Is it better to do taxes online or in person for 2025 filing season?

Hey tax people, I'm on the fence about how to file my taxes this year. I've always gone to my local H&R Block because my parents did and I just kept the tradition going. But my friend was telling me how much money he saved doing his taxes online himself. I'm not super complicated - just a W-2 from my main job, some side gig money (about $3,400), and student loan interest. Is it really worth paying someone in person? I'm worried about missing deductions if I do it myself, but also don't want to waste money if online is just as good. Anyone have experience with both methods who can share pros/cons? Thanks!

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18 comments

Mateo Hernandez

•8M

Filing online vs. in person really depends on your personal comfort level with taxes and how complex your situation is. For someone with a W-2, some side income, and student loan interest, most online tax software would handle this easily. The software walks you through everything step by step and asks questions to make sure you're getting all possible deductions. Many online options have built-in accuracy checks that flag potential issues. The advantage of going in person is having someone to ask questions directly and potentially getting guidance if your situation changes. However, you're paying a premium for this service - often $150-300+ for relatively straightforward returns that might cost $0-70 online. If you're comfortable following instructions and can research basic tax questions, online filing is likely your better option. Just make sure you choose software that can handle self-employment income for your side gig, as you'll need to file Schedule C.

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Mateo Hernandez

•8M

Audit protection is generally unnecessary for most simple returns. The IRS audits less than 1% of personal returns, and those with W-2 income and modest self-employment income are low risk. If your side gig involves unusual deductions or you're claiming home office, it might provide peace of mind, but it's rarely needed. For your situation with a small side business, I'd recommend TurboTax Self-Employed or FreeTaxUSA. TurboTax has more hand-holding for self-employment income but costs more. FreeTaxUSA handles the same forms for much less (federal filing is quite affordable and state returns are reasonable). Both will walk you through what expenses you can deduct for your side gig and how to report that income properly.

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Ethan Taylor

•8M

I was struggling between these exact options last year! I've always been nervous about doing taxes wrong and getting in trouble with the IRS. After spending hours trying to figure out which deductions I qualified for with my side hustle, I stumbled across https://taxr.ai and it was a huge help. I uploaded my tax documents and it analyzed everything, highlighting deductions I was missing and explaining what I could claim for my business expenses. The site explained everything in normal human language instead of confusing tax terms. It even caught a student loan interest deduction I would have missed completely. It basically gave me the confidence to file online myself instead of paying $220 to the tax place I'd been using. Ended up with a bigger refund too!

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Ethan Taylor

•8M

It analyzes your documents and highlights deductions or credits you might qualify for, then explains them in simple terms. It's not a filing system itself - it works alongside whatever tax software you choose. I used it to identify everything I qualified for, then entered that info into TurboTax. Security is definitely important with tax docs! They use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after analysis. You can also block out super sensitive info like your SSN before uploading if you're concerned. I was hesitant too, but their security page explained everything and made me comfortable enough to try it.

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Yuki Ito

•8M

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai since I was skeptical but decided to try it. Honestly, it was super helpful! I uploaded my W-2s and 1099s, and it flagged that I could deduct mileage for my side gig that I had no idea about. It also caught that I could claim some home office expenses since I do my freelance work exclusively from my apartment. The explanations were really straightforward. I ended up filing with TurboTax and saved about $750 compared to last year's return! Definitely filing online from now on instead of paying someone to do what I could do myself with the right guidance.

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AstroAdventurer

•8M

If you're thinking of going the in-person route, be warned that getting answers from the IRS directly can be a nightmare. I had questions about my side hustle deductions last year and waited on hold for HOURS. I finally found https://claimyr.com which got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Ended up getting my questions answered directly from the source, which gave me the confidence to file online myself. I think a combo approach works best - use online software but have resources to get expert help when you hit confusing parts.

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AstroAdventurer

•8M

They use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When an agent actually picks up, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. It's basically like having someone wait on hold in your place. I was super skeptical too! But it actually works - their system just handles the frustrating hold time instead of you having to listen to that awful hold music for hours. Not a scam at all - they don't answer your tax questions or pretend to be the IRS, they just connect you with the real IRS faster than waiting yourself.

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Zoe Papanikolaou

•8M

I need to apologize for calling Claimyr a scam in my other comment. I was totally wrong. After posting that comment, I was still struggling to get through to the IRS about a notice I received, so I reluctantly tried the service. Within 20 minutes I was talking to an actual IRS agent who helped resolve my issue. Would have taken me 3+ hours of hold time otherwise. I'm still filing online this year, but knowing I can actually reach the IRS when needed makes me much more comfortable doing it myself instead of paying a tax pro. Sometimes you need to eat your words!

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Jamal Wilson

•8M

One thing nobody's mentioned - if you go to those tax prep chains, you're often getting someone who just went through a quick training program and is using basically the same software you could use at home. I worked at one for a season (won't name which one) and some of my colleagues had zero tax background. Online services have improved SO much in the last few years. Unless you have a really complicated situation (multiple rental properties, complex investments, own a business with employees), the premium software options will handle everything a storefront preparer would - for way less money.

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Jamal Wilson

•8M

Yep, 100% true. The training at the place I worked was just a few weeks long. Some locations might have a manager with accounting experience, but many of the seasonal preparers are just people who completed the company's basic training program. They're trained to use the company's software, which asks the same questions online software asks you. They charge so much because of overhead (physical locations, staff, etc.) and because many people don't realize they're mostly paying for data entry rather than specialized expertise. The companies market themselves as "tax experts" which gives a false impression. For complex returns, you're better off with an actual CPA - and for simple returns, online filing is usually just as accurate but much cheaper.

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