TurboTax Reviews 2024: Live, Audit Defense, Refund Advance, App, Customer Reviews, Discounts, And More

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TurboTax logo & ReviewLet’s face it. Nearly everyone dreads tax season. Does the popular TurboTax service make the process less painful?

It’s loaded with features and an easy-to-use interface. Find out why TurboTax is one of the industry leading software solutions and how it ranks vs the competition in our best online tax software comparison. This software is updated for the tax year 2021 (i.e. you are filing your taxes in 2022).

TurboTax offers several different online and downloadable/CD versions to fit everyone’s needs, from simple filers to big business, and the software is designed to make filing as easy as possible with a step-by-step approach to tax returns.

We’ll give you a detailed description including key features and pricing for each edition to help you choose, but first we present our overall TurboTax review and tell you what’s new this year.

Visit TurboTax’s Website

Article Overview

TurboTax

8.8
Cost 6.0
Ease of Use 9.0
Professional Tax Prep Assistance 10.0
Features 9.0
Customer Support 10.0

Pros

  • Guaranteed maximum refund
  • Benefit of the best-selling tax filing software
  • Online, CD or downloadable software available
  • Five e-files available to cover your whole family (with CD or download software)
  • Free federal and state e-filing for 1040EZ
  • State filing available with every edition
  • Free Affordable Health Care Act assistance for calculating tax credits and penalties
  • Fully functional mobile version for iOS and Android
  • Excellent customer service via telephone, email, and live chat, and added support with user forums, tutorials, and FAQ sections

Cons

  • Expensive relative to competitors
  • No physical locations, where you can file in-house or meet with a tax specialist
  • Additional fee for audit defense

Key Features

  • Absolute Zero: file your federal 1040EZ/A and state taxes for free
  • TurboTax App: iOS and Android versions available. Features fully functional filing using your smartphone or tablet; take a photo of your W-2 and all the information will upload into the correct forms; chat live on-screen with an expert
  • Benefit Assist: checks to see if you qualify for official government benefits, like Food Stamps, Medicaid, and discounted gas and electric; imports your tax return information directly into the online benefit applications
  • Free guidance with the Affordable Health Care Act

2020-2021 Editions (For Filing In 2022)

Like earlier versions, the 2020-2021 versions of TurboTax can be purchased as a CD, or it can be downloaded directly to your computer. TurboTax increased its prices for online tax products fairly significantly this year.

Users can also establish an online log-in that can be used to file individual tax returns by directly accessing online software databases. Using an online log-in for TurboTax will allow users to retrieve previous years’ tax returns filed in the same manner.

Prices below are as of this writing and are subject to change.

Personal Tax Products

There are currently six personal tax filing software options from TurboTax. All personal TurboTax editions offer:

  • Maximum refund guaranteed
  • 100% accurate calculations or TurboTax will pay your IRS penalties
  • Free error checks and double-check of final returns
  • Importing of W-2 income
  • Phone support with their tax experts

Free Edition

The Federal Free Edition is for individuals with simple tax returns and is available online only. This software helps users file 1040EZ and 1040A federal forms. The benefit of this software? It uses layman terms, searches for every tax credit you may be eligible for, and provides free federal and state e-filing for one tax return.

The Free Edition is a great option for first-time filers or the simplest of tax returns, but there are limitations. This is the only online edition that does not provide phone or live chat support with their credentialed tax experts (CPAs and EAs).

Basic Edition

The Basic edition is for individuals who need a few more bells and whistles than the Free Edition offers, although you must purchase the software or CD. This edition transfers last year’s tax information to save time and easily imports W-2 forms and 1099 forms from more than 100,000 employers and financial institutions.

Unlike the Free Edition, users can e-file up to five returns for free, report interest, dividends, IRA distributions or capital gains, and receive guidance with new healthcare laws. State filings are included only with the online edition. Download/CD users must pay an additional $49 fee (discounted from $59 for a limited time) for state e-filing (unlimited states).

*Online discount details: Offer only available with TurboTax Live Basic and for simple tax returns only. Must file by March 31, 2022 to be eligible for the offer. Includes state(s) and one (1) federal tax filing. Intuit reserves the right to modify or terminate this TurboTax Live Basic Offer at any time for any reason in its sole and absolute discretion. If you add services, your service fees will be adjusted accordingly. If filed after March 31, 2022 you will be charged the then-current list price for TurboTax Live Basic and state tax filing is an additional fee.

Deluxe Edition

The Deluxe edition, TurboTax’s most popular product, is for individuals who want to maximize tax deductions and credit. In addition to the features included in the Basic TurboTax software, this version searches for more than 350 tax deductions and provides accurate itemized deductions and donation values.

Also included is extra help to maximize mortgage/property tax deductions. Users who purchase the Deluxe Edition software or CD can e-file up to five federal returns and one state return with no additional charge. Online users of TurboTax Deluxe, however, can only e-file one federal return and must pay an additional $49 fee (discounted from $59 for a limited time) for state e-filing.

Premier Edition

The Premier edition of TurboTax is for individuals who have investment income or who own rental property. This option includes everything the Deluxe version offers, but also calculates investment gains and deducts losses. This package also finds rental property deductions and guides users through reporting sales through employee stock purchase plans.

Users who purchase the Premier Edition software or CD can e-file up to five federal returns and one state return with no additional charge. Online users of TurboTax Premier, however, can only file one federal return and must pay an additional $49 (discounted from $59 for a limited time) fee for state e-filing. Another great feature of the Premier Edition software or CD product is priority phone support from TurboTax’s credentialed CPAs and EAs.

Home and Business Edition

The Home and Business Edition is the best choice for personal and self-employed individuals. This software option includes everything in the Premier program in addition to finding refund boosting business write-offs and industry specific deductions while also helping find depreciation methods that will yield the biggest refund.

Users who purchase the Home and Business Edition CD can e-file up to five federal returns and one state return with no additional charge. Another great feature of the Home and Business Edition software or CD product is priority phone support from TurboTax’s credentialed CPAs and EAs.

  • Not available online
  • Download or CD: $110 (normally $120)

Self-Employed

The Self-Employed Edition is the best option for personal and business income and expenses. This software includes everything from the Premier program in addition to Schedule C (maximizing business deductions), helping you find other business expenses you may not know about and expense and mileage tracking.

Those who purchase Self-Employed online edition can e-file one federal return and must pay an additional $49 (discounted from $59 for a limited time) for state e-filing. Another great feature of the Self-Employed Edition software is priority phone support from TurboTax’s credentialed CPAs and EAs.

TurboTax Business

This is a better option than the Home and Business Edition for those who own an S-corporation, a partnership, a C corporation or a multiple-owner LLC and those with estates and trusts. This software makes filing business taxes easy by asking questions in layman terms and then helping to maximize industry-specific business deductions.

This version of TurboTax offers more business forms than ever before. Business Edition users can e-file state returns for an additional $49.99 fee.

  • No online version available
  • Download or CD: $160 (normally $170)

Coupon Code

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Is TurboTax Worth It?

We’ve poured through online user reviews for real consumer feedback on TurboTax outside of our own experience. We’ve incorporated that into our review. Here’s some examples of those reviews.

Positive Reviews

Well developed software app by reputable Quicken leads me to trust the tax legality & app reliability. I’ve been using it for a decade so my past tax return info is carried forward to the new tax year saving me time. Recently, I couldn’t find my printed copies of previous years and found it very easy to download them. Last year I needed CPA advice and found it incredibly easy & helpful to be able to get a CPA on the phone who could look at my return real time & provide advice on an unusual circumstance. I was able to file with confidence that my return was correct. Price is very reasonable compared to hiring a a tax firm. Carole, ConsumerAffairs 3/16/2019

It’s tax time again and for me a great way to get started is to get Turbo Tax software on sale in the beginning of January at BestBuy. I have been using Turbo Tax for about eight years now and each new version gets easier and easier to use. This allows me to complete my returns quickly and accurately so, I can file earlier. Turbo Tax is really good software and easy to use, I would recommend it even for beginners. – Thomas, Best Buy 1/11/2020

Complaints

Sure we all need this software. Unfortunately. It works so far. But when you buy it, there is no invoice anywhere. Not in the email, not in your account. All you get is the purchase on your CC statement. This is not sufficient to claim the sales tax on it! The tax-software company is not able to provide invoices. This is not a funny joke, this is bitter truth. And like too many other companies, they don’t have email support. I am not talking about an email address which would be flooded by spam, no, I am talking about a support ticket system, contact form etc. Nothing on their website. Only a phone number. Like 1984. HELLO, Intuit, we have 2020!! People have email, Facebook, WhatsApp etc! You got stuck in the stone age. I would appreciate our government would make it a law that businesses who operate online have to provide online communication as well. – Volker, ConsumerAffairs 1/14/2020

I have always used TurboTax Premier and was satisfied with it. However, I needed to complete my returns sooner this year and found that the Schedule E portion will not be complete or ready until Jan. 29. This is a big inconvenience for me this year and I might have purchased another software had I known I would not be able to complete my returns with TurboTax as soon as I wanted to. I think a credit for the inconvenience should be given. – Anne, Best Buy 1/11/2020

Canadian TurboTax 2021-2022

Visit TurboTax Canada

Canada is the only other country that offers TurboTax tax filing software, and TurboTax is Canada’s #1 best selling tax software. TurboTax Canada is also available in the French language and is sold as “ImpôtRapide” to residents of Quebec or other French-speaking areas.

As with the United States versions of this software, the Canadian versions of TurboTax can also be accessed online. But when choosing between the online vs downloadable versions, you should know that the downloadable versions are only PC compatible. All online versions are both PC and Mac compatible.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: TO FILE IN CANADA, YOU MUST USE THE CANADIAN VERSION OF TURBOTAX – YOU CANNOT USE THE U.S. SERVICE TO FILE A CANADIAN TAX RETURN.

Canada Versions

All TurboTax Canada versions (online and software/CD) include:

  • Customer support available 7 days a week
  • Government approved forms
  • Maximum refund guarantee
  • 100% accurate calculations guarantee
  • 100% customer satisfaction guarantee

Free (Canada)

Best if filing income only and donations.

  • Guides you through life changes that can affect your taxes
  • Return-meter
  • Bookmark sections you need to return to
  • Online (DIY): Free
  • Download or CD: Not Available

Basic (Canada)

Best if filing income only and donations.

  • EasyStep Interview for claiming T4 slips and deductions
  • Online FAQs
  • No online DIY version
  • With Expert Assistance (Assist & Review Basic): CAD$39.99
  • Downloadable version: CAD$19.99

Deluxe (Canada)

Best for those claiming family deductions.

  • All of the features of the Basic version
  • RRSP and CPP optimizers
  • Pension income splitting tool
  • Multiple child tax credits guidance
  • Helps prepare simultaneous spousal returns to maximize benefits for both
  • Deduction Toolbox searches +400 deductions/credits
  • Online: CAD$19.99
  • Online With Expert Assistance (Assist & Review Deluxe): CAD$69.99
  • Downloadable version: CAD$34.99

Premier (Canada)

Best for those claiming investment and rental income.

  • All of the features of the Standard Version
  • Live Tax Advice
  • Rental income advice
  • Investment Income Tools
  • Calculates capital gains and losses
  • Imports data from Quicken
  • Online: CAD$34.99
  • Online With Expert Assistance (Assist & Review Premier): CAD$89.99
  • Downloadable version: CAD$74.99

Home & Business (Canada)

Best for consultants, contractors, freelancers and small business owners.

  • All of the features in Premier
  • Ability to file business and personal taxes together
  • Maximize self-employment deductions
  • Business tax advantage locator
  • Imports data from Quicken and QuickBooks
  • Online (Self-Employed): CAD$44.99
  • Online With Expert Assistance (Assist & Review Self-Employed): CAD$109.99
  • Downloadable version: CAD$119.99 (for 12 returns, Windows O/S only)

20 Returns (Canada)

With TurboTax 20, you essentially get all the features of the Home & Business version, but it allows you to e-file up to 20 unique returns for any individual tax situation. The software/CD purchase cost is CAD$144.99.

Business Incorporated (Canada)

  • Includes one corporate T2 tax return
  • Analyzes industry-specific hidden deductions for your business
  • Provides exclusive Business Expert Interview
  • Downloadable version: CAD$249.99 per return

Canada Audit Defense

All TurboTax Canada versions give you the option of Audit Defense for an additional $49.99, which gives you the assistance of an audit representative who will review your return for problem areas, defend your return to the CRA, handle your CRA correspondence, and schedule and attend all audit-related meetings with the CRA.

TurboTax vs Other Online Tax Software

Visit TurboTax’s Website

TurboTax was one of the first, and remains one of the most popular online tax software programs. It’s easy to use and has good reputation, but is it worth the extra expense compared to its competitors? Find out how it ranks and what’s available from the competition (we compare Turbotax to H&R Block, TaxACT, TaxSlayer and more) in our comprehensive online tax solutions review.

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The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease; it is not intended to offer any legal opinion or advice or a substitute for professional safety advice or professional care. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice. Products and services reviewed are provided by third parties; we are not responsible in any way for them, nor do we guarantee their functionality, utility, safety, or reliability. Our content is for educational purposes only.

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