you may need to remember to have a seamless experience.
- The site is secure and all your sensitive financial information is taken care of so that you can be worry-free.
- They also have a great mobile application that you can use for even more convenience.
To Conclude
All the websites that we have mentioned above are carefully researched and reviewed by millions of users online. The sites are secure and have many benefits when it comes to calculating and filing your tax returns.
However, when you enter sensitive information on a site online, it is important to conduct your own research. It is also important to choose wisely because filing tax returns with wrong calculations could land you in too much trouble. Therefore, use all these sites at your own discretion and make sure to do some research as well before you trust a website.
We hope that the list was helpful to you. Keep reading for more such content.