Review of IRS-Authorized E-Filer FileYourTaxes 🌟🌟1/2

reveurgam (60)in #review • 5 years ago (edited)

This is my review of the 2018 IRS-Authorized tax e-filer, FileYourTaxes. My original article, Review of IRS FreeFile Companies, became too big to keep as one article. Go there for all the details of my test of the 12 providers, and links to the reviews of each.

IRS FreeFile - Should I Use It? - Plus Earned Income & Child Credits is the prologue to this series - you may want to start there. It includes a chart based on both what the IRS reported about each provider and a few changes I made based on what I discovered, as well as other info about e-filing, including the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits, and my explanation of the criteria I used to test each provider.

I figured I wouldn't have any luck but most people probably won't encounter the problems I did. In any event, I suggest that you do the 1040 paper version (or you can edit the PDFs on your computer, which I think is easier) to make sure the provider you choose doesn't screw up before you e-file. Also, again, remember that I used special circumstances to test these providers - many people will not encounter these problems!

Note: "Option to donate to Presidential Election Campaign Fund:" refers to the opportunity to have $3 contributed to the election campaign, but doesn't cost you anything. It appears to come out of the taxes paid. It also pays for pediatric medical research.

Note: Customer Service Support types are those that are offered free-of-charge for free e-filing. Certain companies offer phone support for paying customers.

Note: The word "responsive" below is a programming word that means that the program changes what you see on the same page and ensuing pages. For example, if you answered "yes" to having gotten married this year, it would show you fields to enter info about your new spouse, but if you answered "no", that wouldn't appear or - if shown already - would disappear. Responsiveness is programming that is designed to make your experience more pleasing, easier and it adjusts to your screen-size (which is called "mobile first").

Given the complexity of tax laws these days, and the peculiarities of the scenario I set up, I am not surprised that every company had a problem helping me, and some either refused to or couldn't because of site limitations. All companies offered some sort of FAQ/written help section, but they varied in quality, completeness and accuracy.

THIS TEST SCENARIO DOES NOT TEST ALL POSSIBLE SPECIAL SITUATIONS, AND SOME ASPECTS OF IT ARE UNUSUAL, SO WHEN MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON THE REVIEWS I'VE PROVIDED, MAKE SURE TO TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE CHOOSING YOUR E-FILER.

FileYourTaxes

🌟🌟1/2

Oxnard, CA
Summary: Recommended for taxpayers with a fair amount of understanding of their returns. It is one of the few that seemed able to handle my test fairly well, but I had to find those things, which wasn't always readily available. Do not expect anything sensible from customer service - it's horrible. Although they say your income must be $9,000, they will still allow you to file your federal return for free if it's less. In fact, they offer the choice of going back to IRS.gov to choose another provider, free-file, or pay for a premium account.

Security & Confidence

Security: 3 security questions, email verification, auto-logoff without notification at some point
Claimed Security certificates: TrustGuard, McAfee Secure (I confirmed both), Google Secured (the link is invalid and GoDaddy had the same problem, nor could they confirm for me without account info)
BBB Accredited: Yes, since 2002
BBB Rating: A+
BBB consumer rating: 🌟.5 (2 reviews)
Trust Pilot consumer rating: - (0 reviews)
Consumer Affairs consumer rating: - (0 reviews)
Glassdoor employee rating: - (0 reviews)
Indeed employee rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 (2 reviews)
Google Safe Browsing: ok

User Experience

Completion mode: Basic info is self-guided - you must be knowledgeable about taxes and what you must do, but for some questions offer guidance. EZ Guided (for filers with standard returns), Full Guided (for filers with non-standard returns), and Advanced (for completely self-guided use, which you'll have only one chance to back out of on the next screen). I chose full, which gives each major area to you in chunks, rather than actually guide you. Once you choose a mode, you can't change it except by checking the "Exit the Interview" box, which takes you to "expert" mode.
Forms: If you accidentally click a radio button, there is no way to clear it. Some credits are automatically determined and there is no way for you to enter them manually. Some forms were only accessible from the menu, or at the end.
Navigation: "View navigation" link takes you out of your return. Sidebar menu with only used areas accessible, click on an area to expand the menu; back/save & continue buttons. Previously completed areas in the menu remain accessible if you backtrack. Back button won't take you back to where you were if you've jumped to another area.
Interface: Note: "Start a new return" is for creating additional returns. Simple, clunky, not responsive on pages, sometimes response between pages. Mixes state and federal items. When my return was finished, it showed me the results, gave a link to my federal return, and also offered additional options.
Helpful links to info: Yes, many, are very minimalistic (it only tells you the data type, description and restrictions, which doesn't help you very much. will give helpful info.
Guarantee: Guarantee of Calculation Accuracy: "The calculation accuracy of the System is warranted by us to the extent that, if you are subjected to penalty or interest charges by the Government due to this calculation inaccuracy of the System, we will pay you the assessed interest and penalty, but not the increase in the amount of tax, resulting from the calculation inaccuracy of the System." However, conflicts between their terms of use and laws where you live mean your right to use their service is revoked.

Test Results

Filing status: You must decide.
Option to donate to Presidential Election Campaign Fund: Yes
Salary correctly indicated as employment instead of consultant income: This site doesn't support income below $9,000, so I had to adjust the income I inputted to $9,000. I first tried with the 1099-MISC, and it charged $1,272 in taxes. Yes, I could correctly report my income once I located and used the 8919, which included a 1099-MISC, but my EIC was then disabled.
Allowed me to report my full income easily: No. Yes, once I found the correct area but then it disallowed my EIC for some reason, even when I changed the salary to $5,400.
SS-8 filing acknowledged: Yes
Reporting missing SSI/Medicare taxes (Form 8919): Yes, after I found it at the end (in the taxes menu). It correctly calculated my taxes as $689.
Leave a note to the IRS: Yes, at the end
Reporting Interest/Dividends with no 1099-INT/DIV: Yes
Reporting healthcare: Yes
Taking Additional Child Tax Credit: $880 with 1099-MISC. After using 8919, it became $975.
Taking EITC: Yes with 1099-MISC, but it calculated it as $369, which is because it calculated my AGI as $8,365 (from $9,000) after applying Sched. 1. After using 8919, it erased my EITC.
Taking WI Homestead Tax Credit: None using 1099-MISC, but it gave me the EIC ($369). It If you want the system to determine your eligibility for the Homestead Credit, be sure to make entries for your rental certificates or property tax bills." In other words, you may have to complete this area manually if the site doesn't realize you deserve it. Once I activated Sched. H, I got $476. I also got $174 in nonrefundable credit.
Errors: I'm not sure why but once I was able to enter my income with the 8919, my EIC was erased and thus my federal refund was reduced.
IRS refund: $2,958 with 1099-MISC. After adding income on 8919, it was reduced to $286.
State refund: $369 with 1099-MISC $845 after activating Sched. H.
States supported: All, but if you are not in (IA, ID, ND or VT) then the filling out of the state return has a fee of $36.50 (filed with the federal return) or $44.75 (filed separately from the federal return), but e-filing is free.
Fees: See state info above.
Customer Service: 🌟Their emailed response came a day later and made no sense. I had explained, in brief, the income challenge. Their response on 4/15/19:

Thank you for your message. Here is the reason your return does not qualify for the Earned Income Credit. We are not able to provide specific tax advice, we have no way of knowing if you are completing your return correctly. We suggest if you have questions to seek the advice of a tax professional. The earned income reported on the return of $ 74,691 is over the limit of $ 20,950 when you have 0 qualifying children." There has been no response from them since then to help me.
Support types: Email (automated by default, then personalized if that fails)

If you see any incorrect or incomplete, or you want to comment or give feedback, please leave a comment. I had a problem with the editor blitzing some of the content when I saved it. This series of articles took me 1.5 weeks of solid work for more than 12 hours on most days. Please show your appreciation!

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