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I've actually tried both plus H&R Block and TaxAct over the years. For simple returns, my ranking would be: 1. FreeTaxUSA - best value, good interface, all forms included 2. TaxAct - decent middle ground 3. H&R Block - okay but getting expensive 4. TurboTax - most expensive, aggressive upselling FreeTaxUSA isn't as pretty but functionally works great. The only advantage TurboTax has is importing investment forms can be easier if you have lots of them. For basic W-2 income, some interest or dividends, and standard deductions, FreeTaxUSA is honestly better because it's straightforward without constant attempts to upgrade you.
StarStrider
ā¢What about audit protection? TurboTax always scares me into buying their audit defense. Does FreeTaxUSA offer something similar or is it not really necessary?
FreeTaxUSA does offer audit assistance (they call it "Deluxe") for around $7-8 which is MUCH cheaper than TurboTax's audit defense. It provides priority support and help with audit-related questions if you get audited. Honestly though, for simple returns, your audit risk is extremely low. The IRS mostly targets unusual deductions, self-employment with weird numbers, or very high income returns. If you're just filing W-2 income and standard deductions, the audit risk is tiny. I personally don't buy audit protection anymore for basic returns, but the FreeTaxUSA version is cheap enough if it gives you peace of mind.
Sean Doyle
I used FreeTaxUSA last year after 4 years of TurboTax and it was fine for my situation (W-2, mortgage interest, student loan interest, some stocks). The ONLY thing I missed from TurboTax was the automatic import of W-2 information - with FreeTaxUSA I had to manually enter everything. But that took like an extra 10 minutes total and saved me $70+ so definitely worth it. Also, FreeTaxUSA doesn't try to hide fees until the end like TurboTax always did to me. They're upfront about state filing costs from the beginning. Customer service was surprisingly good too when I had a question about reporting some crypto.
Zara Rashid
ā¢Did you notice any difference in refund amount between what you got with TurboTax vs FreetaxUSA? I always worry cheaper software might miss deductions or something.
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Chris King
3 Worth mentioning - if you had a lot of medical expenses this year but they don't quite push you over the standard deduction threshold, consider "bunching" your deductions. This means trying to concentrate deductible expenses in a single tax year. For example, if you know you'll have medical procedures early next year, see if you can prepay them in December of this year. Same with charitable donations - make next year's donations in December of this year. That way, you might have enough to itemize one year, and then take the standard deduction the next year.
Chris King
ā¢18 Question about bunching - does this actually save money in the long run? Or does it just shift when you get the deduction?
Chris King
ā¢3 Bunching can definitely save money in the long run! Let me explain with an example. Say you have $10,000 in medical expenses each year for two years, and the standard deduction is $12,900. If you take those expenses in separate years, you'd take the standard deduction both years ($12,900 Ć 2 = $25,800 total deductions). But if you could bunch $20,000 of expenses into one year, you'd itemize that year ($20,000) and take the standard deduction ($12,900) the next year, for a total of $32,900 in deductions across two years. That's an extra $7,100 in deductions!
Chris King
7 Have you looked into an HSA (Health Savings Account)? It won't help with expenses you've already paid, but for future medical costs, it's WAY better than itemizing deductions. Contributions are pre-tax, grow tax-free, and withdrawals for medical expenses are tax-free too. Triple tax advantage!
Chris King
ā¢1 I've been considering an HSA but I'm not sure if I qualify. Don't you need a high-deductible health plan for that? I have insurance through my employer but not sure what type of plan it counts as.
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I'm using Credit Karma Tax (now called Cash App Taxes) this year. Completely free for federal AND state returns, which is what initially drew me to it. Been using it for 3 years and it handles my moderately complex situation well (W-2 income, some stock sales, mortgage interest, etc). The interface is clean and they don't try to upsell you since it's completely free. Only downside is they don't support some more complex situations like multi-state filing or foreign income. But for most people, it's a great option that costs literally nothing.
Javier Cruz
ā¢Does Cash App Taxes handle self-employment income well? I have a small side business and have been using TurboTax Self-Employed, but it's so expensive.
Yes, Cash App Taxes handles self-employment income quite well for straightforward situations. It has all the Schedule C forms and walks you through business deductions, home office calculations, and quarterly estimated payments. Where it might fall short is if you have very complex business situations like inventory management, multiple businesses, or specialized industry deductions. For a side gig bringing in $4k like the original poster mentioned, it would be perfectly fine. I have a photography side business that makes about $12k annually and it works great for me.
Emma Wilson
Am I the only one still using a local CPA? I tried software for years but kept missing deductions. Started using a local accountant 3 years ago and she finds way more savings than I ever did on my own. I pay $350 for my return which includes a rental property and some self-employment income, but she saves me at least $1500 in taxes compared to when I did it myself. Plus when I got a letter from the IRS questioning something on my 2021 return, she handled everything for no additional fee. The peace of mind alone is worth it to me.
Malik Thomas
ā¢Do you think a CPA is worth it for simpler returns? I just have a W-2 job and a mortgage, no complicated stuff.
NeonNebula
ā¢I used a CPA last year and she missed a huge education credit I was eligible for. When I pointed it out she acted like I was being difficult. Going back to doing it myself this year.
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Emma Garcia
5 Don't forget that this all assumes you're itemizing deductions rather than taking the standard deduction! With the standard deduction at $13,850 for single filers and $27,700 for married filing jointly in 2023, many people don't benefit from itemizing anymore unless they have very high mortgage interest, state taxes, or charitable contributions. Make sure your total itemized deductions (including this margin interest) exceed your standard deduction amount, otherwise all this calculation work won't actually save you anything on your taxes.
Emma Garcia
ā¢11 Great point! I actually messed this up last year. Spent hours tracking investment interest and other itemized deductions only to have my tax software automatically take the standard deduction because it was higher. Felt like such a waste of time.
Emma Garcia
ā¢5 Excellent reminder! To add a bit more detail - even if you can't benefit from the deduction this year because you're taking the standard deduction, you should still complete Form 4952 to establish your carryforward amount for future years when you might itemize. Also worth noting that if you're in a high-tax state like California, New York, or New Jersey, you're more likely to benefit from itemizing since state and local tax payments (though capped at $10,000) plus your margin interest might push you over the standard deduction threshold.
Emma Garcia
15 Something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you're not running afoul of the "investment purpose" requirement. The IRS requires that margin loans be used specifically for investment purposes to be deductible. If you're using margin for personal expenses (like buying a car or paying for a vacation), that portion of the interest isn't deductible as investment interest. I learned this the hard way after an audit where I had to prove my margin loans were used to purchase securities.
Emma Garcia
ā¢2 Is there a specific way to document this? My brokerage account is kind of a mess with deposits, withdrawals, and margin usage all mixed together throughout the year.
Isabella Oliveira
Another option no one's mentioned - check if you can access your W-2 through your payroll system online! My company uses ADP and all my tax forms are available to download any time. Before panicking, log into whatever system your company uses for paystubs (Workday, ADP, Paycor, etc.) and see if there's a "Tax Forms" section.
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Paolo Marino
ā¢I can't believe I didn't think of this! Just logged into our employee portal and there's a whole tax documents section I never noticed before. Found my W-2 right there, ready to download. Thank you so much for this suggestion - saved me so much stress. Sometimes the simplest solution is right in front of us!
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Isabella Oliveira
ā¢Glad it worked out! Most employers with online systems make tax documents available electronically these days, but they don't always advertise it well. It's usually my first suggestion because it's the quickest solution when available. Remember to save a copy somewhere safe for your records too! Maybe even print one as backup. Good luck with your filing!
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Ravi Patel
If your employer is being difficult or slow about providing a replacement, you can actually request a wage and income transcript directly from the IRS starting February 1st. It shows everything that was reported to the IRS, including W-2 info. Not many people know about this option!
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Freya Andersen
ā¢Is the transcript exactly the same as a W-2? I heard some tax software won't accept it and you need the actual form.
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