TaxSlayer Review

TaxSlayer is an online tax preparation software. With TaxSlayer, you can simply enter your income and personal information. The software will then automatically fill out the relevant tax forms on your behalf.

Like most tax preparation services, TaxSlayer makes it easy to claim credits and deductions. In some cases, these services find deductions you may not even have known you were entitled to. These deductions can maximize your tax refund or limit your tax liability. You get a 100 percent accuracy guarantee, ensuring that your tax calculations are correct every time.

TaxSlayer offers both federal and state filing services. Using the service, you can effectively fill out both returns at the same time As you’ll see shortly in this TaxSlayer review, though, there is an additional charge for filing state returns.

TaxSlayer offers a variety of products targeted to people in specific financial situations. Below, you’ll find a basic overview of these products, their features, and their costs.

TaxSlayer Classic is the company’s core product, allowing for all types of income and deductions. The Classic package is essentially a general-purpose tax preparation software that will work well for most consumers. It also includes IRS inquiry assistance. Federal filing with TaxSlayer Classic costs $24.95, with an additional charge of $39.95 for state returns.

TaxSlayer Premium offers the same broad-based coverage as TaxSlayer Classic. The difference, however, is in the level of support you receive. With TaxSlayer Premium, you’ll get access to priority phone and email support. You’ll also receive assistance from a tax preparation professional upon request. Premium charges $44.95 for federal returns and $39.95 for state returns.

TaxSlayer Simply Free is a free filing option for those with the simplest tax situations. Simply Free will only accept the basic 1040 tax form, but both federal and state returns are completely free. This product also allows you to deduct student loan payments and claim education credits. As a result, it’s a great option for college students and recent graduates.

If you have your own business or side hustle, your tax situation will be more complicated than that of a traditional employee. TaxSlayer Self-employed covers people who file using Schedule C and 1099 forms. This product includes general tax guidance and access to tax preparation professionals. TaxSlayer Self-employed also lets you prepare tax vouchers so that you can pay quarterly taxes on your business, if required. Filing federal self-employment taxes costs $54.95 with an additional charge of $39.95 for state returns.

For those who serve actively in the US military, TaxSlayer Military offers free federal filing. Like TaxSlayer Classic, Military is an unrestricted package that covers most tax situations. The only charge for filing with TaxSlayer Military is a $39.95 charge for state filing.

TaxSlayer offers quality tax preparation services at an attractive price point. The service tailors itself to the needs of everyone from broke college students to small business owners. For those with basic tax returns, the Simply Free package is a great way to simplify taxes at no cost.

With that said, there are still some drawbacks to TaxSlayer. The biggest downside is a lack of automatic importing capabilities. More advanced preparation services like TurboTax allow you to automatically import tax forms. TaxSlayer lacks this capability and requires you to enter information manually.

Similarly, TaxSlayer’s interface isn’t always intuitive to navigate. This problem is fairly minor but does put TaxSlayer at a disadvantage to other filing services. Some features, such as drag-and-drop form uploads, have also been known to suffer from bugs.

Overall, TaxSlayer is a good value option that lets you file without spending more than necessary. The software is best for people who are familiar with taxes or who have very simple returns. If you have a more complicated situation, TaxSlayer may not be as good a fit. That said, you can always upgrade to Premium or Self-employed for personal tax guidance.

TaxSlayer’s basic customer support is available by phone, email, or online chat. The company provides a range of useful information on its website. This includes articles pertaining to specific tax situations. A convenient tax calculator can also help you estimate your refund based on your income and basic household information.

Depending on your package, more advanced support is available from TaxSlayer. Both the Premium and Self-employed packages offer access to tax professionals who can answer questions and provide tax guidance.

If you have questions about your tax situation, you can check out TaxSlayer’s slate of online tax tools. These tools range from general FAQs to ongoing tax law updates. You can also find guides to filing amended returns and extensions.

Overall, TaxSlayer is an option that’s seriously worth considering. The company’s bargain pricing and variety of products make it a good value. TaxSlayer can save you money on your tax filings and keep the process simple. While it requires a bit more work than TurboTax, the savings more than make up for it in most cases.

That said, the service isn’t for everyone. A basic situation or existing tax knowledge is very helpful when using TaxSlayer. You also have to be comfortable entering important financial information manually. If you’re less sure of yourself when it comes to taxes, another option may be better. User-friendly tax services like Turbotax or a real-life tax preparer can help. However, they will cost substantially more than TaxSlayer.