Using TaxAct Assist vs other tax preparation services - which is better for married filing separately?

I'm trying to figure out what tax preparation service to use this year. My husband and I are considering filing married separately instead of jointly for the first time. I experimented with several different programs and TaxAct seemed to give the highest refund estimate by quite a bit. Since our tax situation is a bit more complex this year, I added the Xpert Assist option in TaxAct thinking it would help. But now I'm seeing that there's a huge discrepancy between what TaxAct initially estimated (before adding Xpert Assist) and what it's showing now - we're talking about an $8,200 difference! This is really frustrating because we have a vacation planned in two weeks that we were hoping to use some of that refund money for. TaxAct is now trying to charge $200 for their services with the Xpert Assist addon. My question is: Am I obligated to continue filing with TaxAct even though I've used their Xpert Assist feature? Can I legally switch to a cheaper tax preparer at this point? I already invested time with TaxAct but that price seems steep compared to other options.

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18 comments

CosmicCommander

•8M

You're absolutely not obligated to continue using TaxAct just because you tried their Xpert Assist feature. Tax preparation services don't "lock you in" - you can switch to any preparer you want at any time before actually submitting your return to the IRS. The $8,200 difference you're seeing is concerning though. This could mean a few things: either the initial estimate was incorrect (which happens with preliminary calculations), the Xpert Assist found issues with your entries, or there might be some kind of calculation error. Before switching services, I'd recommend asking TaxAct specifically why there's such a large discrepancy. When comparing tax preparation services for married filing separately, it's always good to try multiple options. Each software handles certain deductions and credits differently, especially in MFS situations. Just make sure you're entering identical information in each system to get a fair comparison.

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CosmicCommander

•8M

The $200 fee is on the higher end but not unreasonable if you have a complex tax situation, especially with the married filing separately status which often requires more detailed work. Many in-person preparers would charge similar or higher amounts for MFS returns. Initial estimates from tax software are notoriously unreliable until you've entered ALL your information. They're based only on what you've input so far, and missing even one form or deduction can dramatically change the outcome. This is why you should never count on that first number - it's just a rough preliminary calculation that almost always changes.

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Javier Torres

•8M

I was in a similar situation last year trying to decide between filing jointly or separately with my spouse. I found myself jumping between different tax programs and getting frustrated with the inconsistent results. After wasting hours, I discovered taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai and it was a game changer for comparing options. Instead of manually entering everything into multiple programs, I just uploaded our tax documents and it showed side-by-side comparisons of what we'd get filing jointly vs separately. It identified specific tax advantages for each filing status based on our actual situation. The analysis highlighted deductions we would lose with MFS (like student loan interest) but also showed where we'd benefit. What I appreciated most was seeing exactly WHY the numbers were different between filing statuses, not just getting different refund amounts with no explanation.

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Javier Torres

•8M

It doesn't file your taxes for you - it analyzes your documents to show you optimal filing strategies and explains the differences. Then you can take that information to whatever tax filing service you prefer with confidence. Yes, it handles all standard tax documents including W-2s, 1099s (all types), mortgage statements, student loan interest, investment income, business expenses, and pretty much anything else you'd need to file. It's especially helpful with married filing separately scenarios because it specifically highlights which deductions and credits you might lose with MFS status.

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Malik Johnson

•8M

I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment and I have to admit I was wrong. The service was incredibly helpful for my situation. My wife and I were debating whether to file separately because of her income-based student loan payments, and the analysis clearly showed us exactly how much we'd save or lose with each option. What surprised me was how it flagged specific deductions we'd lose with MFS (like our student loan interest) but also identified where we'd save on taxes by filing separately. The breakdown actually showed us that despite losing some deductions, we'd still come out ahead with MFS because of how our income and specific tax situations lined up. The security was also better than I expected - they use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after analysis. Definitely worth checking out if you're debating between filing statuses.

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Isabella Ferreira

•8M

Has anyone else spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS to ask about switching tax preparers or filing status questions? I tried calling about my married filing separately situation last month and literally couldn't get through after being on hold for 2+ hours. I was about to give up when someone recommended https://claimyr.com to me. You can watch how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c but basically they wait on hold with the IRS for you and call you when an agent is on the line. I was honestly shocked when I got a call back with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent clarified that not only can you switch tax preparers anytime before filing, but also that married couples should carefully consider the implications of filing separately vs jointly each year depending on their specific situation. She explained specific scenarios where MFS makes sense (income-based repayment for student loans, certain medical deductions, etc).

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Isabella Ferreira

•8M

They don't get you to the "front of the queue" - they just wait in the same hold queue that you would, but their system does it automatically instead of you having to sit there listening to the hold music. When an IRS agent finally answers, the system immediately connects you to the call. I was extremely skeptical too, but after wasting entire afternoons on hold multiple times, I was desperate enough to try anything. It works because they're basically just automating the hold process - you're still going through the normal IRS channels, just not wasting your own time on hold.

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NebulaNomad

•8M

I need to publicly eat my words. After calling the service a scam, I decided to try Claimyr as a last resort because I was absolutely desperate to resolve my amended return issue. I've been trying to reach the IRS for literally 3 months with no success. The system had me enter my phone number and what I needed help with, and about 2 hours later (while I was grocery shopping), I got a call connecting me directly to an IRS representative. I nearly dropped my shopping basket in shock. The rep was able to look up my amended return status and explain exactly what was happening with the processing delay. For anyone dealing with married filing separately questions or any other tax issues requiring IRS clarification, this service is legitimately worth it. I'm still amazed it actually worked after all the frustration I've experienced trying to call them directly.

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Freya Thomsen

•8M

One thing to consider with married filing separately that many people overlook - you both have to take the standard deduction OR you both have to itemize. You can't have one spouse itemize while the other takes the standard deduction. This can make a huge difference in your refund calculation. Also, with MFS, you'll lose several tax benefits like education credits, child and dependent care credit, earned income credit, and the student loan interest deduction. Make sure whatever tax program you're using is accounting for these limitations!

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Freya Thomsen

•8M

Yes, it's absolutely true and it's one of the biggest "gotchas" with married filing separately. If one spouse itemizes, the other MUST also itemize - even if they have very few deductions. This often means the second spouse ends up with a very small itemized deduction amount that would have been much better served by taking the standard deduction. This requirement often wipes out much of the potential benefit of filing separately, which is why it's so important to run the numbers both ways. The tax code deliberately makes MFS less advantageous in most situations to encourage joint filing.

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