Options, Costs, Professionals and Cons

Options, Costs, Professionals and Cons


TaxSlayer

Product Title: TaxSlayer

Product Description: TaxSlayer affords cheap tax prep. It is Traditional plan covers all tax conditions for under $22.95 for federal and $39.95 for state returns.

Abstract

TaxSlayer has cheap plans and covers all tax conditions, plus lively army can file federal returns without cost. Nonetheless, you received’t qualify for the free plan you probably have dependents and the tax help doesn’t supply customized recommendation. 

Professionals

  • One of many least expensive choices to file complicated tax conditions
  • Lively-duty army can file a federal tax return without cost
  • Can file pupil mortgage curiosity and training credit without cost

Cons

  • Doesn’t sync with banks and brokerage accounts
  • Merely Free tier doesn’t help dependent tax credit
  • Will be more durable to navigate than pricier companies
  • Tax skilled received’t put together or evaluation your return

At a Look

  • The Traditional plan covers all tax conditions for under $22.95 for federal returns and $39.95 for state returns.
  • You have to be underneath 65, earn underneath $100,000, and never have any dependents to qualify for the free plan.
  • Lively army can file a federal return without cost.
  • Tax help is e mail solely and doesn’t present customized recommendation.
  • Audit inquiry help is included in all paid plans.

Who Ought to Use TaxSlayer

TaxSlayer is sweet for many who need a simple to make use of, premium expertise for a decrease value. Nonetheless, in change for this, you’ll quit some bells and whistles the higher-priced companies supply, corresponding to customized tax recommendation.

If you happen to anticipate to wish to talk to a tax professional, you’ll need to select one other service. However if you’re assured that you would be able to file with simply basic tax help, then TaxSlayer may prevent cash whereas offering an easy-to-use interface.

TaxSlayer Alternate options

Submitting taxes is an annual ritual that almost all of us hope to complete shortly and cheaply.

TaxSlayer affords low-cost, on-line tax prep. Their free model isn’t as complete as different platforms, for instance it doesn’t help dependents. Nonetheless, their paid plans are inexpensive than its rivals.

This TaxSlayer evaluation may also help you determine if that is one of the best ways to file your taxes.

🔃 This put up was up to date on 01/04/2025 with the brand new 2025 pricing.

Desk of Contents
  1. At a Look
  2. Who Ought to Use TaxSlayer
  3. TaxSlayer Alternate options
  4. Is TaxSlayer Actually Free?
  5. TaxSlayer Pricing
    1. Merely Free
    2. Army
    3. Traditional
    4. Premium
    5. Self-Employed
  6. Refund Choices
    1. Direct Deposit
    2. Paper Test
    3. TaxSlayer Visa Debit Card
    4. File and Go
  7. Buyer Assist
  8. Key Options
    1. Auto-Import
    2. Ask a Tax Professional
    3. IRS Audit Help
    4. Self-Employed Assist
  9. Ensures
  10. Is TaxSlayer Simple to Use?
    1. TaxSlayer Cell App
  11. Is TaxSlayer Legit?
  12. TaxSlayer Alternate options
    1. TaxAct
    2. Free Tax USA
    3. Money App Taxes
  13. Abstract

Is TaxSlayer Actually Free?

TaxSlayer helps you to file these easy tax returns without cost:

  • Submitting single or married submitting collectively
  • No dependents
  • Taxable earnings underneath $100,000
  • Customary deduction
  • W-2 earnings
  • Each spouses underneath age 65
  • Unemployment earnings
  • Pupil mortgage curiosity
  • Schooling bills
  • Taxable curiosity of $1,500 or much less

Principally, in the event you solely have a W-2 or unemployment earnings, earn lower than $100,000, don’t have any dependents,m and are underneath age 65, you possibly can file without cost. This consists of each federal and one state.

TaxSlayer Pricing

The TaxSlayer submitting charges will be cheaper than most tax software program for federal and state returns.

Merely Free

  • Federal value: $0
  • State value: $0

The Merely Free plan affords one free federal and one free state tax return. You should utilize this plan in case your taxable earnings is underneath $100,000, you declare the usual deduction, and also you don’t have any dependents. You should additionally file both single or married submitting collectively.

It covers W-2, unemployment, and curiosity earnings as much as $1,500. You probably have some other kinds of earnings, corresponding to 1099, enterprise earnings, rental earnings, or funding earnings, you received’t be capable to use this plan.

You should take the usual deduction, however you possibly can deduct pupil mortgage curiosity funds and declare training credit.

You’ll be able to add final yr’s return and get limitless telephone and e mail technical help, and TaxSlayer will auto-fill your W-2 kind to forestall reporting errors.

This free submitting possibility helps fewer tax conditions than many different tax software program. For instance, different platforms allow you to declare widespread tax credit for dependents, just like the Earned Earnings Tax Credit score and Baby Tax Credit score.

This plan doesn’t embody IRS audit help just like the paid plans. Nonetheless, these returns are unlikely to trigger an audit pink flag due to their simplicity.

Get began with the Merely Free Version

Army

  • Federal value: $0
  • State value: $39.95

Federal returns are free in the event you’re an active-duty servicemember, however every state return prices the usual $39.95.

All tax conditions are included. No restrictions. You’ll additionally rise up to at least one yr of IRS inquiry help.

Get began with the Army Version

Traditional

  • Federal value: $22.95
  • State value: $39.95

The TaxSlayer Traditional covers all tax conditions with no restrictions. All earnings sorts, deductions, and credit are coated within the Traditional plan.

You’ll additionally be capable to auto-fill your W-2 and 1099 data and e-file. You’ll additionally get a yr of limitless telephone and e mail help after you file you probably have further questions.

Get began with the Traditional Version

Premium

  • Federal value: $42.95
  • State value: $39.95

With Premium, you’ll get every little thing from Traditional, plus:

  • Ask a Tax Professional for one-on-one tax steering
  • Stay chat technical help
  • Precedence buyer help
  • As much as three years of IRS audit help

The Ask a Tax Professional function will be one of the best purpose to improve in the event you want private tax recommendation whereas making ready your return. Federal submitting charges can simply exceed $100 for on-demand tax skilled entry from different suppliers. Nonetheless, the help is through e mail solely and is just basic tax data. If you happen to want private recommendation in your distinctive state of affairs, it’s possible you’ll want to decide on one other software program.

You additionally rise up to 3 years of help if the IRS audits your federal tax return.

Get began with the Premium Version

Self-Employed

  • Federal value: $52.95
  • State value: $39.95

Freelancers, facet hustlers, and the full-time self-employed can profit from the Self-Employed plan to file your Schedule C.

The service may ship quarterly reminders for estimated taxes.

Plan advantages embody:

  • Ask a Tax Professional entry
  • Limitless telephone, dwell chat and e mail technical help
  • Estimated quarterly tax cost reminders
  • As much as three years of IRS audit protection
  • Self-employment earnings and deduction steering

Receiving a 1099 kind for facet hustle earnings doesn’t essentially imply it’s best to select this plan. You probably have minimal work bills, the Traditional or Premium possibility will be adequate in your tax state of affairs.

If you happen to aren’t certain in the event you want the Self-Employed plan or if Traditional will suffice, begin with Traditional and improve to Self-Employed if it’s a must to.

Get began with the Self Employed Version

Refund Choices

If you happen to’re eligible to obtain a federal tax refund, there are a number of methods to obtain it. TaxSlayer e-files your return and helps observe your refund standing.

Direct Deposit

All on-line tax software program affords direct deposit, and a mailed paper verify in the event you pay your tax prep charges upfront. These are the 2 default supply choices from the IRS.

Direct deposit will be the quickest and best solution to obtain your tax refund. The IRS sends most refunds inside 21 days utilizing direct deposit.

Paper Test

The second means the IRS distributes tax refunds is by paper verify. There isn’t an additional price, however it may well take as much as eight weeks (56 days) to obtain your cost.

TaxSlayer Visa Debit Card

You may additionally select to obtain your refund on a TaxSlayer Visa Debit Card Powered by GreenDot.

This can be a reloadable pay as you go debit card with no month-to-month service charges.

The cardboard additionally consists of these options you should utilize after getting your tax refund:

  • Free ASAP Direct Deposit
  • No overdraft charges
  • ATM entry
  • Cell app

Additional charges can apply once you reload your card at native shops or for expedited cellular verify deposits.

File and Go

For an extra price of $39.99, you possibly can deduct your TaxSlayer charges out of your tax refund with the File and Go possibility. The IRS deposits your refund into an escrow account run by Civista Financial institution (FDIC #12982).

TaxSlayer withholds your tax prep charges and the remaining stability is deposited into your linked checking account or pay as you go debit card.

You would possibly select this cost possibility in the event you don’t have a bank card to pay the submitting charges or don’t have the upfront money.

Buyer Assist

TaxSlayer affords the next help choices:

  • On-line data base articles
  • Cellphone and e mail technical help
  • E-mail entry to a tax skilled

These important instruments will be adequate for many tax conditions and assist navigate the tax interview. You received’t be capable to obtain private tax steering except you improve your plan, however you possibly can analysis your questions on-line.

Upgrading to the Premium or Self-Employed model helps you to ask written inquiries to a tax skilled. This entry is cheaper than different platforms, however the competitors could supply real-time video streaming and display screen sharing. The solutions will even be basic tax data and shouldn’t be thought of private recommendation.

Another excuse to improve is to get precedence technical help. The TaxSlayer help staff will reply to you first when you will have issue navigating the platform.

Key Options

Listed here are a few of the greatest options TaxSlayer affords to make submitting your return simpler.

Auto-Import

You’ll be able to auto-import final yr’s tax return by importing a PDF doc from any tax software program. The corporate compares your credit and deductions for this yr and final yr to see in the event you forgot something.

TaxSlayer may autofill your W2 tax varieties, which reduces the chance of overlooking a field or mistyping a quantity.

Sadly, TaxSlayer doesn’t add funding paperwork.

Ask a Tax Professional

The Premium and Self-Employed plans include limitless “Ask a Tax Professional” entry.

You’ll be able to submit questions on-line to an IRS-certified tax skilled and obtain a solution through e mail or on the TaxSlayer platform.

Pricier companies could allow you to share your display screen with a tax skilled and schedule a session. Different platforms may additionally supply the skilled to evaluation your return or full it for you.

TaxSlayer doesn’t supply full-service help, however its decrease value will be adequate in the event you solely must ask questions. Understand that this service is e mail solely, and should not give customized solutions. Tax execs give basic tax recommendation. If you happen to assume you’ll want particular recommendation in your state of affairs, it’s possible you’ll need to contemplate a special service.

IRS Audit Help

The TaxSlayer Traditional and Army plans supply one yr of IRS inquiry help. Protection begins when the IRS accepts your e-file return.

You get three years of IRS audit help once you improve to Premium or Self-Employed. If the IRS audits your return, TaxSlayer supplies audit preparation help.

Nonetheless, a TaxSlayer agent received’t present in-person illustration throughout the audit course of.

Self-Employed Assist

Just like different on-line packages, selecting the Self-Employed tier supplies particular instruments that cheaper ranges don’t.

For instance, the TaxSlayer tax interview wizard may also help you discover industry-specific deductions it’s possible you’ll overlook by selecting a less expensive plan.

You too can print off varieties for estimated taxes and obtain quarterly reminders you don’t miss a submitting deadline.

TaxSlayer additionally sends tax suggestions throughout the yr that may make it easier to maximize your self-employment earnings.

Ensures

Two accuracy ensures can present peace of thoughts. These ensures are just like different on-line tax prep companies.

100% Accuracy Assure: TaxSlayer reimburses any federal or state penalties and curiosity resulting from a calculation error.

Most Refund Assure: You may get a refund of your TaxSlayer charges if one other tax software program calculates the next refund or smaller tax legal responsibility utilizing the identical data.

Is TaxSlayer Simple to Use?

The TaxSlayer platform will be simple to make use of, however you’ll need to manually enter extra tax paperwork than pricier platforms like TurboTax or H&R Block.

One other platform will be well worth the larger price you probably have a number of brokerage statements to enter or have a number of funding gross sales to report. The auto-import comfort can prevent time and cut back the likelihood of knowledge enter errors.

TaxSlayer Cell App

The TaxSlayer app is obtainable for Android and Apple gadgets.

App options embody:

  • W-2 import
  • Tax assist articles
  • Cellphone technical help
  • Tax refund estimator

As a result of TaxSlayer doesn’t import tax paperwork from banks and low cost brokers, the app could also be greatest for easy returns that require minimal information entry. You too can begin your return utilizing the app and full the return on a pc that may be simpler to make use of.

Is TaxSlayer Legit?

TaxSlayer is a professional app to file your taxes at a low worth. The service has a 4.2 out of 5 Trustpilot rating, which is larger than most rivals.

One recurring optimistic TaxSlayer evaluation is the clear pricing and the step-by-step walkthroughs for easy or complicated conditions.

Widespread detrimental complaints embody not being the best app to navigate or being one of the best service you probably have investments as you need to manually enter the entire funding earnings. This generally is a time-consuming job in the event you bought a number of shares or use a number of brokers.

TaxSlayer Alternate options

TaxAct

TaxAct is probably going TaxSlayer’s closest competitor. Its paid plans are barely costlier, however the free model consists of dependants and doesn’t have a most earnings restrict like TaxSlayer’s does.

You’ll be able to add life tax help to any plan for $60 and communicate to a tax professional over the telephone and obtain customized recommendation, which you’ll be able to’t do with TaxSlayer.

Right here’s our full evaluation of TaxAct for extra data.

Go to TaxAct

Free Tax USA

Free Tax USA affords free federal returns for all tax conditions, and state returns are solely $14.99 every. You’ll be able to improve and add on tax help for $39.99 to obtain help from tax specialists who present customized recommendation. You’ll be able to contact the tax execs through video name, telephone, or chat.

You too can add on audit protection for $19.99.

Right here’s our full Free Tax USA evaluation for extra data

Go to Free Tax USA

Money App Taxes

Money App Taxes has free tax prep for all conditions, together with free state returns. Its largest limitation is that you would be able to’t file in a number of states. So in the event you earned earnings outdoors the state you at present dwell in, you received’t be capable to use Money App.

It additionally doesn’t present any tax help, so in the event you assume you could have questions, you received’t be capable to use Money App.

Right here’s our full Money App Taxes evaluation for extra data.

Go to Money App Taxes

Abstract

TaxSlayer is among the greatest low cost software program due to its aggressive costs for complicated tax conditions. The Ask a Tax Professional is an reasonably priced possibility too.

One other platform could make it simpler to file your taxes without cost you probably have dependents. Buyers with many tax paperwork could choose spending the additional cash and utilizing TurboTax that syncs with most monetary establishments to avoid wasting time.

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