CLEVELAND, Ga. — Are you brave enough to file your own taxes without the help of a professional this year? Even with the new changes in tax law, there are plenty of computer software programs that beat doing it by paper any day. You'll make way fewer mistakes, and you'll get any return... way faster.
Jason Smith, CEO of the J.L. Smith Group financial service in Avon says for many people, filing online is a great option.
"If you're just plugging in a W-2 for work or for you and your wife, just some real simple situation where you don't have a lot going on with real estate investments or other things" he says. "There's a ton of options you can gain access to online."
And four of the big five offer free filing tools for basic returns, except for Liberty Tax, which charges $20.
But if your return is complex it will cost you. Plus you'll have to dodge a lot of up-selling and additional charges.
However, all of the companies say they guarantee that their calculations will be accurate.
H&R Block Deluxe
-For $55 it's rated the best for beginners
-You can chat with a live tax specialist online for free
-But toss in $40, and get a CPA or IRS licensed agent who can see your screen.
-For another $20, they'll go with you if you get audited
Turbo Tax Deluxe
-For $60, it's the most expensive of the software options, as are its add-ons. But is great for more complex returns.
-And you can file five returns to cover your whole family.
-Chat support is free, as is in-person audit support
-And if you want talk to a CPA, for an additional $60, they'll pop up on your screen.
-You can also get an advance refund up to $1,000 for no fee.
Tax Act+
-At $15 it's the least expensive of the big players. But for the same level of help as its competitors you'll need the $48 version.
-The free version doesn't include customer support and won't let you import your prior year's tax information like the others.
-Plus an in-person audit is $50.
-But if you get a refund, you'll get a $100 bonus if you put part of it on a gift card of qualified retailers.
Most of the programs charge extra to file state returns, but Ohioans can file for free on the state's website.
You should know though, that Consumer Reports found at least one glitch in all the software programs where information was out of date or could impact deductions. Although you're still likely to make fewer mistakes than if you file by paper.
"The software will ask you specific questions and then do computations and calculations," says Bill Brunson from the Internal Revenue Service.
But one of the things these programs can't do?
Tell you if the IRS makes a mistake.
"And believe it or not," Smith says, "We've run into people who don't realize that and people just cut the check instead of questioning further."
Please note these software prices can and will likely go down the closer we get to April 15th.
We've included some helpful links below: