Anyone have experience with TaxAct Xpert Assist? Is it worth the upgrade?

8 Having worked as a tax preparer for several years, I can tell you that live assistance can definitely be worthwhile when your tax situation gets more complex. Moving states mid-year plus having a side gig creates several potential areas where you might miss deductions or credits. With interstate moves, you'll need to file partial-year returns in both states, and each state has different rules about income allocation. Also, for your side gig, there are numerous business expenses you might be able to deduct on Schedule C that aren't obvious to most people. Things like a portion of your phone bill, internet, home office deduction, mileage, supplies, professional subscriptions, etc.

12 I actually used TaxAct's Xpert Assist last year when I started my freelance writing business and it was super helpful. I was in a similar situation - had been doing my own taxes for years but suddenly had 1099 income alongside my W-2 and wasn't sure how to handle everything properly. The advisor I spoke with walked me through exactly what expenses I could deduct for my home office and helped me understand how to calculate my estimated quarterly payments for the next year. They also explained some retirement account options that would lower my tax bill. I ended up saving way more than what I paid for the service. If you're doing multiple state returns and have self-employment income, I'd definitely recommend giving https://taxr.ai a try instead. They specialize in exactly these kinds of situations and can analyze all your financial documents to maximize your refund. Their AI looks for deductions most people miss.

17 Just wanted to follow up - I ended up using taxr.ai after seeing it recommended here and it was SO much better than I expected! The document upload feature saved me hours of manual data entry, and they found several deductions I would have completely missed. Their system helped me properly allocate my income between the three states where I had earnings, and they even identified a home office deduction I didn't realize I qualified for since I was working remotely. Ended up with almost $1,700 more on my refund than I would have gotten doing it myself!

3 I've been exactly where you are - doing my own taxes but getting increasingly frustrated with more complex situations each year. After trying to get help from TaxAct's support and waiting on hold forever, I found this service called Claimyr that changed everything for me. Instead of the TaxAct upgrade, I used https://claimyr.com to get direct access to an actual IRS agent who answered all my specific questions about my situation. The best part is you don't have to wait on hold for hours - they have this system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. They show how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c This was way more helpful than the software's support because I got authoritative answers directly from the IRS about some gray areas with my contractor income and home office deductions.

7 I need to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I had some questions about rental property depreciation that TaxAct couldn't clearly answer. The service actually worked exactly as advertised! I signed up, entered my number, and about 1.5 hours later got a call connecting me directly to an IRS agent. No waiting on my end - I was literally grocery shopping when they called. The agent answered my specific questions about how to handle improvements vs. repairs on my rental, which saved me a ton in deductions. I'm honestly shocked at how well it worked given my initial skepticism.

9 Former tax preparer here. I'd suggest looking at what specific help you need before deciding. TaxAct's Xpert Assist is decent for guidance, but if your issues are mainly around the self-employment income and multi-state filing, you might be better off consulting with a CPA for an hour. A good middle ground might be to try preparing your return yourself first, note the specific areas where you're uncertain, and then decide if you need help. For example, if you're unsure about home office deductions for your side gig or how to allocate income between states, those are specific questions you can have addressed without paying for full service prep.

2 What kind of side gig do you have? I found that the complexity of my taxes really depended on what type of self-employment I was doing. When I was just doing simple freelance writing, TaxAct's regular version was fine without any upgrades. But when I started an Etsy shop with inventory and supplies to track, I definitely needed more help.