What Tax Prep software are you using for 2023 tax filing? Share your experiences in the comments

I'd recommend checking out FreeTaxUSA. I switched to them three years ago after using TurboTax for nearly a decade, and I've been really impressed. The federal filing is free for everyone regardless of complexity, and state returns are only $14.99 (way cheaper than TurboTax or H&R Block). It handles all the situations you mentioned - marriage, home purchase, and self-employment income. The interface isn't quite as polished as TurboTax, but the questions are clear and the help sections are actually really informative. For your freelance income, they walk you through Schedule C very thoroughly with plenty of guidance on deductions you might qualify for. Their home buying section is also comprehensive and will help you maximize any deductions from your new purchase. The best part is they don't constantly try to upsell you on features - what you see is what you get. I've done pretty complex returns with them (investments, rental property, self-employment) and never had an issue.

I've been struggling with my taxes every year because of my small business income combined with W-2 income, plus some investments that always get confusing. This year I tried https://taxr.ai after a friend recommended it, and it was seriously game-changing for organizing everything before I even started the actual tax prep. What makes taxr.ai different is it analyzes all your tax documents first to identify potential issues, deductions you might miss, and audit risks. I uploaded my 1099s, W-2s, and investment statements, and it flagged that I was missing some business deductions I didn't even know about. Then I took that information to FreeTaxUSA (which is what I personally use) and my return was so much easier to complete. It helped me spot a couple mistakes in how I was categorizing my business expenses that probably saved me $1200 in taxes. Definitely check it out before you start filing, especially with your new freelance income.

I wanted to follow up about taxr.ai since I was skeptical in my earlier comment. After thinking about it for a few days, I decided to give it a try since my taxes are more complicated this year with a new rental property plus my regular job. I'm honestly surprised how helpful it was! The document analysis found that I had been calculating my home office deduction all wrong for years, and it identified some rental property expenses I could deduct that I had no idea about. The report it generated was super clear and it gave me specific line items to look for when I was filling out my actual tax forms. It probably saved me at least $2000 in deductions I would have missed. And since I had my documents already organized and analyzed, the actual tax filing process went way faster. Definitely using this next year too.

For anyone dealing with IRS issues from previous years while trying to file this year - I had to get some questions answered about an error on my 2022 return before I could file 2023, and calling the IRS directly was IMPOSSIBLE. Spent literal hours on hold multiple times and kept getting disconnected. I found this service called https://claimyr.com that actually gets you through to an IRS agent quickly. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically they use some technology to navigate the IRS phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when an actual human agent is on the line. Thought it sounded too good to be true but I was desperate after wasting an entire Saturday trying to get through. It actually worked - they called me back with an IRS agent already on the line in about 50 minutes (after I had personally spent 4+ hours getting nowhere). Got my issue resolved and was able to file my 2023 return without problems.

I need to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr in my earlier comment. After posting that skeptical reply, I continued struggling to reach the IRS about a notice I received claiming I owed $4,300 from a 2021 filing error. I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through on my own. Out of desperation, I tried the service even though I was convinced it wouldn't work. I'm still shocked, but within 45 minutes I was connected to an IRS agent who actually helped resolve my issue. Turns out the notice was sent in error because they hadn't processed a form I submitted. The agent was able to fix it while I was on the phone and confirmed I don't owe anything. If I hadn't gotten through, I probably would have just paid the incorrect amount to avoid problems. Can't believe I'm saying this, but that service literally saved me thousands of dollars.

I'm using Credit Karma Tax (now called Cash App Taxes) this year. Completely free for federal AND state returns, which is what initially drew me to it. Been using it for 3 years and it handles my moderately complex situation well (W-2 income, some stock sales, mortgage interest, etc). The interface is clean and they don't try to upsell you since it's completely free. Only downside is they don't support some more complex situations like multi-state filing or foreign income. But for most people, it's a great option that costs literally nothing.

Am I the only one still using a local CPA? I tried software for years but kept missing deductions. Started using a local accountant 3 years ago and she finds way more savings than I ever did on my own. I pay $350 for my return which includes a rental property and some self-employment income, but she saves me at least $1500 in taxes compared to when I did it myself. Plus when I got a letter from the IRS questioning something on my 2021 return, she handled everything for no additional fee. The peace of mind alone is worth it to me.