Jackson Hewitt Online is the DIY branch of the Jackson Hewitt franchise.
The company, which has long been associated with its Walmart franchise locations, uses the online tool to help self-service-oriented individuals.
However, the software is not particularly easy to use, and it doesn’t come with many “offline” guarantees. Because of this, we recommend that most users should pass on Jackson Hewitt Online. Read our full review below to understand more.
You can also see how Jackson Hewitt Online compares to the other top tax software this year.
Quick Summary
- Flat $25 price includes multi-state filing
- No fringe benefits like audit support or in-person review
- It can be cumbersome for landlords or self-employed workers
Jackson Hewitt Online Details | |
|---|---|
Product Name | Jackson Hewitt Online |
Federal Price | $25 |
State Price | $0 |
Preparation Type | Self-Prepared |
Promotions | None |
Jackson Hewitt Online – Can You File For Free?
No, Jackson Hewitt Online doesn’t offer a free tier or free version, regardless of income or other status. All households pay $25 for federal and state filing. The $25 price tag doesn’t change, even if you need to file in multiple states.
What’s New In 2023?
In 2022, Jackson Hewitt rolled out the new simplified pricing model with a flat rate of $25 for both federal and state taxes. That’s a lot less than you would pay with top-tier competitors for a federal or state return alone, let alone combined.
For the 2023 tax season, Jackson Hewitt didn’t make many major changes. The biggest adjustments are to keep up with the IRS, with notable updates for tax brackets, credits, and deductions due to inflation.
Does Jackson Hewitt Online Make Tax Filing Easy In 2023?
Jackson Hewitt Online offers an intuitive filing solution for people with relatively straightforward tax situations. The software makes it easy to claim deductions and credits. It’s best for those who file in multiple states and don’t have active cryptocurrency or stock trading accounts.
Filers can’t import forms into the software. But despite that inconvenience, it’s easy to enter W-2 income, basic self-employment income, retirement income, interest, dividends, and unemployment income.
Filers must manually enter their information.
Jackson Hewitt’s software could be much easier when entering transactions from your investment accounts. Stock and crypto traders must manually enter trades in forms that take up the entire screen for a single transaction.
Repeating that screen even a few dozen times is a recipe for human error, not to mention monotony. If you’re an active trader with hundreds or thousands of trades in a year, that’s probably a deal breaker.
The software also makes it difficult to claim depreciation or depletion expenses. Landlords and self-employed business owners, including side hustlers, may struggle to complete their tax returns using Jackson Hewitt Online.
The Rental Form tells users to add this to a depreciation deduction. The only way to find the depreciation form is through the Help Center.
Jackson Hewitt Online Features
Jackson Hewitt Online doesn’t have many standout features, but these are some of the most noteworthy aspects of the product:
Interview Style Navigation
Jackson Hewitt Online allows users to opt between menu and interview style navigation. The program’s interview questions are free of tax jargon and keep users focused on the parts of the software pertaining to them.
Interview style navigation
Multi-State Filing With No Added Cost
Filers who earned income in multiple states can file in multiple states for one price. All filers pay $25, no matter how many state returns they file. Most companies charge around $20 to $50 per added state. This can save you money if you work or live across state lines or went through an interstate move during the year.
Trusted Brand Name in Tax Preparation
Even if the online experience isn’t the best on the web, Jackson Hewitt remains one of the biggest and most recognized tax preparation brands nationwide. Depending on your tax situation, you may also want to know about in-person tax prep at Walmart stores and a drop-off-and-go program, which works as the name describes.
Jackson Hewitt Online Drawbacks
Jackson Hewitt Online’s downsides may make it unsuitable for filers in several groups.
Hard To Claim Depreciation And Depletion
Depreciation and depletion can be legitimate business expenses for landlords and some self-employed people. Jackson Hewitt Online supports these deductions, but figuring out how to claim them is unnecessarily complex.
Users must seek out the depreciation worksheets and enter fields that should be pre-calculated. The final output of the depreciation and depletion values are never shown to users, so there’s no way to check whether the inputs are correct.
No Section Summaries
Jackson Hewitt Online does not have built-in section summaries. Filers need to click into each income type, deduction, or credit to check the values. More robust software shows section summaries to help filers confirm they haven’t missed anything important.
Jackson Hewitt Online Pricing
Jackson Hewitt Online charges all users $25 for federal filing and $0 per state. Filers who have to file multiple state returns may decide that Jackson Hewitt Online offers a fair deal.
Additionally, Jackson Hewitt’s 0% tax refund loans are unavailable to online customers. You must pay for in-person filing to qualify for these loans. Potential customers should also note that Jackson Hewitt may raise its prices closer to the filing deadline.
How Does Jackson Hewitt Online Compare?
Jackson Hewitt Online appears to use a white-labeled version of tax software issued by Drake Tax Software. That’s the same software that 1040.com uses, so both products have the same pricing structure.
We also compared Jackson Hewitt Online to Cash App Taxes and FreeTaxUSA. Among the competitors listed, Cash App Taxes offers the best overall user experience.
However, filers who need to file multiple state returns can’t use Cash App Taxes. If you want to file in multiple states with the lowest possible cost, Jackson Hewitt could be for you.
Header | |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rating | ||||
Stimulus Credit | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Unemployment Income (1099-G) | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Student Loan Interest | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Import Last Year’s Taxes | Only from Jackson Hewitt Online | Only from 1040.com | Free | Free |
Snap a Pic of W-2 | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported |
Multiple States | $25 | $25 | $14.99 per state | Not supported |
Multiple W2s | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Earned Income Tax Credit | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Child Tax Credit | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
HSAs | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Retirement Contributions | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Retirement Income (SS, Pension, etc.) | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Interest Income | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Itemize | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Dividend Income | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Capital Gains | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Rental Income | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Self-Employment Income | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Small Business Owner (Over $5k In Expenses) | $25 | $25 | Free | Free |
Audit Support | Not available | $29.95 add-on | Deluxe ($7.99) | Free |
Advice From | Not available | Not available | Pro Support ($34.99) | Not available |
Pricing | $25 | $25 | $0 Fed & | Free |
Cell |
How Do I Get Support From Jackson Hewitt Online?
Jackson Hewitt Online has a great set of “Tax Tips and Topics” on its primary website. Other resources include a tax document checklist and various tax calculators.
Within the filing software itself, resources are much more limited. Users can find a few FAQ knowledge articles. Additionally, the “Tell Me More” buttons sprinkled throughout the software offer useful translations for people who aren’t tax-minded.
But Jackson Hewitt Online doesn’t include a lot of extra support options. Users can access customer service via Live Chat anytime. But this service doesn’t include an audit protection guarantee. There’s also no option to get advice from a tax pro if you’re using Jackson Hewitt Online.
If you want expert support, you’ll need to forgo the online option and let a Jackson Hewitt Tax Pro in your local area prepare your return. Unlike some of its competitors, Jackson Hewitt keeps its online presence completely separate from its in-person offices and Walmart store locations.
Is It Safe And Secure?
Jackson Hewitt Online meets industry standards for keeping user information safe. The company encrypts user data, and it allows you to enable multi-factor authentication. No matter which tax software you use, your accounts are only secure if you use a unique, difficult-to-guess password on every website.
Jackson Hewitt Franchise locations have been accused of data breaches, but the online product has not fallen victim to any known hacks. However, no tax software, or any financial website, is 100% safe from data breach events.
Is It Worth It?
Jackson Hewitt Online isn’t on our list of top tax software picks in 2022. The user interface is reasonable for filers with straightforward returns. However, most of those filers can find alternatives at a lower price. A possible exception is multi-state filers. People who moved during the last year may find a lot of value in Jackson Hewitt Online.
But one-state filers looking for a bargain can look Cash App Taxes or TaxHawk rather than Jackson Hewitt Online. Others may prefer high-end software like H&R Block or TurboTax. No matter what you’re seeking, we have recommendations for software based on your filing situation.
Jackson Hewitt Online FAQs
Here are some the most common questions we hear people asking about Jackson Hewitt Online:
Can Jackson Hewitt Online help me file my crypto investments?
Jackson Hewitt Online allows users to claim capital gains associated with crypto transactions. But it isn’t easy. Filers must enter each transaction in a long online form.
Most filers who traded crypto should use TurboTax Premier rather than Jackson Hewitt Online. TurboTax Premier has built-in functionality designed to handle the complexity of crypto transactions.
Can Jackson Hewitt Online help me with state filing in multiple states?
Yes! Filers pay just $25 no matter how many state returns they need to complete.
Does Jackson Hewitt Online offer refund advance loans?
Jackson Hewitt Online does not offer refund advance loans. However, people who file from a Jackson Hewitt office (including inside a Walmart) may be eligible for a fee-free refund advance loan of up to $4,500, with $1,000. This loan may be instantly available even before you start your taxes, as long as you qualify.
Jackson Hewitt Online Features
Federal Cost | $25 |
State Cost | $0 |
Pay With Tax Refund | Yes, additional fee will apply |
Audit Support | Not available |
Support From Tax Pros | Not available |
Full Service Tax Filing | Not available |
Printable Tax Return | Yes |
Import Tax Return From Other Providers | No |
Import Prior-Year Return For Returning Customers | Yes |
Import W-2 With A Picture | No |
Stock Brokerage Integrations | None |
Crypto Exchange Integrations | None |
Self-Employment Income | Yes |
Itemize Deductions | Yes |
Deduct Charitable Donations | Yes |
Refund Anticipation Loans | Not offered with Jackson Hewitt Online, but may be offered to customers who file with a local Tax Pro |
Customer Service Email | Live chat |
Customer Service Phone Number | 1-800-234-1040 |
Web/Desktop Software | Yes |
Mobile Apps | No |
Promotions | None |
Editor: Claire Tak Reviewed by: Robert Farrington
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