Jackson Hewitt

• Personalized Deductions
• In-person Assistance
• Free Basic Option

Personalized Deductions

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.

In-Person Assistance

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.

• By phone: 1-800-234-1040
• Twitter: @jacksonhewitt
• Email: https://jacksonhewitt.custhelp.com/app/ask

Free Basic Option

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. 

• Limited Accuracy Guarantee
• Spin-off Software
• No Automatic Deductions
• Lack of Tools
• Pricey

Limited Accuracy Guarantee

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.

Spin-off Software

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. 

No Automatic Deductions

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.

Lack of Tools

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.

Pricey

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:

• $69.95 - Best for familees and retirees
• $109.95 - Best for complex returns

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.