Best free file tax companies

The free tier also supports student loan interest deductions, educational credits, and child tax credits. However, filers with retirement credits and deductions may have to upgrade. Additionally, those with HSA contributions, and child or dependent care contributions will certainly have to upgrade to claim all their relevant deductions.

People in these situations have to upgrade to Deluxe and may be better off using Cash App Taxes. However, a free product may not be the best fit for you in This article focuses on free software, but consider your situation before making a selection.

File early next year to take advantage! Note: The tax prep offers that appear on this site are from companies from which The College Investor receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear.

The College Investor does not include all tax prep companies or all tax prep offers available in the marketplace, although we are always striving to keep our content updated. Unemployment income, student loan interest, educational expenses, and Child Tax Credit included for free. Watch out if you have student loan interest expenses, child or dependent care expenses, or HSA contributions.

These disqualify you from the free filing. Free for simple tax returns including student loan interest and educational expenses. Only Free for very simple returns. HSA contributors, student loan interest, and other common deductions and credits are also excluded.

Filers need to understand their tax situation to use these forms, but it can work for certain filers. The product offers an excellent user experience for all most users active traders will want to look elsewhere. Unfortunately, people who worked in multiple states cannot use Cash App Taxes to file their state returns. You also have to connect a debit card to the Cash App which may be a challenge for underbanked people prepaid debit cards work.

They also expanded what counts for free filing, making them our top choice for individuals that qualify for free file. W-2 wage earners including homeowners, people claiming childcare expenses, student loan interest deduction or charitable deductions and recipients of the earned income tax credit can all get free file this year.

Limited interest and dividend income is also supported. The Free tier includes both State and Federal filing. Filers can simply snap a photo of their W-2, add some basic information, and complete filing. In , TurboTax has an amazing offer. Simple filers who have their documents ready by February 15th can have an enrolled agent file taxes on their behalf. Those who complete their returns by March 31st can have an Enrolled Agent review their taxes before filing. Unfortunately, this offer is limited to people with very simple returns.

People with more complex filing situations including HSA contributions or distributions, child care expenses, and charitable contributions will have to upgrade. TaxAct has an expansive free filing option, but it only applies to federal returns. All filers have to pay for state returns. Given the high price point of state returns, TaxAct is a poor choice for people seeking free filing.

In , TaxAct provides free filing to people with W-2 income, education expenses but not student loan interest , and people who want to claim the child tax deduction. The free filing includes Federal and State returns.

But watch out. TaxAct bumps you out of the free zone pretty quickly. Federal returns are free to file, and all tax situations are covered, including filing jointly, homeownership, itemized deductions, dependents, investments, and more. Self-employed tax filings are free as well. Customers receive support in the form of a searchable help section and email support.

The real draw is access to Audit Assist, which supplies support from audit specialists if you find yourself subject to an IRS audit. They only provide information to help you through your audit. Free features: Free federal tax return and state return filing, audit defense. Launched in , Credit Karma Tax is the new kid on the tax service block. Credit Karma Tax is an online tax service offer free federal and state filings for most common tax situations.

The free service supports several filing statuses, including:. Credit Karma also supports some forms for self-employment tax situations, like schedule C, schedule E and schedule SE.

Smart File includes an option to upload your W-2 information via photo. Customer service for Credit Karma Tax is limited to email support through its website. This tax software also features free audit support for qualifying Credit Karma Tax members. Audit support includes features like reviewing documents, consultations, written correspondence with tax authorities and attendance at conferences or hearings on your behalf. It also provides online filing help. The step-by-step process keeps it simple, perfect for those just starting to DIY taxes online.

TurboTax is one of the most recognizable online tax software companies in America. Filing your taxes is simple with TurboTax, which allows you to snap a photo of your W-2 using a mobile app. The Free Edition includes free federal and state filing. Where TurboTax shines is with customers with more complex tax returns. The Deluxe Edition helps maximize tax deductions and credits, while the Premier Edition includes investments and rental properties. Cryptocurrency and robo-investing are even covered with its Premier offering.

Plus, you can easily import your investment income automatically with TurboTax. Both premium versions and the Self-Employed version come with on-demand one-on-one support from tax specialists. Customers also get personalized tax tips based on how they answer questions through the filing process. Check out our Only Free for very simple returns. HSA contributors, student loan interest, and other common deductions and credits are also excluded.

Read our review. All filers must pay for state filing. Read our OLT Review here. Filers need to understand their tax situation to use these forms, but it can work for certain filers. These are federal forms only, but some states may have similar options.

The product offers an excellent user experience for all most users active traders will want to look elsewhere. Unfortunately, people who worked in multiple states cannot use Cash App Taxes to file their state returns. You also have to connect a debit card to the Cash App which may be a challenge for underbanked people prepaid debit cards work.

Cash App Taxes is our top free choice for Learn more about Cash App Taxes here. They also expanded what counts for free filing, making them our top choice for individuals that qualify for free file. W-2 wage earners including homeowners, people claiming childcare expenses, student loan interest deduction or charitable deductions and recipients of the earned income tax credit can all get free file this year. Limited interest and dividend income is also supported.

The Free tier includes both State and Federal filing. Filers can simply snap a photo of their W-2, add some basic information, and complete filing. In , TurboTax has an amazing offer. Simple filers who have their documents ready by February 15th can have an enrolled agent file taxes on their behalf. Those who complete their returns by March 31st can have an Enrolled Agent review their taxes before filing.

Unfortunately, this offer is limited to people with very simple returns. People with more complex filing situations including HSA contributions or distributions, child care expenses, and charitable contributions will have to upgrade.

You can read more about what TurboTax offers in our TurboTax review. TaxAct has an expansive free filing option, but it only applies to federal returns. All filers have to pay for state returns. Given the high price point of state returns, TaxAct is a poor choice for people seeking free filing.

In , TaxAct provides free filing to people with W-2 income, education expenses but not student loan interest , and people who want to claim the child tax deduction.

The free filing includes Federal and State returns. But watch out. TaxAct bumps you out of the free zone pretty quickly. Anyone with student loan interest, charitable contributions, child care expenses, or contributions to a traditional IRA will move to the Deluxe tier. Free extends to all forms and all individual tax situations on the Federal side. The state pricing is transparently displayed on the front page of the website, and the software is easy to use. TaxHawk does not have a free pricing tier for state filing.

With cleaned-up advertising and great software, TaxHawk qualifies as a great bargain. Read our full TaxHawk review here. TaxSlayer is open and honest about only supporting simple returns on its free tier.

However, TaxSlayer Classic is a Premium software bargain for more complex filers. You can read our full TaxSlayer Review here.

Beyond now. Jackson Hewitt makes tax preparation easy with several options to file either online or through a network of 6, locations, giving it the win for ease of use. If you want to have your taxes done while you shop for groceries, you may want to use one of the 3, locations inside of Walmart stores.

Many locations have evening and weekend hours, so you can have your taxes done on a schedule that works for you. For in-person tax prep, you can start by uploading your tax forms through the Jackson Hewitt website. If uploading proves to be problematic for you, head to a Jackson Hewitt location to drop off your tax documents and return later for your full tax review session.

In-person meetings can be done by appointment or as a walk-in. Prices depend on how many forms are required to complete your return. The company also has a year-round feature, Jackson Hewitt Tax Resolution Services, which serves customers in 42 states excluding Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, and North Dakota and can help with issues including back taxes, tax notices, and property liens.

It comes with a free consultation and additional pricing varies based on your needs. With flexible hours and the option to drop off or sit with a preparer while your taxes are done, Jackson Hewitt is a good choice for those who want a simple tax experience that works on their schedule.

TurboTax Live is an add-on to the TurboTax software that brings in a tax professional to complete your tax return for you. TurboTax is perhaps best known as the largest provider of online tax preparation software and regularly ranks at the top of do-it-yourself tax program lists, but it also has a service where a tax professional takes care of everything for you online.

It doesn't matter where you are in the online process, if you've begun your return and find you need help, TurboTax Live can be elected and you can hand the return off at any time. That also means there is no drop-off option. However, if you are a digital native, TurboTax offers the most seamless, easy-to-navigate digital experience with pricing competitive to other tax preparation services.

With extensive business expertise, EY TaxChat is the best choice for self-employed filers and small business owners. With EY TaxChat, your taxes are prepared and filed for you. Before filing, you will work with a tax professional online. You will also submit all tax documents through your phone or via the secured web portal. EY TaxChat includes unlimited advice from a tax professional who you are matched with based on your specific tax situation, which gives you more specialization than you may get elsewhere.

While EY TaxChat can handle simple taxes, this Big Four tax firm is particularly attractive for independent contractors, sole proprietors, landlords, and other business owners who have more complex tax situations. Growing businesses have different needs than individuals. For businesses that want an online tax experience from a well-known name in business tax and accounting, KPMG Spark is a good fit.

KPMG is a Big Four accounting and tax firm that handles taxes and auditing for Fortune companies, making it ideal to help smaller companies with big company experience.