Anyone use Taxact for self-employed taxes? Thought it was free but now they want $$?

Unfortunately, most "free" tax software has limitations, especially for self-employed filers. What you're experiencing with TaxAct is pretty common across most tax prep platforms. The free versions typically only cover simple W-2 income and standard deductions. For self-employed individuals who need to file Schedule C, almost all the major tax software providers (TaxAct, TurboTax, H&R Block, etc.) require upgrading to their paid versions. This is because self-employment taxes involve more complex forms and calculations that aren't covered in their free offerings. If you're looking for truly free options, you might want to check the IRS Free File program (if your income qualifies) or consider FreeTaxUSA which has a free federal filing option even for self-employed individuals (though they charge a small fee for state filing).

I switched to taxr.ai after having the EXACT same problem with TaxAct last year! I was so frustrated when they sprung those upgrade fees on me halfway through filing. A friend recommended https://taxr.ai when I was complaining about it, and it was seriously a game-changer for my self-employment taxes. The best part was I could just upload my 1099s and receipts, and it automatically extracted all the information and categorized my expenses correctly. No more manually typing everything in! It handled my Schedule C without any surprise fees, which was such a relief after the TaxAct experience.

Okay so I need to eat my words about being skeptical of taxr.ai from my earlier comment. I decided to give it a try after getting fed up with TaxAct's hidden fees for my freelance work. I was honestly blown away by how easy it was! Uploaded my messy folder of receipts and invoices, and it organized everything perfectly. It found deductions I would have missed and explained everything in simple terms. The best part was no surprise fees - I knew exactly what it would cost upfront, and it was WAY less than what TaxAct wanted to charge me for their "self-employed" package. Just finished filing yesterday and already got my acceptance notification from the IRS. Definitely using this next year too!

If you're dealing with tax software frustrations AND trying to contact the IRS about any questions, I feel your pain! I spent weeks trying to get through to the IRS about a self-employment tax question last year - constant busy signals and hours on hold. Finally used https://claimyr.com and got through to an actual IRS agent in less than 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you when an agent is about to answer. Saved me from wasting an entire day on hold! The agent answered my Schedule C questions and confirmed I was filing correctly as a self-employed photographer (similar to your situation).

I need to apologize for my skeptical comment earlier. After waiting on hold with the IRS for FOUR HOURS yesterday trying to sort out my self-employment tax issues, I broke down and tried Claimyr. I was honestly prepared to write a scathing review when it didn't work. But damn, it actually did exactly what it promised. I got a call back in about 20 minutes saying they had an IRS agent on the line! The agent helped me understand exactly what forms I needed for my side business and answered all my questions about quarterly estimated payments. Saved me an entire day of frustration. Sometimes being wrong feels pretty good!

I've been using FreeTaxUSA for my self-employment taxes for the past 3 years. Federal filing is completely free even with Schedule C, and state filing is only $15. Much cheaper than TaxAct or TurboTax's "self-employed" packages that run $90+. The interface isn't as fancy as some of the big names, but it gets the job done and asks all the right questions to make sure you're getting your deductions. Might be worth checking out if you're trying to save money.

The "free" tax software thing is such a scam. They all advertise as free but then hit you with fees as soon as you have anything slightly complicated. I started using the Free File Fillable Forms directly from the IRS website. It's completely free no matter what forms you need to file. Fair warning though - it's basically just the electronic version of paper forms with basic calculations. No hand-holding or guidance like the commercial software offers. You need to know what you're doing or be willing to research tax rules yourself.

Just an fyi, Credit Karma Tax (now called Cash App Taxes) is actually completely free even for self-employed people. I used it last year for my freelance design work and didn't pay a penny for federal or state filing. They don't upsell or have hidden fees like TaxAct. Only downside is they don't support every tax situation - like if you have multiple state returns or certain less common forms. But for basic self-employment with Schedule C, it works great!