Frequently Asked Questions

Note: More Online Filing FAQs are answered on the Online Filing website. 

How much does Online Tax Filing cost?
Which Federal Forms can be prepared using Online Tax Filing?
Which States can Online Tax Filing prepare and/or e-file?
What if I encounter technical problems while using Online Tax Filing?
How do I get answers to my tax questions while using Online Tax Filing?
How accurate is Online Tax Filing?
How safe is my tax information online?
What's your online Privacy Policy?
Does Online Tax Filing carry my tax information over from year to year?
How soon can I expect my refund if I file electronically?
Is my refund guaranteed to be on time?
What, no Audit Protection?
 

 

How much does Online Tax Filing cost?

Simple (1040EZ) - FREE
Basic (1040A) - $19.95
Deluxe (1040 Long Form) - $39.95
State Tax Return - $19.95 (NEW Lower Price - Includes Multiple States!)
Extensions - FREE

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Which Federal forms can be prepared using Online Tax Filing?
 

FEDERAL FORMS and SCHEDULES  1040EZ  1040A  1040  plus...
Sch A Itemized Deductions
Sch B Interest and Dividends
Sch C Self-Employment
Sch D Capital Gains & Losses
Sch E Rental and Royalty Income
Sch EIC Earned Income Credit
Schedule F Farm Income
Schedule H Household Employment Taxes
Sch K-1 Income From Estate, Partnership, S-Corp
Sch SE Self-Employment Tax
Sch R Credit for the Elderly or Disabled
Form W-2 Wage Income
Form W-2G Gambling Winnings
Form 982 Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge
Form 1098 Mortgage Interest Statement
Form 1098-B Capital Gains and Losses
Form 1098-T Education & Tuition Expenses
Form 1099-C Cancellation of Debt
Form 1099-INT Interest Income Statement
Form 1099-DIV Dividend Income Statement
Form 1099-G Govt Payments (Unemployment, Tax Refunds)
Form 1099-MISC Miscellaneous Income
Form 1099-R Pension & Annuity Income Statement
Form 1099-RRB Railroad Retirement Benefits
Form SSA-1099 Social Security Benefits Statement
Form 1116 Foreign Tax Credit
Form 1310 Refund Due a Deceased Taxpayer
Form 2106 Employee Business Expenses
Form 2120 Multiple Support Declaration Agreement
Form 2210 Penalty for Underpayment of Estimated Tax
Form 2441 Child & Dependent Care Credit
Form 2555 Foreign Earned Income
Form 3903 Moving Expenses
Form 4137 Soc Sec/Medicare Tax on Reported Tips
Form 4562 Depreciation & Amortization
Form 4684 Casualty and Theft Losses
Form 4797 Gains/Losses from Sales of Assets
Form 4835 Farm Rental Income
Form 4852 Substitute for Form W-2/1099-R
Form 4952 Investment Interest Expense Deduction
Form 5329 Tax on Early Retirement Distributions
Form 5405 First-Time Homebuyer Credit (Payment)
Form 5695 Residential Energy Credits
Form 6251 Alternative Minimum Tax
Form 6252 Installment Sales
Form 6781 Gains/Losses on Contracts & Straddles
Form 8283 Non-Cash Charitable Contributions
Form 8332 Release of Exemption Claim for Child
Form 8379 Injured Spouse Claim and Allocation
Form 8396 Mortgage Interest Credit
Form 8606 Nondeductible IRAs & ESAs
Form 8812 Additional Child Tax Credit
Form 8814 Parent Election to Report Child's Income
Form 8815 Exclusion of Interest from EE & US Svgs Bonds
Form 8829 Business Use of Home
Form 8834/8936 Qualified Electric/Plug-in Vehicle Credit
Form 8839 Qualified Adoption Expenses
Form 8853 Medical Savings Account
Form 8859 DC First-Time Homebuyer Credit
Form 8862 Info to Claim EIC After Disallowance
Form 8863 Education Credits
Form 8880 Retirement Savings Contribution Credit
Form 8885 Health Coverage Tax Credit
Form 8889 Health Savings Accounts
Form 8958 Income Allocation for Community Property States
Form 9465 Installment Agreement Request


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Which States can Online Tax Filing prepare and/or e-file?

All 42 states that have an income tax!

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What if I encounter technical problems while using Online Tax Filing?

Besides more technically-oriented FAQs on the Online Filing site to help you with any technical problems you may be experiencing, there's a Contact Us menu option for you to contact Online Filing Tech Support Staff via e-mail. You'll generally get an answer to your technical questions within 24 hours, though it may take longer during peak season. Online Filing Tech Support Staff cannot be reached via telephone -- one of the disadvantages of "do-it-yourself" Online Filing. If you are experiencing technical difficulties and do not get your technical problem(s) satisfactorily resolved via e-mail, you may wish to consider our simpler, more reliable fax filing services: IRS e-file by FAX! and Tax e-form.

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How do I get answers to my tax questions while using Online Tax Filing?

There are Help description icons associated with just about every entry field on the online tax forms themselves, which offer limited assistance with tax form questions. One of the limitations with Online Filing is that, due to its low cost, you cannot expect to get free phone or email tax advice, though 800-TAX REFUND is one of the rare companies that invites users to call us toll-free or email us for help with a basic tax question. A basic tax question is defined as one for which the answer can be found in the 1040 tax booklet. You'll generally get an answer to your e-mail question within 24 hours, though it may take longer during peak season. Do not expect answers to more than one tax question. Our experience has been that if you have multiple tax-related questions, you are not a good candidate for preparing your own taxes online. Should you have multiple tax questions, or pose a tax question requiring research or expertise beyond the basics, our Support Staff will recommend you get professional assistance using our Tax e-form preparation service.

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How accurate is Online Tax Filing?

Drake Software, the 36-year tax software industry veteran that provides the round-the-clock internet functionality for our Online Tax Filing guarantees the accuracy of the calculations. Calculations are defined as the numerical addition, subtraction, division, or multiplication of numbers, and related program features that select numbers from tax tables. It does not include any instance where a taxpayer makes a decision to substitute a number for the one automatically computed by the program, known as an "override". Drake Software will pay any IRS penalties and/or interest initially assessed to the taxpayer for a tax underpayment resulting from an error in the program's calculation. No other  warranty is expressed or implied. See the Terms of Service for details when you enter the Online Filing program.

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How safe is my tax information online?

When transmitting information between you and the Online Filing server, as well as when communicating with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for electronic filing, data security is handled through a protocol called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL is an established and mature Internet security standard with two dominant features: Data Encryption and Web Server Authentication. Data Encryption is the process of transforming legible information into a complex arrangement of illegible information. Encryption strength is measured by the length of the key used to encrypt the data; the longer the key, the more effective the encryption. Using the SSL protocol, data transmission between you and the Online Filing web server is performed at the highest domestic level of encryption strength, currently 256-bit. With Web Server Authentication, a SSL certificate is issued to ensure authentic and accurate identification of a secured web server. This translates into a digital ID, kind of like an electronic fingerprint, which is included in the key used to encrypt the data. Only the Online Filing web server, in this case, is able to decrypt the data that you transmit because it is the intended (and digitally certified) secured web server for your data transmission. Our Online Filing site resides under a VeriSign certified Secure Socket Layer (SSL) url and all subsequent web pages are verified through the secure connection of this SSL. Verification may be done by visiting the VeriSign web site or by clicking the TRUSTe and DigiCert certified privacy and SSL logos on the OLF login screen.

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What's your Online Privacy Policy?

Please review the Online Privacy Policy when you go to the Online Filing website. The Online Privacy Policy is accessible via a link in the Terms of Service agreement.

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Does Online Tax Filing carry my tax information over from year to year?

Yes, providing that you used 1040.com Online Filing within the past three years. If you're a returning user you'll be prompted to carry forward your tax information upon login. Of course, we recommend you review and update all information that gets carried forward.

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How soon can I expect my refund if I file electronically?

Tax Year 2012 was the first year that IRS did not deposit refunds according to a weekly Refund Cycle, instead advising taxpayers to check the “Where’s My Refund?” link at www.irs.gov for an individualized refund deposit date. Tax Year 2012 refunds for simpler returns were generally faster than in previous years, often arriving in 5 to 7 business days. More complex returns tended to adhere to the old standard of 7 to 14 days after acceptance.

IRS support staff will not discuss the status of a refund unless it has gone beyond their 21-day published objective. 

“Where’s My Refund?” includes a tracker that displays your tax return’s progress through three stages:

1. Return Received    2. Refund Approved    3. Refund Sent

Return progress can be updated by IRS on a daily basis instead of weekly as in previous years, and the Refund Sent date will be actual instead of estimated.

Overall acceptance-to-deposit timeframe is expected to be similar to last year for tax returns that are not pulled for review.

If you do not want to have your refund direct-deposited you can receive your refund check by mail, but last year these took a week longer to receive.

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Is my refund guaranteed to be on time?

Our experience has been that about 95% of all refunds are deposited within the expected timeframe. We've seen 5% or so held back by IRS for what they call a "compliance review" and deposited one week later. Other reasons for delay of refund are as follows:

- Taxpayer owes delinquent Federal or State taxes, either individual or business
- Taxpayer owes delinquent child support
- Taxpayer has certain other delinquent debt with Federal or State agencies, such as student loans, military, etc.
- Primary taxpayer's name and/or SSN has changed since filing last year's return or taxpayer did not file a return last year (possible one week delay)
- Taxpayer has claimed a blatantly unallowable deduction
- Social Security Name/Number for taxpayer, spouse, or dependent does not match information provided by the Social Security Administration
- Return has been selected by IRS for Earned Income Credit review

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What, no Audit Protection?


We're not going to sell you something that we believe you don't need. First, of the 2% of all individual tax returns that get audited, the vast majority are high income, contain questionable business/investment income/losses, or claim exaggerated or unallowable deductions or credits. If you fear getting audited because your return is complex, you should not be doing your own taxes online -- pay a professional to do your taxes. If your tax return is not complex, and if you can substantiate your claim for exemptions, credits, and deductions, then what do you have to fear if, by some slim chance, you get a letter from IRS? A well-documented explanation of your claim will often convince IRS to waive or adjust their position. If, on the other hand, you cannot substantiate your claims, then no amount of "Audit Protection" will pay your overdue taxes for you.

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