TaxSlayer stands out among online tax preparation services for its affordability and exceptionally deep coverage of tax topics. For its latest version, TaxSlayer makes small improvements to its interface and interview process, and expands its database of support articles. The quality of help content could be better, but TaxSlayer remains a worthy option if you’re looking for a budget-friendly service that supports all IRS forms and schedules. Note that we tried the preview version of TaxSlayer’s Self-Employed version for our evaluation here but will revisit the software and give it a rating once the final version is ready around the time the IRS opens filing.
How Much Does TaxSlayer Cost?
TaxSlayer’s Simply Free tier is free for both federal and state returns if you claim W-2 income, use the standard deduction, and file as single or married with no dependents. It supports unemployment income and student loan interest. TaxSlayer helpfully lists all of the reasons you might not qualify for this offering on its pricing page.
The next tier of service, Classic (currently $22.95 for federal returns), includes all major IRS forms and schedules and imports W-2 and 1099 data. All of TaxSlayer’s tax preparation tools are available with this plan, which means self-employed individuals can use it. Unlike some competitors, TaxSlayer charges more for additional services rather than additional forms and schedules.
The two most expensive tiers, TaxSlayer Premium ($42.95 for federal returns) and TaxSlayer Self-Employed ($52.95 for federal returns), include enhanced support options, like priority support and unlimited phone access to tax professionals. The Self-Employed plan adds extra guidance within the site for self-employed filers. State returns for all versions except Simply Free cost an extra $39.95. The prices for all of these versions are likely to go up later in the filing season.
Cash App Taxes handles all major IRS forms and schedules—and state returns—for free, though its help options aren’t as comprehensive as TaxSlayer’s. FreeTaxUSA also supports all major forms and schedules and provides good help tools on the cheap (free for federal returns; $14.99 for state returns). With FreeTaxUSA, expanded online help costs $7.99, while pro support is $39.99. Other tax websites for self-employed workers cost more than TaxSlayer Classic.
How Does TaxSlayer Work?
All tax preparation websites work similarly. The differences lie primarily in the amount and quality of help you can get and the overall user experience.
With TaxSlayer, you create an account and either start entering personal information like your family’s Social Security numbers and birthdates or import your previous return from TaxSlayer or a competitor.
The site interviews you like a live tax professional, asking you questions about your tax-related income and expenses. It puts your answers (which you provide by choosing from lists, clicking buttons, entering data, or importing documents from financial institutions) on official IRS forms and schedules in the background. TaxSlayer allows you to select the tax situations (also called tax topics) that you want to visit. Alternatively, you can let the site walk you through all of its topics if you want to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Once you visit all the federal and state tax topics that pertain to you (such as income, deductions and credits, taxes, and miscellaneous issues), TaxSlayer looks for errors and omissions. Then, it helps you print or e-file your return.
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I didn’t encounter any operational problems on my journey through TaxSlayer. It worked well and felt very responsive. The site seemed to have serious problems during one testing session, but that was due to an in-progress upgrade. It returned to normal afterward.
What Kind of Help Does TaxSlayer Offer?
TaxSlayer is a mixed bag in terms of support; it’s not nearly on the level of the pricier H&R Block or Intuit TurboTax. Like any other online tax prep service, TaxSlayer has a searchable help database that shows you links to related forms and FAQs when you enter a word or phrase. It works fine most of the time, displaying multiple hits for keywords or phrases, many of which are context-sensitive.
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TaxSlayer’s help articles lay out the facts, but they use a lot of IRS jargon. TurboTax does a much better job of rewriting IRS instructions so you can understand them. TaxSlayer sometimes sends you to IRS pages, as does TaxAct. This isn’t ideal since avoiding those very pages is one of the most compelling reasons to use tax software. Furthermore, TaxSlayer also doesn’t hyperlink many terms or provide explanatory text as often as TurboTax when it introduces new topics.
TaxSlayer has some helpful tools, but you won’t see them unless you look for them at the bottom of the toolbar. The entire searchable knowledgebase is there, along with a prior year comparison tool and a helpful user guide. I wish all these elements were more prominent.
If you have a technical question about entering your tax data with TaxSlayer, you can get support via chat, email, or phone. Premium and Self-Employed users can submit tax law questions to tax pros online or via phone for free.
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How Does TaxSlayer Deal With Self-Employment?
TaxSlayer covers self-employment tasks comprehensively, breaking out related topics such as business use of your home, income and general expenses, and vehicle expenses. The Schedule C Q&As here are thorough, and some online help is available, though more would be welcome. Even if you don’t make much money from a side gig, you still need to complete this form to claim expenses that offset your income and minimize your tax liability.
Many self-employed individuals receive 1099-MISC (miscellaneous income) and 1099-NEC (nonemployee compensation) forms. TaxSlayer lets you manually enter the information from them or import them as PDF files. You might also receive a 1099-K If you accept payments through a third-party processor like Stripe or PayPal (Congress hasn’t specified the threshold for the 1099-K at this writing). 1099-K payments go into the calculation for Gross Receipts or Sales, which TaxSlayer asks for during the Schedule C walkthrough.
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Does TaxSlayer Check Your Return?
TaxSlayer provides a great wrap-up of your return. Besides checking for errors and missed deductions, it displays a comprehensive list of tax topics along with your total for each. These line items are interactive, so you can click them and go directly to the related page if you need to make changes or want to review the details. This is a great tool that I haven’t seen elsewhere. That said, TaxAct has one of the best review processes I’ve encountered; it checks your return continuously as you provide data and then again at the end.
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Can You Do Your Taxes on Your Phone With TaxSlayer?
TaxSlayer’s mobile apps for Android and iOS are comprehensive and easy to use. You can do everything in the apps that you can via the browser-based version. All forms and schedules are available, so you can complete even a complex return (even those that involve self-employment topics). The apps also look and work like the browser-based version, down to the help links and the searchable database. Like every online tax service, TaxSlayer lets you start your return on one device and seamlessly finish it on another.
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Is TaxSlayer Safe to Use?
TaxSlayer’s focus on security is evident from the moment you create an account and log in. The site has complex password requirements and employs a single-use verification code that it can send to your email address or phone. Alternatively, you can use an authenticator app to secure your account with a stronger multi-factor authentication method. TaxSlayer also uses a wide range of security-related technologies, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, physical security to protect its data center, and SSL encryption.
Verdict: A Thorough Tax Service for the Self-Employed
TaxSlayer feels snappy, won’t bog you down with a cluttered interface, and provides excellent mobile apps. It covers the full range of tax situations, starting at the affordable Classic level, so it can be a good option if you are self-employed and trying to keep to a budget. Just keep in mind that you have to pay extra for professional support and that some help resources aren’t as straightforward as they could be. We plan to test the final version of TaxSlayer once the IRS opens filing in January 2025, so be sure to check back for our final review and rating.
While you’re thinking about taxes, read up on seven ways to minimize your taxes and what to do if you can’t pay your taxes.
TaxSlayer 2025 (Tax Year 2024)
The Bottom Line
TaxSlayer takes a deep dive into the 1040, providing comprehensive coverage of even obscure tax topics, but its online help content could be stronger.
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About Kathy Yakal
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