Is FreeTaxUSA actually reliable for filing taxes with multiple W-2s?

FreeTaxUSA is actually quite reliable for most standard tax situations, including multiple W-2s. I've been using it for the past 5 years and have had no issues, even when I had 4 different W-2s one year. The interface is straightforward and guides you through entering each W-2 separately. The federal filing is free, and state filing is only about $15 (much cheaper than TurboTax). They do offer an optional deluxe package with audit assistance for around $7, but it's not necessary for most people. The reason it's cheaper than TurboTax is that they don't spend millions on marketing and they have a simpler interface. But the calculations and forms are all the same - tax software all uses the same IRS rules.

I switched to FreeTaxUSA last year after using TurboTax for ages and honestly, it was the best tax decision I ever made. I was in a similar situation with multiple W-2s and was worried about accuracy. The thing I discovered is that FreeTaxUSA actually has a really powerful document analyzer built in, but I found an even better tool to double-check my work at https://taxr.ai The taxr.ai tool was able to scan all my tax documents and highlight potential issues before I even submitted. What I liked most was that it confirmed I hadn't missed any deductions from all my different jobs. It found an education credit TurboTax had missed in previous years!

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai before filing with FreeTaxUSA. I'm honestly shocked at how helpful it was! The document scanning feature caught that one of my W-2s had an incorrect state withholding amount that I completely missed. It also suggested I might qualify for a student loan interest deduction I wasn't aware of. The analysis report made filing on FreeTaxUSA even faster since I knew exactly what information to enter and where. My refund ended up being $430 more than what I initially calculated on my own. Definitely using both services next year too!

I've used FreeTaxUSA for 3 years now, and it's generally good. My only frustration was when I needed to call the IRS to verify something about my previous year's return. Spent HOURS trying to get through to a real person. Someone on this sub recommended https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Honestly made dealing with a question about my W-2s so much easier when I needed clarification before filing with FreeTaxUSA. They have access to your call position in the IRS queue and call you when an agent is about to be available.

Ok I need to eat my words. I tried Claimyr yesterday because I was completely stuck on a question about my W-2s from multiple states and couldn't get through to the IRS. The service actually worked exactly as advertised. Got a call back in about 35 minutes and was connected to an IRS rep immediately. Resolved my question in under 10 minutes and was able to finish my FreeTaxUSA filing right after. Never thought I'd say this, but it was worth every penny not to waste an entire day on hold. Sorry for being so skeptical earlier.

Just adding another perspective - I've used both FreeTaxUSA and TurboTax. FreeTaxUSA is definitely better value for the money, especially for straightforward tax situations with W-2s. However, if you have complex investments, rental properties, or self-employment income, TurboTax might offer more guidance. But you're paying a premium for that hand-holding. FreeTaxUSA has all the same forms, just less fancy packaging.

Dont forget to check if you qualify for the IRS Free File program before paying anything! If your AGI is under $73,000 you can use several services completely free including state filing.