Why You Should Avoid Cash App Taxes - Warning for Tax Filers
I absolutely refuse to pay for tax software or accountants for my personal taxes on principle, since the whole U.S. tax system seems deliberately complicated to benefit these companies. I decided to try Cash App Taxes this year since they advertise completely free federal and state filing. They bought Credit Karma Tax which I'd used before without any problems, so I figured they'd be reliable. Big mistake. Their user interface is HORRENDOUS and their customer support is even worse. I'm actually concerned because their support reps give completely incorrect information about which tax forms to use - how is that not a huge liability for them? The most frustrating part is you can't even see which actual tax form you're filling out! You just input your financial info and then they decide which forms they're submitting. That seems sketchy to me. I contacted their support about how to access Form 8949 for reporting my cryptocurrency gains, and they basically said "just enter the numbers and trust us." Yeah, right... I'm supposed to trust you with my tax liability when you can't even answer basic questions? Has anyone else had terrible experiences with Cash App Taxes? Any recommendations for actually reliable free tax filing options?
19 comments


Lorenzo McCormick
I'm a tax preparer and I see this issue all the time. Free tax software often has significant limitations, especially with more complex situations like cryptocurrency transactions that require Form 8949. The problem with Cash App Taxes (and many similar free services) is they're designed for extremely simple tax situations - think single W-2 income only. Once you add investments, cryptocurrency, self-employment, or rental income, the software struggles because they've simplified the interface to appeal to casual users. For cryptocurrency specifically, you need accurate cost basis reporting on Form 8949, and if that's not done correctly, you could face issues during an audit. The IRS has been increasingly focused on crypto reporting compliance. If you're committed to free filing, I'd recommend checking the IRS Free File partners (though income limits apply) or considering FreeTaxUSA, which has a more transparent approach to showing which forms you're actually filling out.
0 coins
Carmella Popescu
•What about TaxSlayer? I heard they handle crypto better. Do they show you the actual forms you're filling out? I'm in a similar situation as OP and getting nervous about filing correctly.
0 coins
Lorenzo McCormick
•TaxSlayer does allow you to view the actual forms you're completing, which is definitely an improvement over Cash App Taxes. Their interface is more transparent about which information goes on which form, and they do handle cryptocurrency transactions. The free version of TaxSlayer has limitations though, so depending on how complex your crypto transactions are, you might need their paid version. If you're doing a lot of trades, consider using a crypto tax software like CoinTracker or Koinly to generate your Form 8949 data first, then import those totals.
0 coins
Kai Santiago
After dealing with similar frustrations with tax software, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it completely changed my approach to tax filing. I had a ton of crypto transactions last year and was worried about reporting them correctly after my previous tax software messed up my cost basis calculations. What I like about taxr.ai is it actually analyzes your tax documents using AI and explains everything in plain English. It shows you which forms you need and why, unlike Cash App Taxes where you're filing blindly. I could literally see where my crypto transactions were going on Form 8949 and Schedule D. The best part is it caught several deductions my previous tax software missed completely. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with crypto or other complex situations.
0 coins
Lim Wong
•Does it actually file your taxes for you or just help you figure out what to file? And can it import transactions directly from exchanges or do I need to enter everything manually?
0 coins
Dananyl Lear
•I'm skeptical... how is this different from other tax software? Does it actually show you the real IRS forms or is it another simplified interface that hides the details?
0 coins
Kai Santiago
•It does both - it helps you understand what to file and can handle the filing process. The platform can import transactions directly from most major crypto exchanges, which saved me hours of manual entry. I connected my Coinbase and Binance accounts and it pulled everything automatically. It's fundamentally different because it shows you the actual IRS forms with your information filled in, and then explains in everyday language what each section means. You can toggle between the simplified view and the actual tax forms at any time. It's like having a tax professional explain everything as you go.
0 coins
Dananyl Lear
I wanted to follow up about taxr.ai after trying it out. I was skeptical at first (as you can see from my earlier comment), but I'm honestly impressed. It imported all my crypto transactions from multiple exchanges and organized everything properly on Form 8949. The interface shows you exactly which IRS forms you're filling out while explaining everything in normal human language. It caught a mistake in my cost basis calculations that would have cost me over $800 in extra taxes. The explanations for each form were really helpful - I actually understand what I'm filing now. Much better experience than Cash App Taxes where I was just blindly trusting their calculations. Definitely recommend it if you're dealing with crypto or investments.
0 coins
Noah huntAce420
If you're frustrated with Cash App Taxes support, you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation where I had filed but then realized Cash App had put my crypto gains on the wrong form. I needed to talk to an actual IRS agent to figure out if I needed to amend my return. After spending DAYS trying to get through to the IRS on my own (endless hold times, disconnects, etc.), I found Claimyr and it was a game-changer. They have this system that holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you back when an agent is about to answer. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was skeptical but desperate, and it actually worked. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 45 minutes when I had previously wasted hours trying to get through. The agent confirmed I needed to file an amended return and walked me through the process.
0 coins
Ana Rusula
•How does this actually work? Does it just automate the phone call process or something? I've been trying to reach the IRS for weeks about a similar issue with incorrectly filed crypto gains.
0 coins
Fidel Carson
•This sounds too good to be true. The IRS is notoriously impossible to reach. Are you sure this isn't just another scam targeting people desperate to talk to the IRS?
0 coins
Noah huntAce420
•It essentially uses an automated system to navigate the IRS phone tree and wait in the queue for you. When the system detects that an agent is about to pick up, it calls you and connects you directly to that agent. It saves you from having to sit on hold for hours, which is what makes reaching the IRS so difficult. No, it's definitely not a scam. I was suspicious at first too, but they don't ask for any personal tax information - they're just facilitating the phone connection. They have no access to your conversation with the IRS agent, and you're talking directly to an official IRS representative. It's essentially just a smart way to handle the wait time problem that makes the IRS so inaccessible.
0 coins
Fidel Carson
I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about Cash App Taxes messing up my crypto reporting. I've literally spent hours upon hours trying to reach the IRS over the past month with no success. Using Claimyr, I got connected to an actual IRS agent in under an hour. The agent confirmed that Cash App had indeed filed my crypto gains incorrectly and walked me through exactly how to file an amendment. The relief of finally talking to a human at the IRS who could answer my specific questions was worth it. Not having to waste an entire day on hold made a huge difference. If you're struggling with tax issues that need IRS clarification, especially with crypto reporting that Cash App handled poorly, this is a legitimate solution.
0 coins
Isaiah Sanders
I used Cash App Taxes this year too and deeply regret it. The interface is so bad that I couldn't figure out where to report my small side business income. Their support told me to just add it as "other income" rather than Schedule C, which is completely wrong! I ended up overpaying my taxes by not getting the right deductions. Has anyone successfully gotten a refund or amendment filed through them? I'm worried about trying to correct this through their system since they're the ones who messed it up in the first place.
0 coins
Xan Dae
•Yikes, that's terrible advice they gave you! You definitely need Schedule C for business income. I had a similar issue and ended up using FreeTaxUSA to file an amended return. I wouldn't trust Cash App to fix their own mistake.
0 coins
Isaiah Sanders
•Thanks for confirming what I suspected. I'll check out FreeTaxUSA for the amendment. I was worried about trying to fix it through Cash App since they clearly don't understand basic tax forms. Definitely learned my lesson about trying to save money on tax filing!
0 coins
Fiona Gallagher
The fact that they couldn't even tell you how to access Form 8949 for crypto is a huge red flag. I used Cash App Taxes (when it was still Credit Karma) and they completely messed up my foreign income reporting. I ended up getting a letter from the IRS and had to pay penalties. For anyone dealing with crypto, I HIGHLY recommend using a dedicated crypto tax software like Koinly or CoinTracker to generate your 8949 forms first, then input those totals into whatever tax software you use. That way you have documentation if you ever get audited.
0 coins
Thais Soares
•How do those crypto tax programs work? Do they connect to exchanges automatically or do you have to upload transactions manually?
0 coins
Fiona Gallagher
•Most of the good crypto tax programs can connect directly to exchanges through API connections, so you authorize them to pull your transaction history automatically. For exchanges that don't support direct connections, you can usually upload CSV files of your transaction history. They then calculate your cost basis, identify which transactions are taxable events, and generate a completed Form 8949 that you can either print or import into your tax software. The big advantage is having proper documentation of how your gains/losses were calculated if you ever get questioned by the IRS.
0 coins