efile.com

• Free filing option
• Online tools
• Accuracy guarantee
• Tax fraud prevention
• Supported tax forms

efile.com has several resources listed on the website, in terms of live chat extensive blogs and news articles that offer factual information about filing your taxes. One of the biggest pieces of information on the website was about tax breaks that potentially would have expired during 2014. This was helpful for those who were waiting on this news to start filing their tax returns for the 2014 year.

Free Filing Option

There are several good things about using efile.com. One is the basic filing service offered. Other companies do not offer a free filing option. The free e-filing option makes it easy for customers who just have an easy tax situation to file for.

Online Tools

Another useful tool on the website is the filing calculator. Before filing your taxes, it is possible to figure out your tax situation without setting up your account. It is possible to select several different filing situations, calculate your deductions, and view your tax bracket BEFORE you sign up and complete an account. The calculator is a tool that's not always accessible on other websites without setting up an account. Another thing good thing about efile.com is the state tax information available. Customers can find information about state tax rates, tax return statuses, and other useful information about when a tax return would be completed.

Accuracy Guarantee

efile.com guarantees the maximum tax return allowed by law. Even though the company does provide a refund if customers find a higher refund elsewhere, the guarantee has a lot of stipulations. People must provide paperwork of the other company's bigger return within 60 days for it then to be evaluated by efile.com. If efile.com deems it credible, they will provide a refund as well as a $100 pledge fee. The company's guarantee is thorough and promises 100% accuracy. If the company should make a mistake with the IRS, they will pay the audit penalty and interest fees.

Tax Fraud Prevention

efile.com has the following security features to prevent tax fraud:

• IRS Authorized
• TrustGuard
• Promise of taxes being verified and secure

Supported Tax Forms

• Free Basic
  • Form 1040EZ
• Deluxe
  • Free Basic Forms
  • Form 1040A
  • Retirement Income
  • Mortgage
• Premium
  • Deluxe Forms
  • 1040
  • All forms and Schedules

• Lacking in customer support options
• No military discount
• Federal and state prices
• Audit support

Lacking in Customer Support Options

While the live chat support for efile.com is great, the efile.com corporate location does not provide phone support for its customers. efile.com should provide phone support for customers who might make a mistake on their tax return or are not sure what product is best for them. Not only do they lack phone support, but they do not have any visible forms of social media where customers can turn to for additional customer support. With tax preparation, customers should have several different outlets to have their questions answered. efile.com seriously lacks in this area.

No Military Discount

Another issue with efile.com is the lack of a military discount for those who serve. Other websites offer a military discount of up to 20% for using a filing service. While there is information on efile.com for those who serve in the military, there is no information about discounts for using the website.

Federal and State Prices

One of the problems that customers have is with the prices for their deluxe and premium prices. These service packages are not as robust as premium and deluxe options with other companies. Other companies have premium options that are priced significantly higher, but makes it easy to do your taxes if you are in a high income or farm tax situation. You can file your federal income tax with efile.com online for the following prices

• FREE - Basic (no children, single, no mortgage)
• $29.95 - Deluxe (children, mortgage, retirement income, 1040A form)
• $39.95 - Premium (self-employed, itemized deductions, all forms & schedules, 1040 form)

The price for filing state taxes is undisclosed whether it is for the free edition or the popular edition. Although a free option is always a plus, efile.com doesn't have the most competitive prices in the industry. There are several other options that can beat efile.com's pricing.

Audit Support

efile.com does not disclose any information on audit support. This includes offering support when a customer is audited by the IRS as well as providing any information as to why a customer is audited by the IRS. This results in no points for this criteria.