Preparing Your Federal Return
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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.

Dashboards
  • About - Enter your basic information such as Name, Address, SSN, Filing Status, etc.
  • Income – Enter your income forms, such as Form W-2, 1099, etc.
  • Deductions & Credits – Enter details about deductions and credits that you are eligible to take.
  • Taxes & Miscellaneous – Enter information about taxes and other miscellaneous items.
  • State - Answer a few state-specific questions and your state return is finished, too.
  • Review - Review your return using a suite of valuable tools to assist you with your review. The Double-Check feature reviews your entries and identifies missing or incomplete information that may bring your return to the attention of the IRS. Plus, you will be alerted to possible tax-saving opportunities you may have missed.
  • File - TaxAct offers you two ways to file your Federal return: print and file a paper return or file electronically!
  • Help – quick button to the help menu
  • Resources – Access other tools and resources including:
    • My Return Details – Check your return status and details
    • Print Center – Download, save, or print a copy of your return
    • E-File Center – Check your filing status and get help with e-filing
    • Federal Search – Find topics in your federal return and jump to the right section
    • Upgrade Options – Explore and compare available product upgrades
    • Refer a Friend – Invite friends and earn rewards when they file
    • Share My Screen – Get live help from support by sharing your screen securely
    • Bookmarks – Displays pages that you have bookmarked
    • Calculators – Plan your future taxes, loan payments, and savings
    • Clear and Start Fresh – If you want to remove all data that was imported, click here
    • Prior year comparison report – Compare your tax return from a previous year
    • Joint vs. separate filing status report – Compare the result of filing joint or separately
    • Donation Assistant – Enter charitable donations and get the right deduction
    • Stock Assistant – Quickly enter your investment income and stock sales
    • Forms Assistant – Find, edit and delete IRS and State forms for your return
    • Topics Assistant – Get help with tax topics based on your situation
  • My Account - quick button to the My account menu

Classic Navigation
  • Basic Info: Enter your basic information such as Name, Address, SSN, Filing Status, etc.
  • Federal: This step will take you through the main topics to enter your tax information, such as Wages and Salaries, Form 1099-MISC, Other Income, Other Adjustments, Other Credits, etc.
  • State: Once you have completed the Federal Q&A process, the next step is to complete your state return. Answer a few state-specific questions and your state return is finished, too. State Program Release Dates.
  • Review: Review your return using a suite of valuable tools to assist you with your review. The Double-Check feature reviews your entries and identifies missing or incomplete information that may bring your return to the attention of the IRS. Plus, you will be alerted to possible tax-saving opportunities you may have missed.
  • Filing: TaxAct offers you two ways to file your Federal return: print and file a paper return or file electronically!
  • Next Year: Be prepared for next year’s return with TaxAct's planning tools!
 
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