Our top pick for easy-to-use online tax software is TurboTax Deluxe. We found that its simple interface allows you to easily navigate through your tax return while entering all the necessary information. We liked how easily you can import your tax documents directly into the platform.
As you prepare your tax return, TurboTax Deluxe offers many helpful tools, such as how-to videos, quizzes to help you identify tax credits and credits, and explanations of why you may owe taxes. We think this is useful for someone who feels mostly confident about filing their tax returns, but still wants a little reassurance that they’re doing it right.
TurboTax notifies you of a tax refund or liability as you add deductions and credits.
Source: TurboTax
Navigation menus direct you to specific tax categories, such as income, deductions, and credits. But more importantly, TurboTax provides a list of items needed to accurately complete your tax return.
TurboTax has a user-friendly interface that allows you to easily navigate between tax return filing categories. Source: TurboTax
While TurboTax is easy to use, it comes with one major drawback: more expensive sales. TurboTax is constantly trying to sell additional products throughout the filing experience, such as help and support packages to help with audits or amended tax returns, and one-on-one chat with experts.
Most filers don’t need to pay these extras to successfully complete their taxes, but the upsells may plant doubt in their minds that they need to spend extra to do so, and may force them to take time away from filing to pass up any offers.
TurboTax can also be more expensive than its competitors, depending on the time of year. Its prices vary and—without promotions or add-ons—can range from $59 to $119 for a federal income tax return, plus an additional $59 for each state tax return.
You should, if you have more than a basic W-2 (if you itemize deductions and have investment income, for example) and feel comfortable filing your own tax returns — but also think you could use a little help here and there.