Novice-Friendly:  

Whether you’ve filed your own taxes your entire life or this is your first time, TaxACT will help you through the process. Not only is the interview process simple and straightforward, but there are links to help and explanations on every screen if you get stuck on a question. There is an IRS Form Instructions button, which displays W-2 form help, 1099 help if you’re filling out your 1099, and so on. You’ll also see a Tax Tutor Guidance link that will open an index of basic tax information to help you with your tax preparation. To top it off, there is a searchable Help Center where you can find support by keyword.

Like most online tax products, TaxACT Ultimate Online still has the option of manual form entry, but it is now offering a streamlined interview process that’s super simple to follow. You’ll almost forget that this is a tax-related service. The state program is even easier to use than the federal; all of the federal information is automatically transferred.

We were impressed with the multimedia video that you can watch at the first of each section. The gentleman and lady do a great job relaying some basic information and making the product more personable.

Ease of Sign-up:  

You can start your return without a username and password. You will be prompted during your return to complete this step and we recommend doing so in order to save your return. Creating your TaxACT account is a cinch: Create your user name, choose your password, pick a secret question and answer combination, and give them your email address—you’re done! There’s even a password strength meter, so you can create the strongest password possible for improved security.