"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
Benjamin Franklin was right, and considering the former has not reached us yet, you can bet your sweet refund check the later has rolled around yet again. Nobody really likes filing their taxes, but it's that time of year. These apps will help you to get the job done with as little muss and fuss as possible. They can also help you to stay on top of things during the off-season so that you are ready for next year!
So grab your 1040 and let's go get that refund! Maybe.
- TurboTax Tax Refund App
- Quickbooks Self-Employed
- Mint
- Google Drive
- H&R Block Tax Prep and File
- IRS2GO
TurboTax Tax Refund App
We've recommended this app before, with plenty of good reason, TurboTax's Tax Refund app can sync with your TurboTax account so that you can fill out the question-by-question tax preparation throughout your busy day. It's also helpful if you need to go spelunking for more forms in the black hole formerly known as the family office. You may not fill out your entire return here, but at least you can keep going even if you get dragged away from the computer.
Download: TurboTax Tax Preparation (Free, in-app purchases)
Quickbooks Self-Employed
We're living in a world where being a freelancer or owning your own small business is more common than ever. When you aren't dealing with a traditional W2 to file, and especially if you have multiple sources of income, this is a great way to keep track of everything you have going on. You can store your receipts, get help with tracking mileage, and even get quarterly updates on your taxes so you know what to expect in April, and it will sync up with Turbo Tax because it's by the same company.
Honestly, it's a little late for this to really help you on this tax return, but if you install it this year, next year's taxes should be much easier.
Quickbook Self-Employed (Free, in-app purchases)
Mint
If you haven't been using a personal finance app all year, it's too late for this return, but maybe the sting from this year will be enough to actually get you into the habit of using an app like Mint. Mint is made by the same company as TurboTax and it's a simple way to both keep an eye on your budget and maintain a trail of where you spent money over the year for things like — you guessed it — your tax return. Whether you're saving your way towards that down payment on your first home or you're just trying to make sure you've got enough left over for whatever new phone/tablet/game/toy you'll be dying to buy on launch day, Mint can help you make it happen.
Google Drive
If you think you're more likely to face an audit, or even if you're just looking to get all these documents somewhere easier to sort and access, then think about scanning your documents to a folder in Google Drive for this year's tax return. This way, you can click it, save it, and move on. Drive can also prove useful as you can make lists of deductions you did and didn't take and keep it in that same folder.
Google Drive (Free, in-app purchases)
H&R Tax Prep and File
H&R Block Tax Prep and File is the app for one of the most popular non-Turbo Tax tax services in the country, and their app can help you get your tax return done as painlessly as possible, and can even get you your refund "instantly" in the form of an easily-spendible Amazon gift card, for those of us who intend to use that refund on a new toy — I mean, lifestyle investment. They even have a bunch of handy frames for your #TaxesWon selfie, if you're into that kind of thing...
H&R Block Tax Prep and File (Free, in-app purchases)
IRS2Go
The IRS is who you're sending your tax return to, so it might help if you saw the tips they give out to help maximize your refund, streamline the process, and get you done with your taxes so they can get done with them, too. The IRS2Go app can also help you track your refund once it's submitted, so you'll know when it should be landing in your direct deposit account.
If your taxes are getting to be too much for you, the IRS2Go app also provides a handy directory of local tax prep offices that you can turn to for help, especially if you qualify for free tax prep. It can also help you to set up a payment plan if it looks like you owe more in taxes than you can afford to pay right now.
Are you using these apps?
Taxes are pretty much always a stressful process, no matter how used to them you actually are. Thankfully the days of having to do everything on paper are past us, and these apps can help you to streamline that process. Whether that means using them to track your expenses so you avoid surprised, or just to keep track of when your refund hits, they can be a serious help in reducing your stress levels.
Are you using any of these apps? Is there a good one that we failed to mention? Be sure to drop us a line in the comments and let us know about it!
Updated January 2018: The tax apps have been refreshed for the 2018 tax season, and so has our article!
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