The Best Tax Software

The dreaded tax season is here once again, and some of you are already in a panic. Will you be paying in, or receiving a refund? Do you take your taxes to a professional? Perhaps, if you’re a math whiz or just more courageous than most, you might attempt filing them yourself. 

But with continuous changes in tax forms and tax laws, filing your own can become quite confusing and frustrating for most people. On the other hand, having a professional file your taxes for you is a great way to ease some of the stress, but going that route may become costly.

Have a stress-free tax season

Luckily there are easier filing solutions that are both inexpensive and less stressful. Nowadays, tax software has become rather common. In fact, eFiling is actually recommended by the IRS for its precision and efficiency.

The best tax preparation software is capable of walking you through a 1040 ez or a more complex 1040 with itemized deductions and even help you properly claim self-employment income. By asking you the right questions, tax software can help you maximize your deductions and receive the best available refund.

A good eFiler will also have the required state tax forms along with updated IRS forms.The majority of online tax filing services are free to file federal taxes, however most will charge a small fee for the completion of your state taxes. The fees for this service range from $8 to $40, but is worth it considering the amount of time you saved by not needing to re-enter all of your information again. Other advantages to online tax filing are speedy returns and refunds, and also the fact they they keep your records for next year, making next tax season a breeze as long as you have had minimal changes in your income.

Best overall tax software

There are so many different options when choosing eFile software that the decision itself can cause a headache. Fortunately, toptenreviews.com has relieved you of this particular pain by doing all the research for you. Here’s the list of online tax services that made their top 10:

1. Turbo Tax
2. Tax ACT
3. H&R Block
4. Tax Slayer
5. eSmart Tax
6. Jackson Hewitt
7. Oneprice Taxes
8. Express Tax Refund
9. Tax Brain
10. OnLine Taxes

For a more detailed look at their picks, check out toptenreviews.com’s handy review and comparison chart here.

[Image via turbotax]