Tax Act alternative

[havaneselover]

Looking for ideas. I've used tax Act for years. Last year I think I paid $5 after the $10 I got back from Swagbucks. This year it's $40 for me for federal plus state. Looks like I can go through topcashback and get 15% back.

Anyway, looking for ideas for alternatives. Would love not to pay $40, but also like the convenience of using tax Act.

 

[disneedee]

I've been using TAX HAWK for years federal free just have to pay for state 25% off coupon TAXHAWK25

 

[MomToOne]

Huh...I've used TaxAct for years for my federal return since it was free, but after your post, I took a look and see they are now charging for Federal 1040 filers. Guess I'll have to find another choice! My returns aren't overly complicated but I need to itemize and have some small capital gains/losses. I took a quick look at CreditKarma Tax and it looks like they support everything I need for free so I'll probably give them a try.

As far as state goes, I can file that on the CA tax board website for free. It's not a particularly user-friendly application, but it gets the job done for free!

 

[havaneselover]

I've been using TAX HAWK for years federal free just have to pay for state 25% off coupon TAXHAWK25

Thanks--was able to do both for free with tax hawk.

 

[ellie05]

I used to use tax act but one year I decided to enter everything in turbotax just to see the refund would be the same and it wasn't taxact missed over $400 so as much as it pains me to pay I use turbo tax.

 

[havaneselover]

I used to use tax act but one year I decided to enter everything in turbotax just to see the refund would be the same and it wasn't taxact missed over $400 so as much as it pains me to pay I use turbo tax.

Mine are pretty straight forward and don't change much from year to year but it seems like a good idea to use more than one and compare the results. Turbo tax seems to be the best product but I'm not willing to pay for it at this point.

 

[ellie05]

Mine are pretty straight forward and don't change much from year to year but it seems like a good idea to use more than one and compare the results. Turbo tax seems to be the best product but I'm not willing to pay for it at this point.

Yeah don't blame you we have rentals so there is much more involved.

 

[starry_solo]

I use Turbo Tax. I get it for $45. You can file free Federal and it costs $20 to file the state taxes. OR, go to your own state's website and file for free there (that's what I do).

 

[TwoMisfits]

Sounds like me - I just did my taxes today. For years, I used TaxAct for under $15. This year, they wanted $60. Uhhh...NO! So, I used Free Refillable Forms both from the IRS and my state and spent $0. Guess I should thank them for kicking my accounting butt and making me do it myself (saved me last year's $15 and I think I only spent an extra 30-45 minutes)...

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I have used Turbotax for years. However, I switched to Tax Hawk this year since it is free to file both federal and state taxes and you don't have to pay to get the program. My taxes are pretty straight forward so I didn't notice any difference between the two.

 

[Lvsdisney]

I'm in PA and can file my state taxes for free through the state site. You should look into that to see if you even have to pay for state. Turbo tax was trying to charge me $30.

 

[disneedee]

Thanks--was able to do both for free with tax hawk.

WELCOME

 

[klbrow11]

Wow just tried tax hawk. BIG refund difference. A lot more user friendly to me.

 

[mefordis]

Wow just tried tax hawk. BIG refund difference. A lot more user friendly to me.

Do you have any idea why you got more using Tax Hawk?

 

[klbrow11]

Do you have any idea why you got more using Tax Hawk?

I know I added some additional stuff I had forgotten about that they suggested. This year for me TAXACT was a little overwhelming and wasnt as user friendly so I missed some stuff. If I went back and added it all it might be the same but with tax hawk also got fed and state free for being a new member versus taxact was charging more this year.

 

[abcboys]

Wow just tried tax hawk. BIG refund difference. A lot more user friendly to me.

I'm curious what the difference was, too. I sometimes hear people say such and such program missed these deductions, or I got back 1K more using another program and I'm curious how it makes such a big difference. We don't itemize but I do have certain deductions I take on state. I've scoured what I possibly could have missed or how a different program could have made such a huge difference? I'm not a tax pro but pretty much understand what deductions I can take (or at least I think I do??)

 

[klbrow11]

I'm curious what the difference was, too. I sometimes hear people say such and such program missed these deductions, or I got back 1K more using another program and I'm curious how it makes such a big difference. We don't itemize but I do have certain deductions I take on state. I've scoured what I possibly could have missed or how a different program could have made such a huge difference? I'm not a tax pro but pretty much understand what deductions I can take (or at least I think I do??)

Well I think it was just more user friendly for me that I caught some things I had left out...that stuff was a few thousand dollars worth so it did make a significant jump. I did itemize everything and I think it makes a difference if you are over the standard. If I went back and put it in taxact it would even out but it was just so much easier with this program.

 

[Bree]

I've been using TurboTax online for years. I love how it just carries forward all my information from year to year. I paid $27.99 to efile my Federal which I didn't think was that bad. I live in FL so no state taxes here.

 

[havaneselover]

I've been using TurboTax online for years. I love how it just carries forward all my information from year to year. I paid $27.99 to efile my Federal which I didn't think was that bad. I live in FL so no state taxes here.

The carrying forward was why I almost stuck with tax Act. Thankfully tax hawk can import last year's return from a PDF so it was relatively painless.

 

[supersnoop]

Unless you have some sort of capital loss carryover or depreciation on rental assets, there's not a whole lot that gets carried over. It's basically your name, DOB, SSN, and the name/address on your W-2.