TaxAct price increase :( any other good online tax filing deals

[rpr]

For the last few years I've been using the online version of Tax Act deluxe which was around $17.99 for both federal and state. That package seems to no longer be available. Instead, we have now TaxAct Plus which is $14.99 for the Federal and another $14.99 for the state even though this provides the same features as the earlier Deluxe version.

Any other less expensive alternatives to TaxAct? I suppose the Mustachian way is to do it manually. Perhaps, it is worth doing that.
 

[tarheeldan]

I might be remembering wrong - but I think I used the free version of TaxAct last year and it let me do everything I needed. Maybe your tax situation is more complicated.

[redcedar]

Sadly Intuit started a price escalation industry wide last year when they pushed a large number of users from deluxe to premium. There was a big customer backlash, CEO apology, refund, and more. H&R Block jumped in to offer free comparable software to win people over. Crazy year.

A year later and prices are trending upwards at most tax software providers. Amazon has decent deals with $20-35 off as of now which helps but damn they are still pricey. 

I may just have to go paper route.

[mlejw6]

Really? I wondered why I hadn't gotten their typical Sign Up Now to Lock In Your Low Price! emails. I had actually planned to do ours by hand this year, anyway. Now I have even more incentive to do so.

[rpr]

I might be remembering wrong - but I think I used the free version of TaxAct last year and it let me do everything I needed. Maybe your tax situation is more complicated.

In the past few years, my situation was a little more complicated -- I had some renewable energy credits etc. for which I needed the regular 1040. Plus I think the free version is only for federal and does not cover state filings. But not sure. My initial understanding is the the free version was only for the 1040ez. Does the free version do deductions for mortgage interest, state taxes, donations etc. ?

Edit: The free version of TaxAct does not do itemized deductions. 

[seattlecyclone]

There's the Free File Fillable Forms. It's one small step up from filling in the paper forms and mailing them in, but it's free and you don't have to worry about USPS losing your stuff.

[FiveSigmas]

<sigh> Thanks for the heads up, rpr. It looks like I'll be doing TaxAct plus this next year.

BTW: Searching my junk mail folder, I see that TaxAct sent me a link to "lock in" a rate of $11.99 (you don't actually have to pay now, but the implication is that if you don't click the link before 12/31, you'll have to pay full price later). If you're a prior TaxAct user, it may be worth searching if you got a similar mail and clicking the link now (even if you find a better option later, you have something to fall back on).

[Drifterrider]

Find tax software you like.  Fill in the forms.  Print the forms.  Now, copy the information into the forms provided by the IRS for free.  Don't e-file if you have to pay and you can use the software for free.

Think of them (the companies) as lending libraries.

[mlejw6]

Find tax software you like.  Fill in the forms.  Print the forms.  Now, copy the information into the forms provided by the IRS for free.  Don't e-file if you have to pay and you can use the software for free.

Think of them (the companies) as lending libraries.

I don't know about any other software, but I'm pretty sure TaxAct doesn't let you see your forms until you pay. Do you know a particular software that allows you to do this?

[Jack]

Free File Fillable Forms plus the 1040 Instructions and LibreOffice Calc to do the math. Totally free, and the best solution.

[katsiki]

<sigh> Thanks for the heads up, rpr. It looks like I'll be doing TaxAct plus this next year.

BTW: Searching my junk mail folder, I see that TaxAct sent me a link to "lock in" a rate of $11.99 (you don't actually have to pay now, but the implication is that if you don't click the link before 12/31, you'll have to pay full price later). If you're a prior TaxAct user, it may be worth searching if you got a similar mail and clicking the link now (even if you find a better option later, you have something to fall back on).

Definitely check!  I received an email a couple of months ago to lock in pricing.  Later, I got an "upgrade" notice that they were discontinuing my version but upgrading me to the next level.

[rpr]

Thanks. Unfortunately nothing in my junk folders :(

With TaxAct you cannot see the forms before you pay.

[TomTX]

H&R Block sent me a disk for Deluxe and says it only costs $9.95 to activate. It was free last year.

Mrs. TX has a bit over $400 in side gig income, and some business deductions. I hope this will cover it. I don't need them to "maximize deductions" - I just need the Schedule C incorporated.

[Drifterrider]

Find tax software you like.  Fill in the forms.  Print the forms.  Now, copy the information into the forms provided by the IRS for free.  Don't e-file if you have to pay and you can use the software for free.

Think of them (the companies) as lending libraries.

I don't know about any other software, but I'm pretty sure TaxAct doesn't let you see your forms until you pay. Do you know a particular software that allows you to do this?

I can't remember which software it was.  It advertises as "free" but as soon as you start adding schedules "free" goes away.  I used one last year (to double check my math) and printed the information.  I refuse to pay to file my return.  I don't even like having to pay postage but haven't figured a way around that yet (thought about sending postage due).

[JLee]

I used Freetaxusa.com last year.

[Megma]

As long as you make below a certain amount (usually ~60k for a single) you can use a lot of of the online softwares/services to e file for free for federal taxes and some states. I've done this for several years, there are details on the irs site and its a little more robust than the fillable forms the irs provides.

Here is the link for info: https://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free

You might make too much to use this but hopefully it helps someone.

[Nothlit]

I, too, was a TaxAct user for many years -- and always got away with their free tier for federal e-filing. Even with itemized deductions, capital gains, etc. I was never forced to upgrade to one of their paid tiers. I was disappointed to see that that's no longer the case for TY2015. If you need to file Schedule A or D, you will now be forced to upgrade to the "Plus" tier at $15. I guess I will give Free Fillable Forms a try this year.

I used Freetaxusa.com last year.

Thanks, I'll give this a look. Hadn't heard of them before.