- Guided personal return: Uses an online interview for supported individual federal and state forms, deductions, expenses, and credits.
- Conditional free federal filing: Provides free preparation and e-file only when the return meets the live simple-return rules.
- Paid state support: Adds state preparation, e-file, storage, and phone help for the published state fee.
- Storage and re-filing: Paid returns include three years of secure storage/downloads and unlimited re-file attempts after rejection.
- Post-filing options: Sells audit defense, amendment coverage, current-year amendments, and mailed return copies separately.
ezTaxReturn
Consumer online filing for individual federal and state income-tax returns
Updated August 10, 2026
ezTaxReturn Overview
ezTaxReturn is an individual online tax-preparation and e-file service. It offers a restricted free route for qualifying simple federal returns and fixed prices for filers whose income, forms, deductions, or credits fall outside that definition.
The paid federal and state products include preparation, e-file, rejection re-filing, three years of storage and downloads, and phone support. Audit defense, amendment insurance, later downloads, and mailed copies are optional charges rather than included features.
Key Features
Pricing
| Plan or service | Current price | Billing and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Simple federal return | $0 for eligible returns | Restricted to the provider’s current simple-return criteria; later downloads cost $9.99 after May 15, 2026. |
| Paid federal return | $35.99 | Preparation, e-file, storage, downloads, rejection re-filing, and phone support. |
| State return | $31.99 | State preparation and e-file; the paid federal-plus-state total is $67.98. |
| Optional protection | $9.99–$39.99 | Amendment insurance is $9.99, a current-year amendment $19.99, and audit defense $39.99. |
The free tier is limited by the provider’s eligibility rules rather than available for every return. Paid federal, state, download, amendment, and protection charges are separate.
Pricing source: https://www.eztaxreturn.com/prices-and-products/prices-and-products.html
Pros
| Compared with | Why this product may fit better |
|---|---|
| TaxAct | TaxAct is the other option here. The paid federal and state amounts are displayed separately, and phone support is included with paid returns. A filer who does not qualify for the restricted free route can calculate the base software total without first selecting an assisted tier. |
| H&R Block Online | Against H&R Block Online, a simple-return filer may qualify for free federal filing without choosing among several paid assistance tiers. This can work for a narrow, uncomplicated filing situation, provided the user confirms the income, form, credit, and deduction limits before spending time in the interview. |
| 1040NOW.NET | 1040NOW.NET takes a different route. Paid plans include three years of storage and downloads as well as phone support, not just filing access. Those inclusions give a user a defined way to retrieve filed material and ask procedural questions through the product instead of paying only for transmission. |
Cons
| Compared with | Where this product may fall short |
|---|---|
| TaxAct | Buyers weighing TaxAct should note this. The free definition is narrow, and complaints show that some users discover they do not qualify only after entering return data. Complaints indicate that some users discover an upgrade requirement after entering information, so eligibility should be checked against the actual forms, not inferred from an advertising label. |
| H&R Block Online | Considering H&R Block Online as well, H&R Block’s office network gives filers a professional handoff that ezTaxReturn lacks. If the interview uncovers a complicated state issue, business schedule, or notice, the user may need to restart with another provider or hire outside help. |
| 1040NOW.NET | One point favors 1040NOW.NET. The federal-plus-state paid total is higher than several low-cost competitors, before optional protection products. A filer should calculate the full federal-plus-state bill and any protection add-ons before choosing. The individual headline prices do not represent the complete paid return. |
| 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: The current profile is 1.6/5 from 35 reviews, with 16 posted in the last year and 83% at one star. Recent complaints focus on free-file eligibility, unexpected charges, submission trouble, and account access; the small sample and complaint-heavy channel mean the score should not be read as a complete customer survey.
- Finder 2026 review: Finder describes a long-running, IRS-authorized filing product and notes the company’s BBB standing, but also emphasizes checking form and state support before starting. This editorial context balances the small negative Trustpilot pool without erasing the complaints.
