Tax Filing Options & Tips (More Options Added)
It’s that time of year again! 😐 As I mentioned previously, Tax Day (Monday, April 18th this year) will be here before you know it, so here’s a round-up of a few current tax filing and preparation packages that you may want to take advantage of. Also feel free to share your favorite method and any discounts or tips that you may know of!
Current Tax Filing Options (more added!):
* The Prepaid Visa RushCard is a card that is safe to use online and in stores everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Whenever you apply for a Prepaid Visa RushCard and direct deposit a total of $3,000 or more of your tax refund, you’ll get $30. Or, when you direct deposit between $2,000 and $2,999, you’ll get $20! Even sweeter, they’re offering ZERO fees to use now until February 29th! Plus, use a RushCard to file your 2015 refund and get it up to 2 weeks sooner through direct deposit.
* Get your refund as fast as possible with an e-filed return and direct deposit! E-file.com (rated B+ with the Better Business Bureau!) offers Free federal tax returns for those who qualify for a 1040ez. Plus, get Free online support! Go here for details.
* TurboTax is allowing users to file Federal (1040A or 1040 EZ) AND State tax returns completely FREE with the TurboTax Federal Free Edition. Plus, they’re offering 20% off TurboTax Online Federal products. To get started, head over here where you’ll be able to prepare, print and electronically file your Federal AND State tax returns for FREE! Plus, TurboTax is the #1 best selling tax software and is rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau!
* Head on over here where you can file completely FREE with H&R Block (and save 40% off other tax-preparation packages). It is FREE to prepare, FREE to print, FREE to e-file, includes FREE live tax advice, FREE in-person audit support, representation from an enrolled agent, and 100% Accuracy Guarantee and Maximum Refund Guarantee. And, they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau!
* 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 + FREE State 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!
More Tax-Filing Tips:
* 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.
* Head over to IRS.gov to file your federal taxes for free
* 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.
* If you are in the military, check out Military One Source for more information about different resources that are available.
* 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.
* Families that earned less than $54,000 in 2015, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speaking taxpayers may qualify for assistance through the VITA Program. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. Find a VITA Volunteer site in your community by clicking here.
If you expect a refund… file online with H&R Block there is an option to get a 5% refund bonus if you put some (or all) of your refund on a giftcard. There were like 10-20 places to choose from the only one I can remember is Target. I didnt choose to do this option but something to consider if you are planning a big purchase or shop there a lot.
Thanks for sharing Michelle! Good to know!
Just a side note 🙂 military can file your taxes for free through h&r block. Just log into your military one source account (or create one) and click on the link. It’s a great way to save a few bucks!
Turbo tax is also free for active duty e5 and below:
Sweet!
I have used freetaxusa for 10 years and have absolutely no complaints! I live in Ohio and the department of Taxation has free efiling for state and school taxes, so I never pay a penny!
I like freetaxusa too! It’s been 5 years for me!
Just filed with TaxAct today!! And when I filed I was given the option to lock in at $11.99 for next year!
I should mention I use the Plus version which is regularly $14.99.
I’ve been using Turbo Tax for many years. We own a small business (S-Corp) and I use them for our business and personal taxes every year with no problems.
Awesome! Thanks for your feedback Jessie!
Does anyone know if any of these are free if you file a 1040 ( as opposed to 1040A or 1040EZ)?
H&R Block was free for the 1040 federal filing. If you use it to do your state filing there is a charge though. In Maine you can i-file for state on maine.gov and that is free so there was no issues for me. Not sure about other states though. Hope that helps.
Thank you very much
I just filed my taxes today with myfreetaxes.org and they use H&R Block. It was free for both federal and state.
Check with your library or call 211 on a landline for free filing. I think the income threshold is 50k
Also another great option is VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). Check your local colleges or universities. A lot of the accounting/finance students volunteer for this organization and will do your taxes for free.
Amex offers has a cashback for H&R. It was ‘spend $40, get $15 back’ for me.
I have always filed with turbotax. This year I paid to have my info carried over and at the last step it asked me a question about my son, I answered it and submitted. It never gave me a chance to put my ID theft pin in so I went back to look at it and saw my son was missing. I immeaditely filed on taxact with my id theft pin and BOTH my kids. Luckily the turbotax one rejected and my taxact one went through. I get my refund yesterday. Oh and it was 2k more than what turbotax quoted me even when it had both kids. I will be using taxact from now on.
This happened to me 2 years ago. Submitted exact same info on both and TaxAct gave me a refund $1k more than turbotax.
The Benefit Bank is a free filing option for those with an AGI of $65,000 or less (or $95,000 or less for married filing jointly). They offer federal and state filing for residents of North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
I would not recommend Liberty Tax–I haven’t followed all the details, but my understanding is they are being investigated right now for fraud. I know at least one state (Maryland, I think?) is not accepting returns filed via Liberty because of the investigation.
I would never go to them for the simple fact they make their poor employees stand outside in terrible weather in those stupid costumes.
Liberty tax does a free week for anyone in the education field…at least in northern california!
Did our Federal and State taxes for free with TurboTax on Sunday and our refund is being direct deposited tomorrow. I’m impressed!
I been using TaxAct for many years and it is not free, I pay less then $20. Every year varies, but I have to say that I file personal and business tax, so maybe that’s why is not free. Highly recommend.
It’s free if you file 1040A or 1040EZ (simple tax returns). That’s the way it is with most of the free options. They’re only for the A or EZ.
I am so glad I don’t have to worry about this anymore. I got a free CPA on freecycle. Best thing I ever got on it. LOL Love my freecycle community.
I’ve used TaxHawk for the past 4 years and have zero complaints. Federal is free and state is $12.95 for me. I always check the numbers against other tax software and TaxHawk has beat or matched the others every time.
I know H&R had ebates to use so you can get money back for filing through them too.
I used Free Tax USA for the past couple of years and it works great….I used TurboTax before that and what I’ve found is that with Turbo Tax, unless you have a company or a complicated return, you’re paying for bells and whistles (i.e. fancy interface). FreeTaxUSA is kind of plain, but affordable and very straightforward. I even found a promo code to save 10%! The code is FREETAXUSA10. I had to pay $12.99 for my state filing (VA) so I saved 10% on that. I would highly recommend!
Please Collin, when you post about AARP, do not mention it is for older tax payers. I volunteer for them preparing taxes and we take all ages. And you get a super quality tax return because we need to do a quality check. In other words we have to ask another tax advisor to double check every single entry.
Does anyone know why we have to pay for the Deluxe again when I already did?