Ranking the Major Tax Services by Customer Satisfaction
When asked about their top tax frustrations, 47% of Americans reported that the complexity of the tax system bothered them a lot. Many Americans turn to tax services to prepare their returns hoping to find an easier process than trying to do it on their own. Some are even so simple, you can submit your taxes on your phone or tablet. However, not all services are created equal.
Find Out: Medical Expenses You Can Deduct From Your Taxes
More: 3 Signs You’re Serious About Raising Your Credit Score
GOBankingRates researched the top tax services to determine the best ones based on customers’ reviews. Read on to see how the most-used tax services stack up against each other.
TaxSlayer: 3.9/5
TaxSlayer offers four tax prep options, with the possibility for free filing on simple returns. Active military members can file for free without restrictions, which is something reviewers rave about. The service also offers assistance with every option, but you’ll have to pay for more dedicated tax help.
Federal filing can cost up to $49, and state filing costs up to $39.95 per state. Besides free filing for the military, reviewers love how affordable TaxSlayer is. On the other hand, lack of support was one of the most common complaints about TaxSlayer, as well as seemingly hidden charges and frequent site crashes.
Take Our Poll: What Do You Plan To Use Your Tax Refund For?
TurboTax: 3.9/5
TurboTax is so popular, it’s almost synonymous with filing taxes thanks to its step-by-step guidance throughout the digital filing process. Additionally, if your taxes are fairly simple, you most likely won’t have to pay anything, which is a plus. However, for more complicated returns, it can cost up to $119, plus $49 each per state return.
One advantage many reviewers love about TurboTax: if you used them in years past, TurboTax saves all of your information, which can save time when filling out some of the forms. Reviewers cite calculation ease, availability of Spanish-speaking assistance and variety of services as pros. Critical reviews of TurboTax include being unknowingly charged, and errors due to misfiling.
H&R Block: 3.8/5
H&R Block offers both professional tax services and self-service options. If you’re seeking a little more guidance than what’s available in the TurboTax process, reviewers recommend H&R Block to get that extra help.
There are four online options when filing with H&R Block: free, deluxe, premium and self-employed. The cost of H&R Block varies between $29.95 and $104.99 on average. Reviewers say the ability to get 24/7 support is a huge plus. Negative reviews mostly cite high cost and software glitches as complaints.
FreeTaxUSA: 3.1/5
FreeTaxUSA claims “free federal file for everyone,” with additional fees for state tax filing. Typically, that fee is $14.99 per state. You can also add on “deluxe” services for $7.99, which include priority support and unlimited amendments.
Reviewers applaud FreeTaxUSA for being a great value, accurate and easy to use with great customer service. Negative reviews talk about how FreeTaxUSA isn’t the best service for more complex returns, and that there’s no access to support without paying for the deluxe service.
Cash App Taxes: 2.7/5
Cash App Taxes is one of the few services that says it’s free and turns out to actually be free, according to reviews. Users can file on both their phone and computer.
Those who filed with Cash App praised the service for being free without a catch, and being able to get their refund two days faster if they had the money deposited into their Cash App account. Lack of tax assistance and delays in filing were mentioned in negative reviews.
Jackson-Hewitt: 2.7/5
Jackson-Hewitt offers both in-person (at more than 6,000 locations) and online options for customers to file their taxes. They also guarantee that customers will get the biggest refund by filing with them. There is a free plan for those who qualify, with options that go up to $49.99 per federal return and $36.99 per state return.
While praised for having kind tax preparers, negative reviews talk mostly about preparers making errors when filing and high costs.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Ranking the Major Tax Services by Customer Satisfaction
