- Guided personal return: Walks self-filers through supported federal and state income, deductions, expenses, and credits.
- Conditional Simple federal filing: Completes a federal return at no charge only when the filer meets all current status, dependent, income, interest, credit, and adjustment rules.
- Federal-to-state transfer: Moves supported federal information into the state interview to reduce repeated entry.
- Storage and downloads: Paid returns include three years of secure storage and downloads. Free Simple downloads have a separate cutoff and later fee.
- Rejection and customer support: Includes re-file attempts after rejection and phone or secure-message support.
- Optional post-filing help: Sells audit defense, amendment insurance, current-year amendments, and mailed copies separately.
ezTaxReturn
Consumer online filing for individual federal and state income-tax returns
Updated August 12, 2026
ezTaxReturn Overview
ezTaxReturn is an online service for people preparing their own individual federal and state income-tax returns. Its interview asks about filing status, income, deductions, expenses, and credits, then places the answers on the supported tax forms and checks the return before e-file.
The service transfers federal information into a supported state return and lets users correct rejected filings. It also provides secure return storage, downloads, customer support, and separate post-filing help. The product is designed for personal returns, not corporate or professional tax-office work, and filers should confirm that every required form and state is supported.
Key Features
Pricing
| Plan or service | Current price | Billing and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Simple federal return | $0 for eligible filers | Single or married filing jointly, no dependents, limited income and credits, taxable interest below $1,500, total income below $16,000, and no income adjustments. |
| Simple federal plus state | $45.99 | The qualifying federal return is free, but the state return is not. |
| Paid federal return | $44.99 | Preparation, e-file, three years of storage and downloads, unlimited re-file after rejection, and phone support. |
| Paid state return | $45.99 | State preparation and e-file. Paid federal plus state totals $90.98. |
| Audit Defense Protection | $42.99 | Optional post-filing protection. |
| Amended Return Insurance | $12.99 | Optional coverage for a current-year amendment. |
| Current-year amended return | $22.99 | Separate amendment service. |
| Free to start | Available until filing | Users can complete the interview and see the result before paying. Payment is required to print or e-file a paid return. |
Free Simple federal downloads remain available through May 15, 2026, then cost $9.99 each. The paid federal and state products include three years of downloads.
Pricing source: ezTaxReturn official pricing. Simple-return rules: ezTaxReturn official Simple return page.
Pros
| Compared with | Why this product may fit better |
|---|---|
| TaxAct | ezTaxReturn shows its paid federal and state charges separately and includes phone support with a paid return. A filer who does not qualify for the free route can calculate the basic bill without sorting through several TaxAct assistance levels. |
| H&R Block Online | ezTaxReturn has a conditional free federal route without the wider product ladder used by H&R Block Online. It can suit a simple return, but the filer should check income, form, credit, and deduction limits before spending time in the interview. |
| 1040NOW.NET | ezTaxReturn includes three years of storage, downloadable copies, and phone support with paid filing. 1040NOW.NET focuses more narrowly on preparation and e-file, so ezTaxReturn gives users a clearer way to retrieve old returns and ask process questions. |
Cons
| Compared with | Where this product may fall short |
|---|---|
| TaxAct | ezTaxReturn’s free rules are narrow, and its reviews include users who learned they did not qualify only after entering their data. TaxAct also limits free filing, so buyers should compare the exact forms and credits rather than trust either product’s free label. |
| H&R Block Online | H&R Block Online can send a difficult return to an office or professional. ezTaxReturn has no matching handoff, so someone who discovers a complex state issue, business schedule, or notice may need to restart elsewhere or hire outside help after already entering the return. |
| 1040NOW.NET | 1040NOW.NET’s regular federal and one-state total is $54.90. ezTaxReturn’s current paid federal and state total is $90.98 before optional protection or amendment services, so a one-state filer should compare the complete bill. |
| Cash App Taxes | State filing is not free for the typical paid route, and later downloads for free simple returns can incur a fee. A price-sensitive eligible filer should compare the complete federal-and-state total because Cash App Taxes keeps its supported one-state process at $0. |
Reviews
- Trustpilot ezTaxReturn profile (1.6/5 from 35 reviews, 16 in the last 12 months, 83% one-star): Recent reviewers describe being asked to pay after entering a return they expected to be free, higher filing prices, submission trouble, and account-access problems. The pool is small and strongly complaint-led, but the repeated charge and support issues are specific points to test before filing.
- Finder ezTaxReturn Review 2026 (editorial review, no numeric editor score): Finder calls the step-by-step interface straightforward for simple returns. It also flags narrow free eligibility, limited tools for complex filings, unsupported states, and mixed support reports. Finder’s quoted prices are older than the live official page, so they are not used here.
