Credit Karma Tax makes it ridiculously easy to do your own taxes and get your biggest refund—plus, it’s free!
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For something that rolls around every year, tax season shouldn’t have to be so, well...taxing. For many people, though, this annual chore is so dreadful and confusing that it makes going to the dentist seem pleasant.
Thankfully, Credit Karma feels your pain. Year-round, this popular service helps you monitor your credit scores and manage your finances in one intuitive app. And in the months leading up to April 15th, its Credit Karma Tax feature—which the company rolled out in 2016—demystifies the daunting task of doing your own taxes and makes it entirely doable and totally free.
If you’ve relied on an accountant all your life, no sweat. Credit Karma Tax is actually tailor-made for tax-time newbies or anyone with a pretty cut-and-dry tax situation. The service holds your hand through the entire filing process, from inputting your W2 and 1099 information to claiming things like interest on your investments or income from rental properties. It even walks you through the process of digging for all the deductions and credits you’re entitled to.
Working with such straight-forward tax preparation software is like hiring a virtual accountant—and as a person who’s long relied on an accountant to file my taxes, I understand the anxiety of going the DIY route. But Credit Karma Tax is diligent—it double-checks for mistakes and omissions, helps you sort and organize your statements, then makes sure your forms are filed properly and promptly. Whew!
Credit Karma Tax
Under Credit Karma Tax’s supervision, you’re guaranteed to get the maximum refund that’s owed to you. And no matter your income or which deductions and credits you use, Credit Karma Tax won’t charge you a penny to file. You may encounter offers for credit cards and such, but you’re under no obligation to buy. If you choose to open a high-interest savings account with Credit Karma, though, you can deposit your refund into your new account automatically.
And if you’ve already DIYed your taxes but want to give a free tax preparation service a spin, you can easily import previous years’ tax returns from platforms like TurboTax or H&R Block to pre-fill as many fields as possible. And file this under “easy,” too: You can actually use Credit Karma’s mobile app for the entire filing process—even taking pictures of and uploading documents using just your smartphone.
When it’s time to receive your big, fat refund, you can select direct deposit, paper check, or a prepaid American Express card. Any questions can be answered in Credit Karma’s Help Center or by its customer support team via email. In the off-chance that you’re audited, Credit Karma Tax connects you with an audit defense company—also free of charge—for guidance.
Ready to take your finances into your own hands this year? With Credit Karma Tax’s free tax prep software, you literally have nothing to lose—only a hefty refund (and a whole lot of empowerment) to gain.
Shop it: Tax prep software, free at Credit Karma
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