Which tax software is better than TurboTax? Any reason to switch from what I've used before?

Having prepared taxes professionally for over a decade, I can tell you that most major tax software packages will handle basic tax situations just fine. TurboTax is user-friendly but definitely on the pricier side. If you've started a side business, you'll need software that handles Schedule C properly. FreeTaxUSA is significantly less expensive than TurboTax and handles most tax situations well. Many of my clients who switch report they're happy with it and appreciate saving money. I've also heard good things about TaxSlayer as a mid-priced option. The most important thing is finding software that makes you comfortable with the interface. Most offer free trials where you can input your info before paying, which lets you test the experience. If you're comfortable with TurboTax and the price doesn't bother you, there's nothing wrong with sticking to what you know.

I switched from TurboTax to using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) last year and honestly wish I'd done it sooner. I was in a similar situation with a side business and got really confused about some of the deductions I could take. The cool thing about taxr.ai is that it actually reviews your forms and finds mistakes or missed deductions that the regular software overlooks. Like it caught that I could deduct my home internet since I used it for my side gig - something TurboTax never prompted me about. Not trying to sound like an ad, but it really helped me get a bigger refund because it goes beyond the basic question-answer format that regular tax software uses.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai since I decided to try it after seeing it mentioned here. I was skeptical at first but ended up giving it a shot. I had been using TurboTax for years and always felt like I was overpaying for basic service. The analysis tool actually found three deductions I'd been missing related to my freelance work! It suggested a home office deduction I qualified for but had been afraid to take (clarified the rules for me) and helped me properly categorize some business expenses I'd been unsure about. Already filed using their recommendations and got about $780 more on my refund than I would have with just TurboTax on autopilot. Just thought I'd share since it actually worked out really well for me!

If you're having issues figuring out which tax software to use, you might also want to consider actually talking to the IRS directly if you have specific questions. I know, sounds impossible right? I tried calling them for WEEKS last year about a specific deduction question and could never get through. Then I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I had a specific question about reporting income from my side gig that none of the tax software options could clearly answer. The IRS agent was surprisingly helpful and cleared everything up. Sometimes talking to a real person beats any software when you have specific tax questions!

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After being completely skeptical in my previous comment, I decided to try it yesterday because I had a specific question about claiming my home office with my new side business that TurboTax gave me conflicting information about. It actually worked exactly as advertised. I was connected to an IRS agent in about 12 minutes. The agent walked me through exactly what qualifies for home office deduction and how to properly document it. Definitely better than guessing or trusting whatever the software suggests. I'm still using FreeTaxUSA to actually file my return, but being able to ask specific questions to the IRS directly was super helpful. Just wanted to follow up since I was so negative before.

I've been a CreditKarma (now Cash App Taxes) user for the past three years after switching from TurboTax. Completely free for federal AND state, which saves me about $120 each year compared to what I was paying before. The interface isn't quite as polished as TurboTax, but it handles all the basics just fine including my 1099 income. The only limitation I've found is it doesn't support multiple state filings, so if you moved mid-year or work across state lines, it might not work for you. If your tax situation is relatively straightforward even with that side business (Schedule C), you might want to check it out and save some serious cash.

Something nobody's mentioned yet is that if you make under $73,000, you can use the IRS Free File program to access premium tax software for FREE. The software companies hide this option but are required to offer it. Go through the IRS website directly (https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free) instead of the tax software sites. I used to pay $89 for TurboTax Deluxe plus $49 for state filing, but now I get the exact same software completely free through this program. The income limit increases slightly each year too.

I switched from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA two years ago and haven't looked back. The interface took a little getting used to at first, but it handles everything I need including my rental property income and business expenses. What really sold me was the price - I went from paying around $150 total (federal + state) with TurboTax to about $25 with FreeTaxUSA. One thing I'd recommend is starting your return early with whatever software you choose so you have time to compare. Most platforms let you input all your info and see the results before you actually pay and file. That way you can test drive a few options and see which interface you prefer and if the refund amounts are comparable. For your side business, make sure whichever software you pick has good guidance on Schedule C deductions. That's where you can really save money if you're tracking business expenses properly - things like mileage, supplies, equipment, even a portion of your phone bill if you use it for business.