College students need to do their taxes, and many have student loans. So, if you’re a student or a student loan borrower, which tax software is best?
This year, several major tax companies are courting student loan borrowers with the promise of free state and federal filing for people claiming education credits and student loan interest deductions.
Anyone who qualifies to file their taxes for free should take advantage of these software packages.
However, filers expecting free filing should watch out for gotchas. Student loan borrowers who aren’t careful may wind up paying for expensive software. Below, we compare the top tax software options for students and student loan borrowers.
Why “Free” Tax Software Might Not Be Free For Most Student Loan Borrowers
Tax filing software companies often plaster “FREE!” all over their advertising. But many student loan borrowers won’t qualify for free returns. Several companies offer free software for people who want to claim the student loan interest deduction. In fact, two premium software packages, H&R Block and TurboTax support this deduction on their free tier.
However, this so-called free software may not be suitable for all student loan borrowers. Filers might use one of these packages to “start for free” only to find they don’t qualify for the free option. It can be frustrating!
Many filers will need to pay for the most expensive version of the software because they have self-employment income. Self-employment is an expansive term that covers a wide range of work situations including most side hustles.
For example, people who flip items on eBay, those who drive for rideshare companies, and many others have to file a Schedule C. These jobs, which you may have taken on to help pay off your debt qualify as self-employment income. This type of income often requires upgrading to an expensive “Self-Employed” package.
Below, we clearly lay out which tax situations each software supports for free (and which situations aren’t supported). That way student loan borrowers can figure out what software will work for them.
Top Tax Software For Students
This year, our top software options for student loan borrowers include H&R Block Free, TurboTax Free, Cash App Taxes, and FreeTaxUSA.
Our overall pick for the best tax software for students is Cash App Taxes.
Cash App Taxes
Cash App Taxes offers completely free state and federal filing for most filers. However, it does not support multi-state filing (which can be difficult for students living and working in multiple states).
But, most college students are probably already using Cash App (it’s the largest peer-to-peer money transfer app), so it’s also a natural fit.
Situations Covered By The Free Software
- Most income sources
- All major deductions and credits
- One state filing
Situations NOT Covered By The Free Software
- Multi-state filing
- International income (including study abroad income)
- K-1 Forms
FreeTaxUSA
FreeTaxUSA offers low-cost software that supports all situations. It’s not as easy to use as the other three software, but it has a very good user experience given the low price point.
Situations Covered By The Free Software
- All users will qualify for free federal filing
Situations NOT Covered By The Free Software
- State tax returns – all state returns cost $14.99 per state
H&R Block
H&R Block offers a simple experience. It allows users to import W-2 and 1099 forms right into the software. The software then takes over generating the returns. Importantly, education credits and the student loan interest deduction are both included on the free plan.
Situations Covered By The Free Software
- W-2, Unemployment or Social Security Income
- Limited interest or dividend income
- Standard deduction only
- Education Credits
- Student loan interest deduction
- Earned Income Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
Situations NOT Covered By The Free Software
- Investment or trading income
- Rental property Income
- Self-employment income
- Saver’s Credit (retirement contributions)
- Dependent Care Credit
- HSA Contributions
- Other deductions or credits
TurboTax
When we review the best tax software each year, TurboTax is always near the top in terms of ease of use, navigation, and support options. It also covers the student loan interest deduction on the free tier. But unlike with H&R Block, you’ll need to upgrade to a TurboTax paid tier if you want to claim education credits.
Situations Covered By The Free Software
- W-2 income
- Limited interest or dividend income
- Standard deduction only
- Earned Income Tax Credit
- Child tax credits
- Student loan interest deduction
Situations NOT Covered By The Free Software
- Education credits (for current students and
their parents) - Income other than W-2 or limited interest and
dividend income. - Investment or trading income
- Rental property income
- Other deductions or credits
~37% of filers qualify for $0 federal & state filing. Simple 1040 returns only (no schedules except for Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and student loan interest).
What Student Loan Borrowers Should Look For In A Tax Software
Price is, of course, a top consideration when choosing tax software. But it isn’t the only consideration. Student loan borrowers should also consider how easy it is to use the software.
Free and low-cost software options like Cash App Taxes and FreeTaxUSA aren’t typically as easy to use. Filers using these options may expect to spend a bit more time preparing their returns. However, they clock in at lower price points.
Premium software like H&R Block and TurboTax makes filing very easy, even for filers with complex taxes. Users can snap pictures of their tax forms and upload them directly to the app. The app takes care of the rest. Filers can also quickly figure out how to add rental or self-employment income and the associated deductions. These features are great, but filers have to weigh the benefit with out-of-pocket costs they will expect to pay.
In general, we recommend choosing premium software when you can use it for free. Filers who can’t use the free software face a more difficult decision and should decide whether to spend more time or more money filing their taxes.
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