Top Tax Software Programs for Your 2018 Tax Return

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered tax rates, eliminated some popular tax deductions and nearly doubled the standard deduction, which will sharply reduce the number of taxpayers who itemize on their tax returns. For many Americans, that should make filing this year's tax return faster and easier, particularly for those using a tax software program. But if you think you'll be able to breeze through your tax return in the time it takes to brew a pot of coffee, you may be disappointed. If you've itemized in the past, you'll probably still need to plug in your mortgage interest, property taxes, charitable contributions, etc., to determine whether itemizing or claiming the standard deduction will give you a lower tax bill. And even if you're confident you'll claim the standard deduction, you could qualify for a raft of tax breaks available to non-itemizers.

Most of the tax software programs we tested alerted us to money-saving tax breaks. They also did an admirable job of asking questions that were relevant to our situations, without bogging us down with questions