TaxSlayer Free File Edition
About.com Rating
TaxSlayer offers free preparation of a federal tax return as a participating member of the IRS's Free File Alliance. Tax Slayer also provides free filing of extensions and the software is available in Spanish.
Eligibility for free federal return: individuals who have adjusted gross income of $30,000 or less.
Cost to prepare state tax return: $25.
Time: just under two hours to complete a sample federal and state tax return.
Notable features: multiple ways to navigate through the program, can file extensions, available in Spanish, makes good use of the browser's screen space, multiple ways to access help content, error checking and audit risk meter.
Rating: 3.5 (how we test and rate tax software)
Navigation and User Interface:
At the beginning of the tax preparation process, TaxSlayer asks if the user has any "life events" during the past year. By answering a few questions, the software provides brief alerts regarding the tax impact of owning a home, changes in family situations, or owning a business or rental property.
TaxSlayer has a filing status wizard to assist users who need help in picking the right filing status.
After finishing the basic information, TaxSlayer prompts the user to choose between "Quick File" or a more traditional style of data entry. Choosing Quick File displays a search box. Users type in a tax form or keyword (such as W-2 or Schedule C), and TaxSlayer will show relevant data entry modules.
Clicking on a module adds it to a checklist on the right-hand side. From there, the user can click on the data entry module to begin that section.
If a user bypasses Quick File, the next page prompts a user to choose between Guide Me or Enter Myself. Guide Me is an interview-style process. Enter Myself displays a list of all income sections that can be visited. From this income section, users can learn more or watch a video by clicking the links next to each income topic.
TaxSlayer's data entry screens make good use of the browser's screen space. The Form W-2 data input screen was formatted to look like the form.
TaxSlayer sports a very simple and un-busied look. Includes the Federal and State Refund amounts on the top middle so you can see how you are progressing while doing the return. At the top of the browser screen, TaxSlayer places a search box for finding help content, a button to toggle between English and Spanish language for the interface, and a button to save and log out. Top-level navigation has tabs for my account, basic information, federal section, state section, summary, efile, and amended return. Once a person gets past the basic information, TaxSlayer displays a sidebar on the right-hand side containing federal and state refund meters, and buttons for contacting support, helpful tools, notes, and quick file.
TaxSlayer has a handy business code look up chart for Schedule C filers. Upon opening the list of business codes, users can use the browser's find function to search through the list. Clicking on a business code enters that code onto the software's data input field.
Data Import Capabilities:
TaxSlayer is able to import some data from the previous year's tax returns from TurboTax stored as PDF files. The data capable of being imported is the taxpayer's name, spouse's name, address, Social Security numbers and filing status.
Help Features:
TaxSlayer displays a search box at the top of the screen. Users can enter a form number or keyword. Entering a form number (such as 1098) returns results for forms (for Form 1098, 1098-E and 1098-T) and help articles (such as What is a 1098: Home Mortgage Interest). Clicking on the one of the forms takes the user directly to the section of the TaxSlayer where that data can be entered. Clicking on a help article displays a popup window with a brief explanation.
At various points, TaxSlayer displays red "learn more" hyperlinks, which opens a popup window providing a brief explanation. A screen movie projector icon will play a short video about that tax topic.
Located in the sidebar is an icon for helpful tools. From here users can learn about tax law changes, the features available in TaxSlayer, audit risk meter, IRS publications, knowledge base, calculator, error check, and other features in the software.
TaxSlayer also provides customer support by telephone and email.
Error Checking Features:
TaxSlayer checks for errors after completing the federal section of the program and checks again after working on the state return. Users can check for errors at any time through the helpful tools icon located in the sidebar.
TaxSlayer also provides an audit risk meter which alerts users to possibilities of the IRS examining the return. TaxSlayer describes risks based on data contained in the tax return. The audit risk meter is accessed from the helpful tools icon in the sidebar.
TaxSlayer provides a PDF copy of the tax return prior to filing so you can see your data in real life tax forms and determine if everything looks okay.
Overall Experience of the Software:
TaxSlayer earns high marks for offering users multiple ways to navigate the software, its simple and uncluttered design, and explanations of tax topics. TaxSlayer checks for errors at least twice during the tax preparation process.
One of our reviewers was not able to properly enter the information for the sale of a mutual fund and found the Schedule D section of the program not very user friendly, however another reviewer had no problem with this section of the program.
To check out the software for yourself, visit TaxSlayer Free File Edition.
Learn more about Free File
TaxSlayer offers free preparation of a federal tax return as a participating member of the IRS's Free File Alliance. Tax Slayer also provides free filing of extensions and the software is available in Spanish.
Eligibility for free federal return: individuals who have adjusted gross income of $30,000 or less.
Cost to prepare state tax return: $25.
Time: just under two hours to complete a sample federal and state tax return.
Notable features: multiple ways to navigate through the program, can file extensions, available in Spanish, makes good use of the browser's screen space, multiple ways to access help content, error checking and audit risk meter.
Rating: 3.5 (how we test and rate tax software)
Navigation and User Interface:
At the beginning of the tax preparation process, TaxSlayer asks if the user has any "life events" during the past year. By answering a few questions, the software provides brief alerts regarding the tax impact of owning a home, changes in family situations, or owning a business or rental property.
TaxSlayer has a filing status wizard to assist users who need help in picking the right filing status.
After finishing the basic information, TaxSlayer prompts the user to choose between "Quick File" or a more traditional style of data entry. Choosing Quick File displays a search box. Users type in a tax form or keyword (such as W-2 or Schedule C), and TaxSlayer will show relevant data entry modules.
Clicking on a module adds it to a checklist on the right-hand side. From there, the user can click on the data entry module to begin that section.
If a user bypasses Quick File, the next page prompts a user to choose between Guide Me or Enter Myself. Guide Me is an interview-style process. Enter Myself displays a list of all income sections that can be visited. From this income section, users can learn more or watch a video by clicking the links next to each income topic.
TaxSlayer's data entry screens make good use of the browser's screen space. The Form W-2 data input screen was formatted to look like the form.
TaxSlayer sports a very simple and un-busied look. Includes the Federal and State Refund amounts on the top middle so you can see how you are progressing while doing the return. At the top of the browser screen, TaxSlayer places a search box for finding help content, a button to toggle between English and Spanish language for the interface, and a button to save and log out. Top-level navigation has tabs for my account, basic information, federal section, state section, summary, efile, and amended return. Once a person gets past the basic information, TaxSlayer displays a sidebar on the right-hand side containing federal and state refund meters, and buttons for contacting support, helpful tools, notes, and quick file.
TaxSlayer has a handy business code look up chart for Schedule C filers. Upon opening the list of business codes, users can use the browser's find function to search through the list. Clicking on a business code enters that code onto the software's data input field.
Data Import Capabilities:
TaxSlayer is able to import some data from the previous year's tax returns from TurboTax stored as PDF files. The data capable of being imported is the taxpayer's name, spouse's name, address, Social Security numbers and filing status.
Help Features:
TaxSlayer displays a search box at the top of the screen. Users can enter a form number or keyword. Entering a form number (such as 1098) returns results for forms (for Form 1098, 1098-E and 1098-T) and help articles (such as What is a 1098: Home Mortgage Interest). Clicking on the one of the forms takes the user directly to the section of the TaxSlayer where that data can be entered. Clicking on a help article displays a popup window with a brief explanation.
At various points, TaxSlayer displays red "learn more" hyperlinks, which opens a popup window providing a brief explanation. A screen movie projector icon will play a short video about that tax topic.
Located in the sidebar is an icon for helpful tools. From here users can learn about tax law changes, the features available in TaxSlayer, audit risk meter, IRS publications, knowledge base, calculator, error check, and other features in the software.
TaxSlayer also provides customer support by telephone and email.
Error Checking Features:
TaxSlayer checks for errors after completing the federal section of the program and checks again after working on the state return. Users can check for errors at any time through the helpful tools icon located in the sidebar.
TaxSlayer also provides an audit risk meter which alerts users to possibilities of the IRS examining the return. TaxSlayer describes risks based on data contained in the tax return. The audit risk meter is accessed from the helpful tools icon in the sidebar.
TaxSlayer provides a PDF copy of the tax return prior to filing so you can see your data in real life tax forms and determine if everything looks okay.
Overall Experience of the Software:
TaxSlayer earns high marks for offering users multiple ways to navigate the software, its simple and uncluttered design, and explanations of tax topics. TaxSlayer checks for errors at least twice during the tax preparation process.
One of our reviewers was not able to properly enter the information for the sale of a mutual fund and found the Schedule D section of the program not very user friendly, however another reviewer had no problem with this section of the program.
To check out the software for yourself, visit TaxSlayer Free File Edition.
Learn more about Free File
