Mint.com
Mint.com and the mobile Mint app are not tax apps per say, but instead are a solution for your overall financial life such as budgeting, investments, expenses, planning, etc. The best feature as it relates to taxes is the ability to categorize all your expenses.
This allows your accountant or you to identify possible deductions for business expenses such as a car, computer, supplies, or anything else related to your business and personal life that may be deductible. Rather than having to dig through 12 months of bank and credit card statements, with a few clicks you can pull up all your categorized expenses for the year.
Mint and its tracking of your entire financial life (if you let it) can also come in handy if you are the subject of an IRS audit. Knowing precise numbers for income and expenses, as well as the dates they occurred can make preparing for an audit and surviving one that much easier.
Quick Tax Reference by Bloomberg
This handy little tax app can help you as you prepare to file online or via the paper application. The best features are the reminders and simple explanations for things like estate tax, Alternative Minimum Tax, and capital gains. Also detailed are the timeframes for filing individual returns, extensions, business taxes, and other related schedules to ensure all your paperwork is in IRS hands when it should be.
My Pocket CPA
For a low $10 fee, my pocket CPA lets you ask a detailed question as it relates to taxes. This can be much more affordable than having to hire an accountant or lawyer. Combined with your general knowledge and a free online filing software, you can get an accurate and affordable tax return prepared. The app can provide information on simple questions, which can easily be found through a Google search. The best feature and main point of this app is for the more complicated questions you might have that only a qualified CPA can answer.
IRS2GO
The official app of the IRS is barebones. The main feature, however, is the ability to check the status of your tax return. With every year having more identify theft issues, many filers now have to go through additional verification steps to ensure that they are the “true” owner of their return. Processing times can also increase during peak times, so the ability to see what stage your return is in from a quick and simple app on your phone is a great peace of mind to have in your pocket.
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