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| Taxbrain Star Ratings |
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Price: $14.95
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From the very second we landed on the TaxBrain website, we were impressed by the layout it presented. It wasn’t cluttered with information or advertisements like some of the other sites we have seen, which was refreshing. Tax season is confusing enough for some people! The price range of their services was clearly visible in the middle of the homepage which was not only eye-catching, but also reassuring that there were no hidden fees from this company! Unlike other tax preparation services, TaxBrain charges a fee per individual form filed rather than the typical flat rate service fees. We absolutely loved the fact that directly under the price range found on the homepage, was a link which explained each individual tax form so we could clearly see which form was right for us.
What's New TaxBrain Tax Preparation?- Quick Access tax refund loan is now available.
- Free access to live customer support.
- Guaranteed accuracy (or they'll refund your money and pay for any interest and penalties you may incur).
StarReviews Favorite TaxBrain Feature:
When it came down to choosing my favorite feature of the TaxBrain preparation service, I personally liked the web tools the best. I appreciated how there were extensive explanations listed directly under each 1040 package which highlighted who would need each form and the conditions that apply to each. Once I understood which tax forms I would need, I took advantage of the TaxBrain Tax Calculator which gave me a pretty accurate estimate of my refund after entering in some simple figures. It was convenient to get an idea of what I could expect when I was ready to actually file my taxes without having to go through the entire tax preparation process.
The TaxBrain Experience:
TaxBrain offers an online tax preparation service, but there is no desktop version available, which we found rather strange as most of the tax preparation services available offer both. The product has a very intuitive and user-friendly interface with easy access to customer support should you run into any questions or road blocks. In addition to the intuitive layout and easy-to-use tax preparation tools, TaxBrain seemed to move more quickly than some of the other products we tested while offering the same results as far as accuracy was concerned.
TaxBrain has a relatively simple process from the very start. You must first answer a short questionnaire regarding your current taxpayer and household information such as your marital status, income type, dependents and questions of the like. This is how TaxBrain determines which forms you will forms you will need to file. Since TaxBrain bases their fee on each individual form, this step in the process is crucial to ensure that you are filing the correct forms, but are also not being charged for forms you do not need.
Next, you will need to fill out the worksheets, which consists of your personal information and income figures from your W2 or 1099 forms. We found out the hard way that you must remember to click the “Calculate” button each and every time you complete a worksheet or your information will be erased. We were very discouraged by this feature of the service, almost enough to use a different program, but we kept going. Once you’ve filled everything out, however, the rest of the process is a walk in the park. You just review your returns; run the error checker, print and/or e-file! That’s it!
TaxBrain Tax Preparation Features:- Free TaxBrain Tax Calculator.
- Federal and state preparation and filing options.
- Multiple State filing options
- E-file option available in every state which allows it
- Option available to have your preparation fees deducted from your refund
- Audit defense available.
- Five-year safekeeping available.
- Guaranteed Security and Accuracy
- Auto Error Check Feature
- Offers printed and bound copies of returns.
- Audit Assistance Available
Tax Preparation Pricing Plan:
| | 1040 EZ
| 1040 Basic
| 1040 Deluxe
| 1040 Premium
| Military
| | Federal | $14.95 | $19.95 | $39.95 | $69.95 | $14.95-
$69.95
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| State | $29.95 | $29.95 | $29.95 | $29.95 | $29.95 | | Coverage | Standard Returns without dependents
| Returns including dependents, taxable interest, EIC +
| Returns including itemized deductions, capital gains, AMT, S-Corp +
| Returns for small businesses, rental owners, self-employed +
| All Military Returns
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TaxBrain Customer Support:
TaxBrain offers customer support via online chat, email and telephone. We were a bit confused at some of these options on the website as the email and phone support options were listed in two different places, one required you to log in to see the information, while the other listed the contact information in plain sight. We are still confused about this as none of the customer service representatives we spoke to could answer it. Chat support was easy to access and instantaneous. We chatted with a representative who was able to answer our questions quickly and to our satisfaction, with the exception of the customer service options on the site! Email support was also helpful but it took a bit longer for the response. We had sent a test email over just before we started our chat with the live representative. It wasn’t until the next day that we received an email response which answered our question but then directed us to contact a live representative for further assistance.
The phone support is available during tax season (January 16 – April 15) from 6am – 11pm PST, Monday through Saturday and on Sunday between 6am and 10pm PST. It is also available during the remainder of the year, however, during this time, customer service can only be reached Monday through Friday between 9am and 4pm PST. It was not until we called the customer support number that we found some disadvantages. The first time we contacted the support department, we waited on hold for approximately 20 minutes before anyone had answered our call. The hold music was so loud that we could barely keep the phone to our ear. After the 25 minute mark hit, we decided to just hang up and call back again. This time, our call was answered within the first few minutes by a less than chipper representative who seemed as if he really did not want to help us at all! When we had asked him about the TaxBrain Accuracy Guarantee, his explanation seemed tainted. The inflection of his voice gave us the same impression as the disclaimer on the website did. We feel that when it comes to this guarantee, there may be some loopholes to deter them from paying the promised fees.
Upside:
- Offers a variety of tax preparation options to fit almost any need
- Access to support via online chat is virtually instantaneous and efficient
- 35 Years of Experience
Downside:
- A bit pricey depending on your specific tax situation
- Email and phone support need some work
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