About TaxAct
TaxAct is a software program that helps you file your state and federal taxes. The software provides step-by-step guidance for preparing your tax return, whether you are filing a basic federal return or are a self-employed user looking to get all the deductions for which you qualify.
Overall Satisfaction Rating
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
Pros
- Accuracy and max-refund guarantees
- Variety of helpful tools
- More affordable than other programs
Cons
- Fees for state returns
- Less accessible customer service
Bottom Line
TaxAct is tax-filing software that guides you through tax preparation with a question and answer format. It lacks the frills of some other tax software, but it also offers a lower price point.
Top TaxAct Reviews
- 4,191,395 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
- We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
- We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
- Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
For more information about reviews on ConsumerAffairs.com please visit our FAQ.
I love Tax Act because they are a reputable company recommended by the IRS. Very user friendly. Very accurate tax filing. That get you the most refund in a timely manner. And it w...
Read full reviewEasy to use, asks all the right questions and provides answers you might need in each category. Brings up items that the average citizen does not think of without help. This is th...
Read full reviewWhat is TaxAct?
To get started with TaxAct, visit its website to determine which plan is right for you. TaxAct has four plans to choose from:
- Free: This plan works well for straightforward claims. The company recommended it for filers with dependents, college expenses or retirement income. The package handles W-2 income, dependents, child tax credits, current students, retirement income and more.
- Deluxe+: TaxAct says this is its most popular plan. It’s suitable for homeowners with deductions, credits and adjustments. Customers get everything from the free plan, plus itemized deductions, mortgage interest, real estate taxes and more.
- Premier+: This plan benefits users who have investments or rental property. It offers prioritized support. The plan has the same features as the Deluxe+ plan, plus stocks, sale of homes or other investments, investment income expenses, rental property income and more.
- Self Employed+: This plan is for self-employed taxpayers looking to maximize their deductions. Users get everything from the Premier+ plan as well as year-round tax resources, help with freelance, business and farm income, personalized business deductions and more.
TaxAct provides a $100,000 accuracy guarantee and a maximum-refund guarantee. You have access to your returns for seven years after the filing date.
How does TaxAct work?
Once you sign up for TaxAct’s services, you can begin filing your tax return for free. You're not obligated to pay until you've completed the return and are ready to file. Like other tax software, TaxAct uses a question-and-answer format to guide you in preparing your taxes. Support is available through the entire process.
TaxAct will help reduce your risk of being audited by checking for omissions or other errors. It offers a real-time refund status, so you're always in the loop about your refund progress. There are also some free tools on the website, such as a tax calculator, self-employment tax calculator and a tax FAQ page.
TaxAct pricing
TaxAct has a plan for every budget and need. It offers a free plan for filing federal taxes. Its popular Deluxe+ plan costs $54.95, while the Premier+ plan is $79.95 and the Self-Employed+ plan is $109.95. There is an extra fee for state filing that ranges from $29.95 to $54.95 per state.
TaxAct FAQ
Can I use TaxAct for previous years?
Is TaxAct really free?
How do I contact TaxAct?
What bank does TaxAct use for refunds?
Who owns TaxAct?
Is TaxAct free for federal and state taxes?
Does TaxAct charge for direct deposit?
Is TaxAct legit?
TaxAct is user-friendly, affordable software that just about anyone can use. With extra features and plans for every budget, we think TaxAct is a good option for first-time filers or people who want a completely online filing service.
TaxAct Reviews
A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.
I have the same story. I filed last year and was NOT exactly overjoyed with the service because the algorithm they use would not let me file a long form because I had several items that I could claim on my taxes as deductions. They literally want to have as little interaction with users as possible to maximize THEIR profits. NOW my problem is that I can't get back into my account to try and transfer as much information as possible - but I can't get pass the LOGIN screen. I know my username and password, but I can't get past the verification protocol because it WILL NOT SEND ME THE CODE TO MY CELLPHONE.
I've been trying for 2 days and today I finally got in touch with a real person to help me. Even though we spent 45 minutes on the phone trying different ways to get past the verification - I couldn't get in! The CSR suggested the ONLY way to continue is to start a NEW account - however that account would not be able to transfer information from my submitted TaxACT account from last year! I need HELP OR I'll use another tax program and then file with the BBB and FaceBook that TaxACT is a joke. It doesn't have to be like this.
They don’t take accountability for messing up my taxes not only was I forced to file papers, because their program messed up, so far my Statevtax was changed and my federal tax has not even been looked at yet because I had to send paper taxes. TAXACT IS A HORRIBLE SERVICE. DO NOT USE THEM.
Thank you, you have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations.
I thought when I did taxes return on site it was free but they want to charge $107 for state and federal taxes totals. So it not free as I expected it to be free but like always it never free as always hidden fees and exactly like turbo taxes. They said to sent you need to upgraded to pay.
I was using TaxAct for about the past 5 years. I finally decided I had enough. I have a rental, and also deliver for a delivery service. So I had to pay for the business tax portion. The way Taxact shows their costs is absolutely suspect. My bill was always more by the time I was done, AND the program itself is made in a way that you often feel forced to pay for extra services. For instance, it posed a question regarding one of my "company's", but did not specify which company it was asking about. I went crazy trying to figure it out. It wasn't until I was done and submitted an answer I realized, the company it was asking about I no longer had, it was from the previous year. But if I did not answer the dam question, I could not proceed. Therefore, my taxes were submitted incorrectly to the IRS.
Aren't I lucky the IRS is too backed up to notice my mistake? Also, if you are forced to pay for live help, since they make sure you'll get confused filling out their questions, you'll wait on hold for an hour or more. Don't use TaxAct. I'm a professional and do all my own business taxes. This program is designed to trip you up, and rip you off. They are not upfront with the cost, and will not make it easy to complete your taxes without paying extra for live help.
I completed my taxes through TaxAct on 4/18/22 and I stress the word "completed". Entered all requested information, license number, PIN, etc. Pressed submit and presumed I was done, especially because my credit card was charged on that same date. I thought it was odd that I didn't get an email stating that all was well, but I get dozens of emails daily and I delete most of them, so I thought I had accidentally deleted theirs. On 4/30/22 I double-checked my account and found that my taxes had NOT been submitted (even though they charged my account). I accept the fact that I should have been more proactive in keeping track, but I also expected that TaxAct would have contacted me to let me know that the submission was still outstanding. And what held it up? Nothing that I can determine.
Questions that needed to be answered were the exact same questions that I had already answered originally. My Federal return is not a problem because I'm owed a refund, but I owe the state money and now my filing is late and I may get charged a penalty. Gee, I wonder if TaxAct will pay it for me? Anyone care to take bets on that? This is the last time I'll use TaxAct and I advise others to beware.
I've used TaxAct for many years with no problems and gave it a five-star review each year. This year it's unusable. In years past, the process was smooth. This year, the program skipped several sections in the federal tax return. On one occasion, I was stuck in a loop. Clicking on "continue" took me back to the topic. The last straw happened when I was prompted to address some alerts after completing my return. TaxAct said a form that was specific to me hadn't been filled out. It told me how to access the form. I clicked on the form, and it was prefilled out with my husband's name and social security number. I couldn't change the form to my name and social security number. So I will spend my Saturday starting over with TurboTax or something similar. I will not use TaxAct again.
I hired TaxAct, I had a call with an accountant, I uploaded my docs, I paid $279.95 for the "full service" option and then...nothing for over a week. I continue to let the account know I cannot access anything and am ignored. I cannot choose to "Schedule a Call" because the drop-down is greyed out and says "All agents are busy". It is also impossible to reach a human being by calling the TaxAct Customer Service #. I want a refund fo $279.95 for the "full service" option that resulted in no service. I am disgusted and other consumers should be, too.
Great business model they have. I'll be asking my credit card issuer for a full refund of the $279.95 on Monday. Beware. Learn from my mistake and do not use TaxAct. This corrupt and fraudulent entity needs to be put out of business. I'll be contacting the IRS and other government and consumer agencies to file formal complaints. I will also contact the Attorney General in Nebraska where TaxAct headquarters are located.
I have been using TaxACT, downloaded version for 15 years plus. This year, the format was changed. I am not able to view the state return without doing the print view. I meant to call technical support but then it has the same number as the customer service. The first person I spoke referred me to Q&A question which has instruction to how download the state if it is not showing up. I told her to let me finish each task one at a time. She kept talking giving direction when I was doing the redownload. Finally she hang up on me.
I called again and got a different person. Put me on hold for 15 minutes to find the answer and get me to state that I don't have the downloaded version. This person, Jamie, is trying to stall the time when he does not know how to solve. He put me on hold again when I asked for technical support. The price is keeping increasing and quality control is decreasing. Customer service is very poor in knowledge. Don't buy this TAXACT, use other software.
Not only were the previous tax return records messed up due to their crappy software, they will persistently badger you with ads to buy their tax services. Customer service will put you on hold for hours only to waste your time and ask you to call back in the next day. Horrid software, horrid service. I had to pay a separate accountant to deal with how much they screwed things up for me and wasted my time and money. AVOID
After waiting 130 minutes to receive a call from their "experts" about a tax question, and having the guy tell me he'd call me back if we got disconnected, we DID get disconnected (not by me!!!) and he DID NOT call me back. And I DID NOT get my question addressed. UGH. What a waste of time. I am moving on to another product.
TaxAct Company Information
- Company Name:
- TaxAct
- Website:
- www.taxact.com
You’re signed up
We’ll start sending you the news you need delivered straight to you. We value your privacy. Unsubscribe easily.