The Good: #1 on our list of best tax software offers the best in class user experience and a great set of ta-preparation tools, making it accessible for both the accountant and the financial novice. Several upgrade paths are available and help is very easily accessibly making the normally stressful experience as easy as it can possibly get.
The Bad: Even H&R can’t make tax filing a fun activity, but they’ve made it a hell of a lot easier.
The Verdict: H&R Block has made navigation through the 1040s an easy experience. On top of that, the customer service offers great context-sensitive help. Being the most experienced at filing taxes has paid dividends for H&R. It’s simply a great choice.
With H&R Block, the preparation of state and federal returns is easy and straight forward in comparison to other tax program. Whether you are filing a simple 1040EZ situation or a typical 1040 with the itemized deductions this software is guaranteed to give you accurate results. The software will show you earned returns and deductions and the return produced will be 100% correct. It also keeps track of all the changes in the current tax law and you can be sure that any mistakes will be readily pointed out.
All types of filers from the self-employed to 1040EZ and investors will find this software very useful. With the deluxe version of the software, all common personal tax scenarios will be properly covered. The software will help you in filing of prior tax to as far back as 1992. The basic version of this software works better than others in our list of best tax preparation software.
Regardless of what version of this software you decide to go with, you will get free audit support, a guided interview process, double-checking for errors and money back guarantee. One critical cause of the reduced entry errors seen in the use of this software is its ability to import from former years, W-2s, 1099 forms and other programs. Most filers will find the H&R software to not only be helpful, but user-friendly as well.
For people who qualify for a refund, this leader in the best online tax software simplifies the process a great deal. The disbursement option supported by the software includes deposit to a prepaid card, direct deposit and check. With the service, you can get your refund even before the IRS processes it. This is made possible by the refund anticipation checks offered by the company for a fee. The refund is placed on a prepaid card or deposited directly into your bank account. The fast tracked payment can be sent to you via physical check if you pay an extra $20.
One factor that helped in placing this software as #1 after our review of the best tax software in 2018 is the ability to visit a local office. It is one of the major advantages of going with this software instead of other tax filing software. When you visit any of the tax offices, you can talk to a tax preparation professional that will help you in the preparation and submission of your taxes. For many filers, the do-it-yourself option is the preferred approach so e-filing and online preparation is the easiest way to get filing done and the best tax preparation software helps here. For many others however, there is anxiety in preparing returns and they will need help in dealing with complex filing situations. This is why H&R Block’s 11,000 offices give them a big advantage over other companies. In the tax season, you can find as much as 100,000 tax professionals scattered across these offices.
As one of the best online service, you are guaranteed a decent number of support options which cover technical support and phone support for those who need it. On the H&R Block webpage, you can find all the help you need on download, installation and login. The contact information to all the local offices of the company can also be found here. The instant chat option is available round the clock only round the tax season.