TaxSlayer

TaxSlayer grew out of an established firm with 30 years of tax preparation experience. TaxSlayer has been making software since 1992 (that's several generations, in internet time). It went online in 1998. We rate out of 10, with 10 being the highest.

Navigation and User friendliness: 5
In previous years, this aspect has been criticized heavily regarding TaxSlayer e-filing and tax preparation software. TaxSlayer can require a fair bit of tax knowledge to work your way through its interface.

The company has made some improvements this year, though you still won't get a lot of tax advice from this tax preparation software. Just remember, with TaxSlayer you're not paying for a lot of bells and whistles-and you're not going to get them either.

Ease of Setup: 9
It's online with an easy download or work online interface.

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Feature Set: 5
TaxSlayer always emphasizes simplicity over complexity, but you may like that. It has a low feature set that does a lot of basic calculations and an owe/refund meter, but not much more than that.

Help: 5
Older versions of Tax Slayer were criticized for having a lack of help. This year, Tax Slayer has improved customer service with the use of an online Help Center. However, this is basically an FAQ return- not all that helpful if you have a difficult question you want answered quickly. Many of its loyal customers still find it ideal for filing relatively simple forms.

Effectiveness: 9
This important area (often neglected in tax software reviews!) is where TaxSlayer scores points. Many TaxSlayer customers claim that TaxSlayer returns are more accurate than bigger players such as H&R Block and Quicken.

Price:
TaxSlayer has kept its price very low. At $9.95, it's one of the most affordable tax preparation products on the market.

Summary: 5
Low price and a history of accounting accuracy are the main draws here. You can file online, check your refund status and in some cases, receive your return in 24 hours. If you feel comfortable with simple filing without a lot of help, TaxSlayer might be an ideal balance of cost, accuracy and speed.