TaxSlayer has tremendous value. It is much cheaper than a lot of the competitors yet is not inferior in any significant way. The software is still easy to use and helps people file their taxes at a fraction of what a CPA would charge.

The company has been around for decades and continues to provide a noteworthy product. You may not hear about it quite as much as H&R Block and TurboTax, but TaxSlayer is a legitimate option.

The cloud-based tax software stores all your tax return information remotely, instead of being able to save it through desktop software like some other providers.

Advantages

• Clean user experience with easy to understand presentation
• Q&A style format helps prepare your taxes with minimal effort
• Provides a discount for active-duty military
• Affordable prices that are competitive with any software on the market
• Great variety of pricing plans, and self-employed and SMB versions are extremely affordable

Disadvantages

• Support lacks some of the qualities of other tax software providers
• W-2 automatic uploads not available with free version
• No actual representation in the event of audit on all packages, aside from the most expensive

Features

An argument can get made that TaxSlayer has more features for the price paid than any other option on the market. It’s value is unprecedented in all that you get for money spent.

TaxSlayer has a really great design. The interface is very easy to comprehend and walks you through the tax prep steps effortlessly.

The question and answer, interview format makes it very easy to understand what exactly you are filing without having much, if any knowledge of filing taxes on your own in the past.

The dashboard keeps you informed on how far along you are in the filing process. Like all online tax software, users are given the ability to prepare their taxes in stages. The progress is saved, so you can do a little then come back at a later date.

TaxSlayer is also compatible with mobile devices. So it is possible to work on your taxes while on your smartphone whether at work and on break, or in any other situation where you need to kill some time.

All of your tax information is stored in a the cloud, which some taxpayers do not mind while others dislike. If you would prepare a digital copy that can get saved on a desktop, you may want to look elsewhere.

Audit Defense

The high end versions of TaxSlayer (Premium, Self-Employed, Ultimate) all include assistance with an audit. The service is included with these packages, while cheaper or free versions will provide the same assistance if you spend an extra $29.99 for the protection.

It is important to note that the service does not actually represent you in front of the IRS if you do get audited. Instead, it offers some advice and tips for dealing with the IRS. The only package that actually has legitimate defense against the IRS is the Ultimate package.

The audit assistance is available for three years from the tax year of the filing. That’s good coverage as most tax experts recommend you keep all documentation related to taxes for 3 to 5 years after the year of the filing.

Tax Return Options

TaxSlayer has a few different options for receiving your refund from the IRS. These include:

• Receive the refund by a direct deposit into a personal bank account
• Receive a paper check via standard U.S. mail
• Apply the refund to next year’s taxes
• Direct the IRS to invest in U.S> Savings Bonds
• Load the balance on a Green Dot Bank prepaid debit card

TaxySlayer will also allow customers to apply the refund to the costs associated with preparing the taxes through the online software. And, unlike other tax software providers, TaxSlayer currently does not charge an extra fee for this service.

Prices

TaxSlayer has some of the best variety in the number of different packages it offers for its customers.

You will also notice that the rates are generally far less compared to similar features you would get from a competitor. For example, the Classic version is only $17 yet has a ton of features that many other packages would require $40 or more to receive.

Even the Premium ($37) and Self-Employed ($47) versions are incredibly affordable. Freelancers and small business owners will appreciate that they can save nearly half the cost by using TaySlayer’s Self-Employed or Ultimate versions, compared to similar types from other competitors.

Plus, the Ultimate version also includes a full fledged audit defense team for SMBs.

Even if you don’t want to spend $17 for the Classic plan, the free version is of decent quality. It enables you to file the Form 1040 as well as claim the earned income tax credit and child tax credit.

If you are active-duty military, TaxSlayer also has a very generous deal where they provide the Classic edition (normally $17) for free. The only thing you need to pay for is the state filing.

Support

TaxSlayer features free tech support via email and phone for all of its plans. The Premium and Self-Employed options also let taxpayers submit their questions to tax professionals via a live chat.

The website also has some resources that you can sift through if you have the time.

Though the support is fairly decent, it would be nice if the tax help was also provided on some of the cheaper plans like Classic.

TaxSlayer Review – How does it help you file a return?

TaxSlayer does not get near the same attention as TurboTax and H&R Block which is unfortunate. It has some of the best prices on the market, the variety of paid plans is outstanding.

The tax software does lack in a few regards most notably its lack of live chat and outreach to tax pros on the cheaper plans. The free version will also provide means to filing a Form 1040, but that’s about it.

Regardless, if you need basic assistance for filing personal income tax in an easy to understand, Q&A format – TaxSlayer is effective. It is also remarkably cheap for self-employed individuals and small business owners.