The Money Mustache Community

Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Taxes => Topic started by: Al Schreck on February 15, 2017, 03:57:35 PM

Title: Online tax preparation service
Post by: Al Schreck on February 15, 2017, 03:57:35 PM
This is my first post, ever, to any blog site.  I just registered in the MMM forum.  Rather exciting, I might add... :)

I recently left the 9-5 corporate world, after 30 years.  I am 52, married, 3 adult kids.  Living a great life in central iowa.  Now that I have a lot of free time, I decided to come out of the shadow's, so to speak, and join the forum.  I have been reading Pete's words of wisdom for many years, but never identified myself.

So, without further adieu, does anyone have a recommendation for a low cost (or free) tax preparation site?  I checked online today with turbo tax.  they quoted a fee of $92, for filing a federal/state return, with itemized deductions and several 1099's. 
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: tarheeldan on February 15, 2017, 04:26:07 PM
Welcome :-)

I like TaxAct:
https://www.taxact.com/taxes-online/
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: FinancialWarrior on February 21, 2017, 06:45:32 AM
Welcome :-)

I like TaxAct:
https://www.taxact.com/taxes-online/

I've used TaxAct for the past 5 years and love it.  It cost only $16 for 2016 including a Schedule C business return.  I've heard good things about Credit Karma which is free, but they are still in beta so I'm waiting for them to become more established first before using it.
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: RWD on February 21, 2017, 06:52:42 AM
I've used TaxAct as well for the last few years, but this year I decided to use FreeTaxUSA instead because it was significantly cheaper.
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: Nothlit on February 21, 2017, 04:39:53 PM
I also like FreeTaxUSA. It's free for federal, and cheap for state.
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: GuinnessPhish on February 24, 2017, 06:47:46 PM
Credit Karma is now offering online tax preparation completely free.

Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: GuinnessPhish on February 28, 2017, 11:32:15 AM
Credit Karma is now offering online tax preparation completely free.

Although, now I'm trying to use it, and I've gotten all the way to the end to e-file, and it has a screen where it says to confirm your email address, click on the link to do so, and I don't get the email.

Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: RWD on February 28, 2017, 11:35:21 AM
You guys might want to avoid using Credit Karma...
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/5wo7bq/just_lost_thousands_on_my_refund_by_efiling_with/
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: katsiki on February 28, 2017, 08:53:21 PM
Another vote for TaxAct!  Just finished...  best 27.99 spent in a while.
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: MustacheAndaHalf on March 01, 2017, 05:23:22 AM
I've used TaxAct for the past 5 years and love it.  It cost only $16 for 2016 including a Schedule C business return.
TaxAct cost me closer to $30 last year, and they have another price increase for the download version in 2017.  I'm considering abandoning them owing to price increases - is the trick going 100% online?

I've used download versions of TaxAct for years.
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: tarheeldan on March 01, 2017, 05:51:13 AM
I didn't know there was a download version of TaxAct. The online I always use was $11 for Federal this year.
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: Livingthedream55 on March 09, 2017, 10:53:20 AM
I also like FreeTaxUSA. It's free for federal, and cheap for state.

+1
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: Goldielocks on March 09, 2017, 11:02:16 AM
I switched from Turbo tax to Simple Tax last year and liked it better. (Canada)
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: financepatriot@gmail.com on March 10, 2017, 09:59:29 AM
I use taxact.com and have been for years.  I started out with the free version and later on went to the cheap paid version as they carry information forward and I am extremely lazy.  As an added plus, taxact.com is an Iowa company (although I live in TN).

I paid $13 for Federal, TN has no state income tax so I paid zero there.  Also, , www.creditkarma.com has free tax software.  Since their credit tracking software is free and great, I imagine that their tax software is pretty good too, and it's completely free of charge.  I write about stuff like this on my blog as well. 
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: RWD on March 10, 2017, 11:11:09 AM
I paid $13 for Federal, TN has no state income tax so I paid zero there.  Also, , www.creditkarma.com has free tax software.  Since their credit tracking software is free and great, I imagine that their tax software is pretty good too, and it's completely free of charge.  I write about stuff like this on my blog as well.

No, it's not great.
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/5wo7bq/just_lost_thousands_on_my_refund_by_efiling_with/
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/5prks4/beware_credit_karma_tax/
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/2uttbq/credit_karma_now_endorses_payday_loans/
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: Cwadda on March 10, 2017, 12:03:51 PM
I also used TaxAct for 2016 taxes. It cost me $55 to do both federal and state. W2, 1099, and business deductions.
Title: Re: Online tax preparation service
Post by: financepatriot@gmail.com on March 13, 2017, 03:16:44 PM
I paid $13 for Federal, TN has no state income tax so I paid zero there.  Also, , www.creditkarma.com has free tax software.  Since their credit tracking software is free and great, I imagine that their tax software is pretty good too, and it's completely free of charge.  I write about stuff like this on my blog as well.

No, it's not great.
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/5wo7bq/just_lost_thousands_on_my_refund_by_efiling_with/
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/5prks4/beware_credit_karma_tax/
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/2uttbq/credit_karma_now_endorses_payday_loans/

It's their first year doing it.  It's entirely possible it may improve over time.