TaxSlayer
Product Identify: TaxSlayer
Product Description: TaxSlayer affords cheap tax prep. It is Basic plan covers all tax conditions for less than $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 at no cost. Nevertheless, you gained’t qualify for the free plan when you have dependents and the tax help doesn’t provide personalised recommendation.
Professionals
- One of many most cost-effective choices to file advanced tax conditions
- Energetic-duty army can file a federal tax return at no cost
- Can file pupil mortgage curiosity and training credit at no cost
Cons
- Doesn’t sync with banks and brokerage accounts
- Merely Free tier doesn’t assist dependent tax credit
- May be more durable to navigate than pricier companies
- Tax knowledgeable gained’t put together or evaluation your return
At a Look
- The Basic plan covers all tax conditions for less than $22.95 for federal returns and $39.95 for state returns.
- You should be below 65, earn below $100,000, and never have any dependents to qualify for the free plan.
- Energetic army can file a federal return at no cost.
- Tax help is e mail solely and doesn’t present personalised recommendation.
- Audit inquiry help is included in all paid plans.
Who Ought to Use TaxSlayer
TaxSlayer is nice for many who need a straightforward to make use of, premium expertise for a decrease price. Nevertheless, in alternate for this, you’ll surrender some bells and whistles the higher-priced companies provide, corresponding to personalised tax recommendation.
In case you count on to wish to talk to a tax professional, you’ll need to select one other service. However if you’re assured you can file with simply normal tax help, then TaxSlayer might prevent cash whereas offering an easy-to-use interface.
TaxSlayer Alternate options
Submitting taxes is an annual ritual that the majority 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 assist dependents. Nevertheless, their paid plans are cheaper than its rivals.
This TaxSlayer evaluation will help you resolve 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
Is TaxSlayer Actually Free?
TaxSlayer enables you to file these easy tax returns at no cost:
- Submitting single or married submitting collectively
- No dependents
- Taxable revenue below $100,000
- Commonplace deduction
- W-2 revenue
- Each spouses below age 65
- Unemployment revenue
- Pupil mortgage curiosity
- Schooling bills
- Taxable curiosity of $1,500 or much less
Mainly, when you solely have a W-2 or unemployment revenue, earn lower than $100,000, don’t have any dependents,m and are below age 65, you may file at no cost. This contains each federal and one state.
TaxSlayer Pricing
The TaxSlayer submitting charges could be cheaper than most tax software program for federal and state returns.
Merely Free
- Federal price: $0
- State price: $0
The Merely Free plan affords one free federal and one free state tax return. You should utilize this plan in case your taxable revenue is below $100,000, you declare the usual deduction, and also you don’t have any dependents. It’s essential to additionally file both single or married submitting collectively.
It covers W-2, unemployment, and curiosity revenue as much as $1,500. In case you have another varieties of revenue, corresponding to 1099, enterprise revenue, rental revenue, or funding revenue, you gained’t be capable of use this plan.
It’s essential to take the usual deduction, however you may deduct pupil mortgage curiosity funds and declare training credit.
You possibly can add final 12 months’s return and get limitless cellphone and e mail technical assist, and TaxSlayer will auto-fill your W-2 type to stop reporting errors.
This free submitting possibility helps fewer tax conditions than many different tax software program. For instance, different platforms allow you to declare frequent tax credit for dependents, just like the Earned Revenue Tax Credit score and Youngster Tax Credit score.
This plan doesn’t embody IRS audit help just like the paid plans. Nevertheless, these returns are unlikely to trigger an audit purple flag due to their simplicity.
Get began with the Merely Free Version
Army
- Federal price: $0
- State price: $39.95
Federal returns are free when 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 12 months of IRS inquiry help.
Get began with the Army Version
Basic
- Federal price: $22.95
- State price: $39.95
The TaxSlayer Basic covers all tax conditions with no restrictions. All revenue varieties, deductions, and credit are coated within the Basic plan.
You’ll additionally be capable of auto-fill your W-2 and 1099 info and e-file. You’ll additionally get a 12 months of limitless cellphone and e mail assist after you file when you have extra questions.
Get began with the Basic Version
Premium
- Federal price: $42.95
- State price: $39.95
With Premium, you’ll get every little thing from Basic, plus:
- Ask a Tax Professional for one-on-one tax steerage
- Reside chat technical assist
- Precedence buyer assist
- As much as three years of IRS audit help
The Ask a Tax Professional characteristic could be the very best cause to improve when you want private tax recommendation whereas getting ready your return. Federal submitting charges can simply exceed $100 for on-demand tax knowledgeable entry from different suppliers. Nevertheless, the help is through e mail solely and is just normal tax info. In case you want private recommendation on your distinctive scenario, chances are 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 price: $52.95
- State price: $39.95
Freelancers, aspect 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 cellphone, reside chat and e mail technical assist
- Estimated quarterly tax fee reminders
- As much as three years of IRS audit protection
- Self-employment revenue and deduction steerage
Receiving a 1099 type for aspect hustle revenue doesn’t essentially imply it is best to select this plan. In case you have minimal work bills, the Basic or Premium possibility could be adequate on your tax scenario.
In case you aren’t certain when you want the Self-Employed plan or if Basic will suffice, begin with Basic and improve to Self-Employed if it’s important to.
Get began with the Self Employed Version
Refund Choices
In case you’re eligible to obtain a federal tax refund, there are a number of methods to obtain it. TaxSlayer e-files your return and helps monitor your refund standing.
Direct Deposit
All on-line tax software program affords direct deposit, and a mailed paper test when you pay your tax prep charges upfront. These are the 2 default supply choices from the IRS.
Direct deposit could be the quickest and best approach to obtain your tax refund. The IRS sends most refunds inside 21 days utilizing direct deposit.
Paper Verify
The second method the IRS distributes tax refunds is by paper test. There isn’t an additional payment, however it could actually take as much as eight weeks (56 days) to obtain your fee.
TaxSlayer Visa Debit Card
You might also 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 contains these options you should use after getting your tax refund:
- Free ASAP Direct Deposit
- No overdraft charges
- ATM entry
- Cell app
Further charges can apply if you reload your card at native shops or for expedited cellular test deposits.
File and Go
For an extra payment of $39.99, you may 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 steadiness is deposited into your linked checking account or pay as you go debit card.
You may select this fee possibility when you don’t have a bank card to pay the submitting charges or don’t have the upfront money.
Buyer Help
TaxSlayer affords the next assist choices:
- On-line data base articles
- Telephone and e mail technical assist
- E mail entry to a tax skilled
These important instruments could be adequate for many tax conditions and assist navigate the tax interview. You gained’t be capable of obtain private tax steerage until you improve your plan, however you may analysis your questions on-line.
Upgrading to the Premium or Self-Employed model enables you to ask written inquiries to a tax knowledgeable. This entry is cheaper than different platforms, however the competitors might provide real-time video streaming and display sharing. The solutions can even be normal tax info and shouldn’t be thought of private recommendation.
Another excuse to improve is to get precedence technical assist. The TaxSlayer assist workforce will reply to you first when you’ve gotten issue navigating the platform.
Key Options
Listed below are a few of the greatest options TaxSlayer affords to make submitting your return simpler.
Auto-Import
You possibly can auto-import final 12 months’s tax return by importing a PDF doc from any tax software program. The corporate compares your credit and deductions for this 12 months and final 12 months to see when you forgot something.
TaxSlayer may autofill your W2 tax kinds, which reduces the probability 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 possibly can submit questions on-line to an IRS-certified tax knowledgeable and obtain a solution through e mail or on the TaxSlayer platform.
Pricier companies might allow you to share your display with a tax knowledgeable and schedule a session. Different platforms may provide the knowledgeable to evaluation your return or full it for you.
TaxSlayer doesn’t provide full-service help, however its decrease price could be adequate when you solely must ask questions. Understand that this service is e mail solely, and should not give personalised solutions. Tax professionals give normal tax recommendation. In case you assume you’ll want particular recommendation on your scenario, chances are you’ll need to take into account a unique service.
IRS Audit Help
The TaxSlayer Basic and Army plans provide one 12 months of IRS inquiry help. Protection begins when the IRS accepts your e-file return.
You get three years of IRS audit help if you improve to Premium or Self-Employed. If the IRS audits your return, TaxSlayer gives audit preparation help.
Nevertheless, a TaxSlayer agent gained’t present in-person illustration in the course of the audit course of.
Self-Employed Assist
Much like different on-line applications, selecting the Self-Employed tier gives particular instruments that cheaper ranges don’t.
For instance, the TaxSlayer tax interview wizard will help you discover industry-specific deductions chances are you’ll overlook by selecting a less expensive plan.
You can even print off kinds for estimated taxes and obtain quarterly reminders you don’t miss a submitting deadline.
TaxSlayer additionally sends tax suggestions in the course of the 12 months that may allow you to maximize your self-employment revenue.
Ensures
Two accuracy ensures can present peace of thoughts. These ensures are much like different on-line tax prep companies.
100% Accuracy Assure: TaxSlayer reimburses any federal or state penalties and curiosity as a consequence of 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 info.
Is TaxSlayer Simple to Use?
The TaxSlayer platform could be simple to make use of, however you have to to manually enter extra tax paperwork than pricier platforms like TurboTax or H&R Block.
One other platform could be well worth the greater payment when you 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 chance of knowledge enter errors.
TaxSlayer Cell App
The TaxSlayer app is accessible for Android and Apple units.
App options embody:
- W-2 import
- Tax assist articles
- Telephone technical assist
- 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 knowledge entry. You can even 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 respectable app to file your taxes at a low value. The service has a 4.2 out of 5 Trustpilot rating, which is greater than most rivals.
One recurring constructive TaxSlayer evaluation is the clear pricing and the step-by-step walkthroughs for easy or advanced conditions.
Widespread unfavorable complaints embody not being the best app to navigate or being the very best service when you have investments as you need to manually enter all the funding revenue. This is usually a time-consuming process when 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 contains dependants and doesn’t have a most revenue restrict like TaxSlayer’s does.
You possibly can add life tax help to any plan for $60 and converse to a tax professional over the cellphone and obtain personalised recommendation, which you’ll’t do with TaxSlayer.
Right here’s our full evaluation of TaxAct for extra info.
Free Tax USA
Free Tax USA affords free federal returns for all tax conditions, and state returns are solely $14.99 every. You possibly can improve and add on tax help for $39.99 to obtain assist from tax specialists who present personalised recommendation. You possibly can contact the tax professionals through video name, cellphone, or chat.
You can even add on audit protection for $19.99.
Right here’s our full Free Tax USA evaluation for extra info
Money App Taxes
Money App Taxes has free tax prep for all conditions, together with free state returns. Its greatest limitation is you can’t file in a number of states. So when you earned revenue exterior the state you presently reside in, you gained’t be capable of use Money App.
It additionally doesn’t present any tax help, so when you assume you might have questions, you gained’t be capable of use Money App.
Right here’s our full Money App Taxes evaluation for extra info.
Abstract
TaxSlayer is among the greatest low cost software program due to its aggressive costs for advanced tax conditions. The Ask a Tax Professional is an reasonably priced possibility too.
One other platform might make it simpler to file your taxes at no cost when you have dependents. Traders with many tax paperwork might favor spending the additional cash and utilizing TurboTax that syncs with most monetary establishments to save lots of time.
