Tax Filing Options & Tips Round-Up
Tax Day, April 15th, 2014, will be here before you know it! So here’s a round up of a few current tax filing options and FREE software programs that you may want to take advantage of. Also feel free to share any tips that you may have learned throughout the years!
* Head on over here where you can file completely FREE with H&R Block that also now includes FREE live tax advice. It is FREE to prepare, FREE to print, FREE to e-file, includes FREE live tax advice, FREE audit support, representation from an enrolled agent, and 100% Accuracy Guarantee and Maximum Refund Guarantee. Plus 1 FREE federal e-file is included. And, they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau!
* Head over here to sign up for a FREE Federal edition of Turbo Tax (you’ll be able to prepare, print and electronically file your federal tax return for free). Plus, they’re rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau! Or if you prefer, head here to save $10 on Turbo Tax Deluxe, $15 on TurboTax Premier and $20 on TurboTax Home & Business (these savings offers expire 2/21/14).
* Consider using FreeTaxUSA.com (Rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau!) to e-file directly to the IRS completely FREE. You can choose to do a FREE Federal e-file OR score the Deluxe Edition for $5.95. This site has also been highly recommended by Hip2Save readers in the past!
* Head over here to sign up for a FREE Federal edition of TaxACT (you’ll be able to prepare, print and electronically file your federal tax return for free). Plus, they’re rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau!
* You may also consider using e-Smart Tax by Liberty Tax to e-file completely free. E-Smart Tax technology ensures you get your highest possible refund as well as simple step-by-step Q&A preparation, Zero hidden fees, Online or in-person help with more than 4,000 Liberty Tax offices open year round and more!
* If you are an Amazon Prime Member (check out this post for more information on how to score a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime), you can purchase this TurboTax Deluxe Fed, Efile and State 2013 with Refund Bonus Offer (valid for PC/Mac) for only $39.99 shipped (regularly $59.99!). Note that the price will show up higher when you click on the link. However, for Amazon Prime members only, the price will drop at the final stage of checkout. Plus, score a nice refund bonus offer – get an EXTRA 10% back on top of your federal refund when you file with TurboTax and use some of your refund to purchase an Amazon gift card!
* Also, for those of you who do not have to pay State Taxes, you can head on over here to download this TurboTax Deluxe Fed + Efile 2013 with Refund Bonus Offer for only $29.99 (regularly $49.99)! Note that the price will show up higher when you click on the link. However, for Amazon Prime members only, the price will drop at the final stage of checkout.
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More Tax-Filing Tips:
* Head over to IRS.gov to file your federal taxes for free
* Check the daily deal sites… Groupon has offered up significantly reduced vouchers for online tax preparation products in the past and will likely have similar offers over the next few months.
* Check with your local college. One reader reported that the accounting students at her local college will do her tax returns for free and they are then reviewed by the professor to ensure that they are correct.
* AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free help for older taxpayers and people with limited incomes. Find an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site in your community by clicking here.
* If you are in the military, check out Military One Source for more information about different resources that are available.
* If your family earned less than $52,000 in 2013, United Way’s VITA Program may be able to help you with free tax preparation. Starting February 1st, sites will be open across the country to help you with your taxes. For information & locations, dial 2-1-1 for United Way’s Helpline. (Thanks, Rachel!)[/h2s_box]
Anybody know how much it usually costs to have someone do your taxes?
We usually pay $60–$65 for a friend that is a professional tax preparer. She usually charges much more, but we get a great discount, but she is so worth what she would charge without the discount. One year, she fought with my hubby’s employer to get a form that we needed and they would not give to us. With that form, she saved up over $1000. My children do their own and have the friend go over it. When she was able to save them over $150 a couple years in a row, they began having her do theirs. Since they have a more simple return, they pay less than we do. I know people that have paid $250 or more to get them done.
It depends on how many forms you have to fill out. I have a mortgage and IRA investments along with basic W2 stuff. At H&R its about $200.
Last year with $40 off h&r charged me well over $300 to do a short form for me!
I pay an CPA $160. We own a house and file several forms.
I do my own taxes every year and always found that no one knew as much info about our unique situation as we ourselves did, and non of the h and r block or other associates knew about things that were out of general scope of their jobs. Doing your own if not too complicated, will always be my personal choice. Freetaxusa has been the website I use for free federal taxes and I guess they charge 10$ for state taxes.
Depending on complexities $100-$200 simple returns. $400 complex in the Mid Atlantic.
I always like to use the free Turbo Tax for my federal returns. Then, I do my state taxes myself and make sure I get the same number as what Turbo Tax gave me. That way I don’t have to pay for to file my state taxes, but I feel more confident that I did them right.
We went to hr block last year and it was almost $400
I use hrblock.com and do it for free. it is really so simple and if you have any questions irs will answer them on phone hr block will too but try to talk you into money services. we own a house, have 4 children, one with a job, have school expenses, loan interest..all that jazz still pretty simple
I use tax act. Will be using again. I think to do state(NC) it was 30 dollars. Way cheaper than paying someone to do it. Very easy to do.
Anyone know of any H&R block in office coupons?
We made the mistake of using H&R Block last year. For 15 minutes of their time cost us $250! Ouch! I won’t be doing that again this year.
If your taxes aren’t complicated I would just turbo tax it!
My boyfriend does mine for me on turbo tax, it usually costs about $150 out of my refund. Just got the news it was accepted by the IRS this morning, but it won’t be processed til after the 31st. We filed the 4th not knowing things were delayed because of the govt shutdown, but I’m happy to have gotten early acceptance!
If I only made $900 and have no mortgage do I still ha e to file?
$900 as Gross income for the year? Then, not. Minimum to file is $11,500
You dont have to but you may quality for some refundable credits. Typically H&R Bock and other places will do the 1040EZ for free and then they could tell you if you qualify.
https://www.irs.gov/uac/Do-I-have-to-File-a-Tax-Return%3F
You must file a federal income tax return if your income is above a certain level; which varies depending on your filing status, age and the type of income you receive.
Check the Individuals section of the IRS website at https://www.irs.gov or consult the instructions for Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ for specific details that may help you determine if you need to file a tax return with the IRS this year. You can also use the Interactive Tax Assistant available on the IRS website to determine if you need to file a tax return. The ITA tool is a tax law resource that takes you through a series of questions and provides you with responses to tax law questions.
There are some instances when you may want to file a tax return even though you are not required to do so. Even if you don’t have to file, here are seven reasons why you may want to:
Federal Income Tax Withheld You should file to get money back if Federal Income Tax was withheld from your pay, you made estimated tax payments, or had a prior year overpayment applied to this year’s tax.
Making Work Pay Credit You may be able to take this credit if you had earned income from work. The maximum credit for a married couple filing a joint return is $800 and $400 for other taxpayers.
Earned Income Tax Credit You may qualify for EITC if you worked, but did not earn a lot of money.EITC is a refundable tax credit; which means you could qualify for a tax refund.
Additional Child Tax Credit This refundable credit may be available to you if you have at least one qualifying child and you did not get the full amount of the Child Tax Credit.
American Opportunity Credit The maximum credit per student is $2,500 and the first four years of postsecondary education qualify.
First-Time Homebuyer Credit The credit is a maximum of $8,000 or $4,000 if your filing status is married filing separately. To qualify for the credit, taxpayers must have bought – or entered into a binding contract to buy – a principal residence located in the United States on or before April 30, 2010. If you entered into a binding contract by April 30, 2010, you must have closed on the home on or before September 30, 2010. If you bought a home as your principle residence in 2010, you may be able to qualify and claim the credit even if you already owned a home. In this case, the maximum credit for long-time residents is $6,500, or $3,250 if your filing status is married filing separately.
Health Coverage Tax Credit Certain individuals, who are receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance, Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance, or pension benefit payments from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, may be eligible for a Health Coverage Tax Credit worth 80 percent of monthly health insurance premiums when you file your 2010 tax return.
For more information about filing requirements and your eligibility to receive tax credits, visit https://www.irs.gov.
We used h&r block last year, they also did the 2nd look thing for past 2yrs as well… Cost $200+ total waste of time! I thought they would be useful and give us tips on what we could do to save money/get more on return, and nothing! I usually do them myself, that was the first time ever going to someone. Needless to say i will never do that again!
H & R Block also had a huge error in their software last year that left a check box off the forms for school expenses. Our refund was delayed by 6 weeks by this stupid error! And they only notified us of it once the story broke and was going to be on the news. I will never use them again.
I’ve done turbo tax (bought the federal only at Costco) and were refunded so much money compared to when we were doing it ourselves. Does anyone know if the free versions will find the same deductions as the ones you pay for? If I start the process but don’t get the deductions in expecting can I just not finish filing and go but one?
We did the free one in 2009 only got $2500 had h&r block review they found another $2500 so we now pay for returns.
We used a CPA the year we bought our house, so we wouldn’t mess up the big first time home buyer credit. He charged us $275! Never again! We do Turbo Tax now and just pay for state filing.
If you are going to pay someone PLEASE go to a CPA!!! the people at H & R block are not all CPAs. Do your homework!
AMEN!!!
If you are a member of state employees credit union, they do them there at the branch. We pay $75, but if your income was less than a certain amount( I think it was $42000) it’s free!
I have used turbo tax premier for several years since I own a rental house. I price matched Amazon at Staples for an awesome deal this year. Staples has a $40 rebate when you buy quicken and turbo tax. https://www.stapleseasyrebates.com/promocenter/staples/promotion.html?sku=302847
You could price match both cheapest versions on Amazon and it would only be $40 after rebate.
You can do your federal and state taxes for free at myfreetaxes.com
Who Qualifies: Individuals or families with a combined income under $58,000 in 2013.
Who doesn’t like free!!!!!
I read somewhere they are giving a tax credit to mothers who breastfeed. If anyone has any detils please share 🙂 I’d like to see other unique write offs like this, if you know!
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/a-11-14.pdf. Here’s a link to the info I found on the IRS website. It’s a credit for supplies used for nursing
So would that include breast milk storage bags as well? Or just the pump sorry I’m confused.
does anyone know if its better to buy the turbo tax or just do the free one….? we always did the free one. but last year we just bought a house and have two kids.. I’m wondering if we would get more back?
My husband and I have always used Jackson Hewett and each year it costs about $300 for Federal, State and local. We received a note on Jan. 14 that our local taxes were done incorrectly and that our 2009 taxes were not even filed. We did not purchase the Gold Guarantee in 2012 so we are out the principle plus interest and fees. The 2009 taxes we found out were done wrong in the first place and they didn’t even file them. My husband and I did get the “Gold Guarantee ” in 2009 so they are suppose to reimburse us for the money we have to up front. It will take a few months I am told but I am not holding my breath. If you have someone do it for you make sure they are willing to back their work up or you might be stuck with a unexpected bill.
Military E1-E5 free with Turbo Tax. I always use the free version and never have had a problem… We own a home, school loans, mortgage interest, child care, and so much more. Simple and FREE! 👍
Does anyone know if you can use this free version if you have investments? Last year we had to use the H&R Deluxe (instead of standard/basic) because of the investments.
Try using TaxAct. They supposedly have 50% more free forms than any other company.
If you are a USAA Member, you can do your federal taxes with the TurboTax deluxe addition for $19.99. Just go to USAA site, click on the tax center and then click on the link to TurboTax.
Ebates also give 10% back for H&R block and 7.5% for Turbo Tax and also have offers for some other tax preparation companies as well.
https://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=PDB4y%252BDN%252FXufBICh0v%252BRnw%253D%253D
This is a referral link 🙁
🙂 not 🙁
😉
Im so glad my grandpa is an enrolled agent… Get my taxes done for free!!! 🙂
Can you even do deductions on the free online services? This is first year DH & I are doing like medical expense deductions and I’m worried I won’t do it right.