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Printing Your Return and Individual Forms

The print process generates a Portable Document Format (PDF) file that can be viewed, printed, or saved. As all supported browsers now have PDF readers, Adobe Acrobat Reader is not required to print a PDF copy. IMPORTANT: TaxAct fees must be paid before the return and individual forms can be printed or saved as a […]

TaxAct Xpert Support

While working on your taxes using TaxAct, you have the option to promptly engage with one of our credentialed tax experts. Open your return in TaxAct. Click Get Live Tax Advice in the top right corner. Select the level of service that you want by choosing Chat or Speak under either Xpress Connect or Unlimited […]

TaxAct Online – Dashboard View vs. Classic View

TaxAct Online has a Classic view and a Dashboard view. Classic has a dark purple menu on the left and Dashboard has a white menu with light purple highlighting. If you are in the Dashboard View, you can switch back to Classic View by following these steps:  On the left, click Resources. On smaller devices, […]

Form 8949 – Forcing to Print When Not Required

Generally, the IRS does not require all transactions to be reported on Form 8949, Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets. For transactions with reporting category “A” or “D” (meaning the cost basis was reported to the IRS), if there is no adjustment code/amount they can be reported directly on Schedule D (Form 1040), Capital […]

Reviewing Your Return with Double-Check

You can easily review your return manually, or with the TaxAct Double-Check feature, which can identify missing or incomplete information that may bring your return to the attention of the IRS, and alert you about possible tax saving opportunities.   Manual Review Click About or Basic Info, then click Continue on each screen, visually reviewing […]

Social Security Number – Entering in Program

To enter or review the taxpayer’s or spouse’s Social Security Number in the return, follow the steps below.  Online Dashboards From within your TaxAct return, click About. On smaller devices, click the menu at the top left corner of your screen, then make your selection.  Review the information listed for You, your Spouse, and your […]

Filing Status – Remove Spouse SSN After Importing

To change your filing status from “Married Filing Joint” to “Head of Household” after importing, you will need to remove any spousal information from your return.  To remove the spouse details, follow the steps below.  Online Dashboard From within your TaxAct return, click About.  On smaller devices, click the menu at the top left corner […]

IP PIN Received for Dependent

If your dependent received an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN), you will need to enter this PIN on your tax return. To enter your dependent’s IP PIN, follow the steps below.  Online Dashboards From within your TaxAct return, click Taxes & Miscellaneous. On smaller devices, click the menu at the top left corner of your […]

Preparing Your Federal Return

Preparing your Federal Return is easy using TaxAct. The Interview will take you through your return from start to finish. If you prefer to jump around, you can use the Menus or Site Map to jump to specific topics. When using TaxAct Online, there are two views that you may see. Dashboards and Classic Navigation. […]

Navigating Within Your TaxAct Online Return

TaxAct Online provides an easy-to-use interview format which will take you through your return from start to finish. You can also skip to any part of the interview by using the menus or the topic list. Alternatively, you can search or use one of the Assistants.  Menus To navigate to a major section in the […]

Donation Assistant

Donation Assistant is a useful way to calculate the Fair Market Value (FMV) of donated items, such as items donated to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or any other charitable or non-profit organizations. This calculator provides certified resale values for over 1,300 items, so you can accurately determine the value of your donated items and maximize your […]

Form W-2 – Adding, Reviewing, or Deleting

In the TaxAct program, you can add, review/edit, delete, and add multiple copies of Form W-2. If you need to add Form W-2, read the instructions in the article Form W-2 – Entering in Program. To add multiple copies of Form W-2, read the instructions in the article Form W-2 – Filing Multiple Copies. Review […]

Applying for Federal Student Aid

With TaxAct software, you can gather important tax information for the students or parents of students who will be applying for federal financial aid with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) worksheet.  located in the Review section of the software. To access the worksheet, click Review and then College Student Financial Aid. Follow […]

Active Forms in Forms and Schedules

To determine which forms/schedules are “active” in the current return, as opposed to those forms that are not being used in the current return, you need to view the Forms and Schedules list. Active forms/schedules are either automatically created (and required as a part of every return), or you have entered information in the TaxAct […]

Use Form Entry Method

How to Enter Data Directly onto a Form in TaxAct Desktop and Professional Editions If you’re using TaxAct Desktop or Professional Editions, you can enter data directly into forms using Forms View. Here’s how to navigate and input data effectively: Accessing Forms View: From within your TaxAct return, click Forms in the options bar to open the Forms Explorer (if not already visible). […]

Blue or Red Fields – Calculated Lines, Worksheets, Overrides

The data entry fields are color coded to indicate the type of field it is. There are three types of fields, user entry fields (green), calculated fields (blue) and overridden fields (red). Calculated fields (displayed in blue) are fields in which the program has calculated the data. The data could be text, a number or a […]

Running Program Updates

Steps to Check for Program Updates: Open your TaxAct program. Click Online in the upper menu bar. Select Check for Updates from the dropdown menu. Follow the on-screen instructions to select and install the federal or state updates you need. NOTE: This process verifies and installs the latest program updates. Your data will remain intact and will not be lost during the update.

Install/Update a State – TaxAct Online

The TaxAct® Online program operates on our servers, so you don’t need to install software or run updates on your computer. Adding a State to Your Return:If you need to add a state after completing the Federal Q&A: Access the State Section In your TaxAct Online return, Click State, then select Add State. On smaller devices, tap the menu (?) in the top left […]

How to Save Your TaxAct Return as a PDF

To generate and save your return as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, follow these steps: Ensure Adobe Acrobat Reader is Installed You’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, print, or save your tax return. Access the Print Center in TaxAct Open your TaxAct return (Online). Click the Print Center dropdown. Select Return from the menu. Specify the Number of Copies In the Federal Copies field, enter […]

Why do I have to log in to my downloaded TaxAct software?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that entities which engage in an activities that are financial in nature implement certain security practices to ensure customer data is properly protected. One of these requirements is to maintain a log of authorized users’ activity and to watch for unauthorized access. In order to maintain this log, we […]

Adding Line Item Details

In TaxAct® Online and Desktop editions, you can add line item information to a field. This is useful if you need to add several numbers together to figure the total amount to enter on a particular form, or if you would like to add comments to a given field. Note. For Online returns, first click […]

Cannot Open Form Directly

For forms that cannot be opened directly, a list of schedules or worksheets that must be completed first will pop up. The information you enter on those forms will flow back to populate the form you desire.

Donation Assistant – General Information

TaxAct® is pleased to offer the Donation Assistant to assist taxpayers in determining the proper valuation of donated items and conform to the new IRS requirement for valuing donated items. The Donation Assistant uses valuations from CUCV, Inc (Certified Used Clothing Values) that are obtained from annual surveys of consignment and thrift stores throughout the […]

Preparing for Next Year – Business Edition

TaxAct provides tools to help you plan for next year’s tax return. To access the planning tools: From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), click Next Year (on smaller devices, click in the top left corner of your screen, then click Next Year). Continue with the interview process to prepare for next year. Planning tools […]

Alert – Yellow Alert

A yellow alert indicates that you may or may not need to take any additional action. It is informational only and does not indicate any errors on the return. The alert continues to generate so that you may go back and change your entry if need be. However, once you are satisfied with your entry, […]

Deleting/Removing a State Return From TaxAct Desktop

The TaxAct® Desktop and Professional Editions programs can automatically attach state returns for state modules that were installed on your computer. If you don’t need to file for a state that was attached to your return, you can choose not to file for the state and skip the interview questions for that state. You may […]

Preparing for Next Year

TaxAct® provides tools to help you plan for next year’s tax return. To access the planning tools: From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), click Next Year (on smaller devices, click in the top left corner of your screen, then click Next Year). Continue with the interview process to prepare for next year. Let’s […]

TaxAct Online vs. TaxAct Desktop (Download)

TaxAct® has two different types of products that allow you to prepare, print, and e-file your Form 1040 tax return: TaxAct Online and TaxAct Download. With TaxAct Online, you can add multiple returns to your account; therefore, a whole family can access their returns from the same account. You will access the account and return(s) […]

Summary of Return – Tax Summary

The tax summary is a TaxAct feature that lists items calculated or entered in your return, with dollar amounts for various categories that impact your return, broken down by category. To view your tax summary in the TaxAct program: Online: From within your TaxAct return (Online), click the vertical ellipsis menu at the top of […]

Adjusting the Screen Area

Adjusting your screen area can allow you to see more of a web page through your browser but can also make the text very small depending on your monitor size. The greater number of pixels gives you more area but also reduces the size of the objects you are viewing. We recommend that you print […]

Accessing Form Instructions

TaxACT provides form instructions to provide line by line help as you prepare your return. These form instructions provide the detailed information supplied by the IRS or appropriate state agency regarding the completion of your tax return. Accessing Form Instructions Within your TaxACT Online or TaxACT Desktop return, go to any Interview question. Click on […]

Save your TaxAct Online return

Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader® installed to view, print or save your return. For additional information on Adobe Acrobat Reader®, please visit the following link: Adobe Acrobat Reader® Log into your return. Click the Print link at the top right of your screen. Click Print Return & Instructions. Click Federal Return Click on […]