TaxACT Online Tour

• Welcome to TaxACT
• Interface
  • Main Tabs / Steps
  • Top Buttons
• Tax Help & Advice
• Private & Secure
• Review and File

The Seven Main Tabs / Steps

The 7 tabs across of the top of the TaxACT Online application represent the seven easy steps to complete your tax return.

The seven steps are as follows:

 Basic Information

Start here to get acquainted with the program. The 'Basic Information' section is where you'll enter your personal information, including:

Name, Birthdate, and Address  •  Spouse & Dependents  •  Filing Status (Single, Married filing joint, etc)  •  Occupation  •  Estimated Tax Payments & more

Also, if you are a previous year's user of TaxACT Online, you may choose to save time with Deluxe Import. Skip retyping critical information while reducing data entry errors. (Deluxe Import is available with TaxACT Deluxe)

 Life Events

TaxACT Life Events walk you through the major events in your life over the past year, helping you determine the tax implications of these major life events and showing you how to report them on your tax return. Life Events include:

Marriage  •  Changed Jobs  •  Birth/Apoption  •  Disabled  •  Moved (Changed Residence)  •  Hurricanes and Other Disasters & more

Over 35 common Life Events are covered in this section (the full line-up of Life Events are available with TaxACT Deluxe)

 Federal Q&A

Guides you step by step through your federal return by asking you specific, plain-English questions about your tax situation. Automatically calculates & places your information into the appropriate tax forms.

 State Q&A

Add and prepare a state return - TaxACT seamlessly transfers your federal data to your state return, saving you time! Just answer a few state-specific tax questions and you are finished. See the full State Release List

TaxACT supports many part year and non-resident state returns. See part year / non-resident charts for supported states.

 Review

TaxACT provides a suite of valuable tools to assist you with your review and ensure the accuracy of your return:

• TaxACT Alerts - thoroughly checks your entries and identifies missing, incomplete, or inconsistent information. In addition, TaxACT Alerts identify tax saving opportunities you may have missed.
• Comprehensive Review Reports - give you the critical information you need to perform a comprehensive review of your return in a clear, easy-to-use format. Reports include:

  Prior Year Comparison  •  Joint vs. Seperate Analysis  •  Capital Gain Summary  •  Depreciation Summary  •  National Averages

• College Student Financial Aid Report - compiles in one concise report the required tax information you'll need to quickly complete the FAFSA form, helping you reduce your college education expenses.
• TaxWatch 2008 - plan ahead! TaxWatch provides steps to improve your specific tax situation and lower your tax burden. Gives advance warning of tax rule changes that could affect your refund.

TaxACT Alerts are available to all users; other features are available to TaxACT Deluxe users.

 Filing

Choose the tax filing option your prefer: efile your return for a fast refund, or print completed IRS-approved forms & schedules that are ready for you to mail.

You'll also go here to file a tax extension or amend your tax return.

 Next Year

Be better prepared for next year's taxes:

• 2008 Form W-4 Withholding - determine your withholding allowances and print a new Form W-4 to adjust your withholding and prevent over or under withholding.
• Product Suggestions - provide comments and product suggestions that help us to make TaxACT 2008 even better.
• Tell a Friend - don't let family and friends overpay for that expensive boxed tax software. Let them know there is a better way with TaxACT.