TaxAct Review 2024

Our Rating: 3.6/5

How we calculated this rating

Founded in 1988, TaxAct’s goal is to provide quality tax preparation products at affordable prices. The company helps its customers navigate tax season without a large financial burden. Millions of federal tax returns have been filed with TaxAct, by consumers, business owners and tax professionals alike.

TaxAct offers multiple online do-it-yourself tax filing options. These options make it easier and more convenient to file. Plus, with step-by-step guidance, online tools and a maximum refund guarantee, you learn more about the filing process while getting the most out of tax season. All paid options also come with unlimited phone support, giving you help with specific account issues as they come up.

Some financial advisors specialize in tax planning and other financial planning services. Find an advisor who serves your area today.

TaxAct’s Filing Options

TaxAct offers a range of filing options, all at affordable prices. There are four online plans: Free, Deluxe, Premier and Self-Employed. These options each support different tax forms and so your tax situation (and thus, which forms you need to file) will determine which option you need to use.

Overall, TaxAct looks at hundreds of tax deductions and credits to help you maximize your tax return. The company is also dedicated to making the filing process faster, easier and more convenient. Since TaxAct is an online process, it’s compatible with multiple devices. TaxAct also makes it easy to import your W-2 and last year’s returns. 

TaxAct also has a $100,000 accuracy guarantee, which ensures that the calculations on your return are correct. If there’s a mistake on TaxAct’s end and you end up receiving a smaller refund or pay a larger tax bill, TaxAct will pay you the difference, up to $100,000. Each plan comes with a maximum refund guarantee. And if you ever need extra help or assistance, there’s unlimited phone support. With a commitment to providing a great user experience, TaxAct is dedicated to giving you an efficient and rewarding experience.

Free

TaxAct’s Free option is completely free when it comes to your federal taxes. For this, it costs you nothing to have your taxes prepared, printed and e-filed. However, each state you file for will cost you an additional $39.95. The Free option is targeted at those with simple tax returns, which may include you if your W-2 is your main income tax form. However, you can also utilize this option if you have dependents, claim earned income credits, child tax credits, have retirement or unemployment income and more.

The filing process with TaxAct just requires you to answer simple questions about your finances. As you file, you get step-by-step guidance with tax tips and strategies, so you understand the process completely. There’s also a complete tax glossary to help you understand terms. And with real-time refund status, you’re able to see how different factors impact your final refund.

With TaxAct it’s also easy to import and store your tax returns for future years. You have unlimited access to your returns up to seven years after filing, so you can refer back to them as you file in the next year. You can also import data from returns prepared with TurboTax or H&R Block. You can transfer data directly from a previous TaxAct return. These features give you access to the prior year’s comparison report, which compares the returns from this year and last year to check if there are any discrepancies. If there are any errors, you get free amended returns at no cost.

After you file, TaxAct will provide a complimentary BluPrint financial savings report. The BluPrint report shares financial planning and tax-saving opportunities that may fit your financial situation.

Deluxe

This is TaxAct’s most popular plan because it covers the forms, deductions and credits that the average American will need. That includes forms for homeowners, those who itemize deductions, ex-students paying student loan interest and more. It costs $24.99 for federal filing and $44.99 per state return.

TaxAct Deluxe also helps maximize deductions through additional tools. For example, you can import data about charitable donations, which is a possible area for extra deductions.

Premier

At $34.99 for a federal return and $44.99 per state return, this option is designed for people with significant investments, rental properties and foreign accounts. Filers who need to report capital gains may also like the Premier option as it makes it easy to import stock data and to record your capital gains.

Self-Employed

The most expensive and advanced option is TaxAct Self-Employed. It costs $64.99 for a federal filing and $44.99 per state. This option includes the features of the four previous options, plus some forms just for self-employed filers and small business owners. Notably, this option includes Schedule C. If you didn’t get a W-2 or if you just have any income reported on a 1099-MISC, this option is for you.

Refund and Payment Options

You can pay for TaxAct services with a credit card or debit card. You can also deduct the cost directly from your tax refund if you opt to receive your refund via direct deposit, and if your expected refund is at $50 greater than the processing fees. However, there's a $17.99 fee if you opt to pay for the filing with a portion of your refund. 

The fastest way to receive your tax refund is to directly deposit the money into your bank account. The refund can be deposited into up to three different accounts. You can automatically split the money between both a savings and checking account. You can also use it to purchase U.S. Savings Bonds in $50 increments, up to $5,000. 

TaxAct also allows you to track your e-file status of your federal and state returns. This gives you an estimate of when you’ll receive your refund.

Tax Audit Services 

TaxAct reduces your audit risk with TaxAct Alerts, which searches your returns for potential errors that can increase the risk of an audit. If you are audited, TaxAct partners with Protection Plus to offer full audit assistance.

You can enroll in Protection Plus when you file your return. Protection Plus covers your return for three years and guides you through the audit process. It handles all IRS correspondence and you also get assistance with tax debt and tax fraud incidents. This protection doesn’t come automatically with any TaxAct plan, so you will have to pay an additional cost.

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Online Tax Tools

TaxAct offers a variety of tools on its website to help with the filing process. You have access to a tax calendar to keep track of important dates and a tax planning checklist to ensure you have all the information you need. There are also tools available, like a tax bracket calculator, loan calculator and Earned Income Tax Credit calculator. TaxAct also lists recent tax law changes that will affect the tax season.

Pricing

Compared to some other tax filing services, TaxAct’s prices are more affordable and the options don’t have a large price difference between them. For the most part, the different options have similar features. Unlike its competitors, TaxAct does not offer a large increase in features as plans get more expensive. The only big differences between options are the forms and schedules available. In other words, the more expensive the plan, the more complex your financial needs.

Who Is TaxAct For?

If you’re looking for an affordable tax filing service that covers all the basics, TaxAct is a good option. TaxAct offers a variety of plans, each targeted at slightly different financial situations. Whether you’re a student or a business owner, you’re able to get the maximum refunds available at an affordable cost. Some tools guide you through the process and unlimited tax expert support.

TaxAct is a particularly good fit for those who have simple returns and don’t need many extra features. It’s known as a no-nonsense tax service – it isn’t the fanciest one out there, but it gets the job done. The interface is clean and straightforward. 

If you have more complicated returns, TaxAct is still a good option if you feel comfortable with doing a little background research and taking a more do-it-yourself approach.

What’s the Catch?

TaxAct’s affordable prices mean it doesn’t offer as many features as some of its competitors. It has enough guidance, tips and tools to help you navigate through tax season, but the filing process may still be confusing if you’re a first-time filer. Those looking for premium educational content will likely prefer another service.

TaxAct also doesn’t have an in-house service for audit support. It partners with another company called Protection Plus to offer audit assistance but at an extra cost. If you want the peace of mind that comes with audit assistance, you’re going to pay the same or more than what you would pay with a service like H&R Block or TurboTax (both of which offer more features and educational content).

In addition, TaxAct isn’t the fanciest service out there. Its interface is user-friendly enough that it’s easy to input information, but it can appear a bit plain. It uses an interview approach, like other filing services, but is not as interactive as some other services.

How TaxAct Stacks Up 

TaxAct may not have as many features as its competitors, but it gets the job done at an affordable price. TurboTax and H&R Block are two of the most well-established tax filing services, but their paid options are on the higher end of the price range. For those higher prices, they both offer some useful features that TaxAct doesn’t.

TurboTax has similar basic features, like easy import and refund explanations. But TurboTax has a more user-friendly and interactive interview approach to filing. For the most part, it asks simple questions and you answer them. With your answers, it does most of the calculations and filling out for you.

In particular, TurboTax offers good features for filers who have a more complex tax situation. So if you are self-employed, own a small business or have complex investments, you may want to consider TurboTax. It also provides access to tax experts. This costs extra but could be exactly what you need to help you get through a confusing tax return.

H&R Block is another tax filing service that not only offers online filing options, but an in-person option, as well. You’re able to file at one of its thousands of physical locations worldwide. This is particularly useful for filers with complex returns. TaxAct only offers digital products with limited technical and expert support.

Bottom Line: Should You Use TaxAct?

TaxAct is an affordable tax planning service that gets the job done. It offers a variety of filing options fit for users of different tax needs. Whether you’re self-employed or an investor, TaxAct can help you navigate through tax season. You get the guidance you need, along with unlimited phone support.

But TaxAct’s affordability means that it has fewer features than some competitors. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but could leave you confused if you’re a first-time filer or if your tax situation is markedly different from previous years. If that describes you, you may need to do a little online reading or other background research to make sure you understand how certain deductions work and whether or not you qualify. Explanations on TaxAct aren’t as extensive as some other services and are easier to understand if you’ve filed before or just know a bit about taxes.

Tips for Getting Through Tax Season

• A financial advisor who specializes in taxes can be a valuable resource during tax season. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
• Most states levy their own income tax. That means you’ll need to file another return after you’ve finished your federal return. Because state and local governments have their own systems for handling tax returns, processing varies by state. Make sure you know how to check your state tax refund status.
• It’s nice to get a big refund check during tax season, but you may want to make some changes if you find yourself relying on a tax refund to make ends meet. Look at your tax withholding on your W-4 to see if you should claim more or fewer allowances. By claiming more allowances on your W-4, you decrease how much your employer removes (withholds) from your paychecks. That means more take-home pay and perhaps less reliance on your refund.