3.1
4.1
Overall Score
Jackson Hewitt is one of the largest tax prep companies in the United States. It claims to handle around 2.2 million returns (federal and state) on an annual basis. Based in New Jersey, Jackson Hewitt has almost six thousand franchise offices spread throughout the United States, but it has also worked to establish itself as an online tax prep service as well. The company was acquired by the Cendant Corp in 1998 and a revised Jackson Hewitt Tax Service with an online option was spun out of this massive merger of several related firms.
While Jackson Hewitt does have some great "help me decide" guides, it does have to be noted that these are for only the most fundamental issues. Of course, it does get praise for its occupation-specific deduction discovery tools. These cover a wide array of occupations from which to choose. The guides will then walk you though the various deductions that might apply, and then input the data accordingly which helps you take advantage of commonly overlooked deductions. There is also a life events guide that is similar to other software options. These are changes from year to year that could result in a substantial impact on an individual's tax situation. The tool walks you through such things as family, education, career, home, and more. You are then guided to input any information where these situations apply, and the software distributes that accordingly.
Something that sets the Jackson Hewitt apart from so many others is the retail location access. Those who use the website are also encouraged to pay a visit to the nearest office if they have further questions. Not all issues are going to require any fees, and this helps the online software to really stand apart from the crowd. Like most other companies, Jackson Hewitt offers a 100% accuracy guarantee and also a biggest refund guarantee.
Jackson Hewitt has over 6,000 locations in the U.S. For those who have trouble filing taxes themselves online, Jackson Hewitt encourages them to talk to a tax professional in the area.
If you don't want to go to a physical location, you can reach out to Jackson Hewitt in the following ways, however, they do not offer live chat options.
Jackson Hewitt offers a free tax prep option that's best for those with simple taxes. You could qualify if you're single or married filing jointly, have less than $100,000 taxable income, don't have special deductions, have W-2 wages and/or unemployment, and if you have no dependents.
While the accuracy guarantee is thorough, it does come with a lot of stipulations. The guarantee has a lot of exclusions. If Jackson Hewitt does make a mistake, they will refund the full customer payment (if the mistake is brought to the company's attention within 30 days). Copies of the mistake's documentation are required.
This software is not something that is considered original, or even proprietary. Rather, it is a sort of spin-off from others, and it comes with a higher price tag.
The company does not offer automatic deduction information, but the website does provide thorough information on commonly overlooked deductions. The "overlooked deduction" tab is the bottom of the homepage and goes over the top 50 overlooked deductions.
Another downside to this software is the lack of handy tools that other programs make standard. For example, the alerts that show when information is missing, incomplete, or seemingly inaccurate is not present in this software. Thus, you can forget crucial data without even realizing it. There is also not any sort of "meter" available. Many other tax programs feature measures that gauge how far you are in the process or how much you owe or will receive, but there are no real-time measures anywhere in Jackson Hewitt's program.
The price point of their software is a bit steep. You can file your taxes online with Jackson Hewitt for free, or choose from the following options:
Jackson Hewitt charges an extra $39.99 per state filed. Many customers complain that Jackson Hewitt has hidden fees and it will end up costing you more than you're told.
Jackson Hewitt is an ideal option for those with simple tax situations. Yes, there is support for all of the deductions, but such things as asset depreciation, charitable donations, and rental property income have no tools available. This makes it more of a tool for the simple tax returns rather than complex returns for couples or small businesses. The access to storefront support is very useful, but there are no guarantees that these visits will not require even further financial expenditure. However, there are some features to Jackson Hewitt such as data import and audit support available.
For more information, check out the Jackson Hewitt reviews below.
Filter by:
Sort by:
Jamara Jordan San Francisco, CA
8 months ago
Pearl Lee Johnson San Antonio, TX
4 years ago
Deborah Dyer Hendersonville, TN
1 year ago
Loretta Boyd Valdosta, GA
2 years ago
Sandra ,
3 years ago
chris sweeten ,
3 years ago
Kmaggiore Hoffman Estates, IL
4 years ago
Graciela De La Cruz Henderson, NV
4 years ago
Leleiga Ioane-Fainuu Caldwell, ID
4 years ago
Lisa ,
4 years ago
Diane E. Malone Bartlett, IL
6 years ago
Becky Nichols
9 months ago
Paul Thusius Franklin, WI
9 months ago
Chritina Robertson Cincinnati, OH
9 months ago
Review Source
Bob Vero Beach, FL
2 years ago
Jeff P Rochester, NY
3 years ago
Johnie Clyde Hamrick Payneville, KY
3 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Dino D'Amato Wildwood, FL
3 years ago
Michelle Carr ,
3 years ago
Desiree Perez Downey, CA
4 years ago
CDH Orlando, FL
4 years ago
lisa Boise, ID
6 years ago
Review Source
David Martin San Diego, CA
4 years ago
Review Source
Celia Waipahu, HI
6 years ago
Chrisie Presswood
9 months ago
Review Source
Jowara Morgande
1 year ago
Amanda George IL
1 year ago
Mary Southard Scranton, PA
1 year ago
jennifer mcleod Myrtle Beach, SC
1 year ago
Bernard Zertuche San Antonio, TX
1 year ago
Michael Nelson Atlanta, GA
1 year ago Edited January 25, 2023
Bridget Walker Gulfport, MS
2 years ago
Storm Rice Houston, TX
2 years ago
Danielle Damico Charlotte, NC
2 years ago
Alicia Thompson Bartow, FL
3 years ago
Tim Chicago, IL
3 years ago
Andrea Benson Dallas, TX
3 years ago
Debbie Espy McHenry, IL
3 years ago
Retha C. Memphis, TN
4 years ago
Critrine Alston Trussville, AL
4 years ago
Kevin Smith , GA
4 years ago
Laura Grabfelder Marshall, WI
5 years ago
Samantha Olds Buffalo, MO
5 years ago
Brian Vaughan Murfreesboro, TN
6 years ago
Brooke Brashears
7 years ago
Michelle Gloversville, NY
7 years ago
Shea Lowery Clover, SC
8 years ago
rblionel Huntsville, AL
8 years ago
Review Source
Patrick Curry Salt Lake City, UT
4 years ago
Jennifer Perry Spring Valley, CA
6 years ago
We're on a mission to empower consumers to make the best decisions and connect confidently with companies that deserve their business.
© 2024 BestCompany.com LLC - All rights reserved Privacy Policy | Terms | Do Not Sell My Personal Information