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Best Free Tax Software
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I have tried different platforms over the past few years and the one that really surprised me was Credit Karma Tax, which is now Cash App Taxes. It remained completely free, even when i had a 1099 to file. The design could definitely be improved but since the cost was zero i did not mind dealing with a slightly clunky interface.
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One issue i faced was losing all of my entered information bcz the free software locked me out when i did not upgrade. That happened with TurboTax and it was very frustrating. Since then i have avoided using it and prefer platforms that are clear about their costs. With FreeTaxUSA at least i knew exactly what i would pay for the state return.
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If you are comfortable handling things without much guidance then free software can definitely save you money. However if you want step-by-step assistance or live support most free options do not include that. That is usually where the upsells come in. It really depends on how confident you are about filing on your own.
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I have had friends recommend H&R Block’s free edition and for basic W-2 income it seemed to work really well. The nice part is that you can also upgrade if needed without losing all your progress. It’s not truly free for everyone but it can be a solid middle ground for people with simple returns.
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I think the IRS should make filing free and simple for everyone but until that happens Cash App Taxes is probably the closest thing we have. It doesn’t try to nickel-and-dime you which is rare in this space. The only trade-off is that it doesn’t have the fancy features of the bigger names.
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Last year i started with TaxSlayer because it advertised a free plan. By the time i got to the end it wanted to charge me because i claimed student loan interest. It wasn’t super expensive but it wasn’t free either. That’s the kind of hidden fee that makes me skeptical of most platforms.
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If you are nervous about accuracy you might want to double-check your free filing with another calculator online. Sometimes the free versions don’t give as much guidance, so making sure the numbers line up can give you peace of mind. It only takes a few minutes and could prevent mistakes.
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