Saving & Spending Taxes

Liberty Tax Review [2025]: Modest Prices for Complex Taxes

Liberty Tax offers online tax filing software at rates lower than some competitors, and you can also get in-person support at local offices. However, we don't generally recommend it.

By Christy Rakoczy

Edited by Lauren Graves

Updated Feb. 20, 2025

Liberty Tax

OUR VIEW

Liberty Tax offers online tax filing software with optional in-person support at around 2,000 offices throughout the U.S.

Online tax filing doesn't include digital expert support, and the platform doesn't offer a free plan, unlike many companies. For these reasons, we wouldn't recommend Liberty Tax for filers with simple tax situations or people who would benefit from digital support from pros when filing online. This company's basic plan is also relatively costly, given how much it doesn't include. That said, we might suggest Liberty Tax if you live near an office and want to get help filing your taxes that way, and its premium plan for more complicated situations isn't a bad option for its comparatively low price tag.

This Liberty Tax review dives deeper into what the tax filing company offers and who it might be best for.

Pros

Lower price on premium plan than many platforms

Decent maximum refund and accuracy guarantees

Hundreds of office locations

Cons

Online filing does not include professional support

Higher price on state tax returns than some platforms

Platform does not include a free filing option for simple taxes

There are many different tax software options out there. This Liberty Tax review will help you decide whether this company's online filing service is the best one to help you complete your 1040 forms and submit them to the government.

Liberty Tax: the basics

Liberty Tax started as a Canadian tax franchise company called U&R Tax Depot, but the company was acquired in 1997 and renamed Liberty Tax Service the subsequent year. The full-service income tax preparation company has more than 1,800 offices in the U.S. and Canada to provide in-person help with the filing process, and it also offers online tax preparation software. It offers three different tiers for its paid software plans, but this does not include a free plan.

How much does Liberty Tax cost?

Liberty Tax offers three different options for online tax filers, including a Basic plan, a Deluxe plan, and a Premium plan designed for those who have more complicated situations, such as filers who are self-employed, small business owners, those who need to file a Schedule C, and real estate investors.

Liberty's most expensive tier is only $87.95, which is lower than the highest rate charged by well-known competitor TurboTax but similar to rates charged by H&R Block. Other online filing programs cost less than Liberty Tax, although it's common for more complicated tax situations to demand the highest price tag. Note that you'll pay extra for state returns regardless of which program you choose with Liberty Tax, which is also not unusual.

The chart below shows the different product options, including the prices to submit a federal tax return, as well as for state tax filing.

Product	Cost	Best for...
Basic	$47.95 for a federal return $36.95 for state returns	Single or married filers with no dependents who are claiming the standard deduction
Deluxe	$67.95 for a federal tax return $36.95 for state returns	Tax filers who need to claim dependents, who owe capital gains taxes, or who plan to itemize deductions
Premium	$87.95 for a federal tax return $36.95 for state returns	Small business owners or individuals with self-employment income or other uncommon types of income

Editor's note

Liberty Tax had two different prices listed for each of these plan tiers on its website when I updated this review, with a difference of $2 each, but I included the higher prices in this table. When I called customer service about the discrepancy, they didn't have an explanation and promised to escalate the issue. A simple system error could cause this, but an outdated or unclear website always gives me pause — especially when I'm looking at a fully digital product.

Basic tax filing services

Liberty's Basic tax filing service costs $47.95 for federal returns and $36.95 to submit a state return. It includes Forms 1040 and 8853 as well as Schedule A and Schedule B. It does not allow you to itemize deductions or claim either investment or retirement income. This plan is similar to free plans with many tax software programs, with the addition of a couple more forms.

If you are a single filer or are married with no dependents and have only W-2 income, unemployment income, or interest income under $1,500, this option could work for you. You can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or report a taxable scholarship or fellowship grant, tips, or dividends from the Alaska Permanent Fund. This plan does not support student loan interest deductions or claiming the Child Tax Credit.

Your income must be under $100,000 to qualify for Basic.

Deluxe tax filing services

Liberty's Deluxe service is $67.95 for federal returns and $36.95 for each state return. You'll be able to submit more forms with this upgraded program, including Forms 1040, 4562, 8829, 4136, 8839, and 8853, as well as Schedules A, B, and C.

If you have capital gains from investments or retirement income and want to go with Liberty Tax, we recommend this plan. You can also use this program to claim education tax breaks or deductions for IRA contributions, alimony payments, or retirement expenses.

You can itemize your deductions with the Deluxe service as well, which makes this the ideal choice if you have a lot of medical expenses, high mortgage interest payments, or enough other deductible expenses to exceed the standard deduction.

Premium tax filing services

If your situation is especially complicated, you would need Liberty's Premium service. Available for $87.95 for federal returns and $36.95 per state return, the Premium service allows you to file a wide variety of forms and schedules, including Forms 1040, 4562, 8829, 4136, 4684, 4835, 8839, and 8853, and Schedules A, B, C, E, F, K-1.

This plan is really only different from Deluxe in that you can report income from self-employment, business deductions, rental or farming, an estate, unreported tips, and other uncommon sources. But if you owe income tax on more than $100,000 in income, you should also opt for Premium.

How does Liberty Tax work?

Liberty Tax aims to eliminate the hassle for tax filers by offering multiple online options for submitting your tax return. Whether you have a simple return, a family that necessitates claiming the child care tax credit, or a complicated return with self-employment income, you won't pay much more when you use Liberty to file your returns.

This company stands apart from other tax filing services because it has more than 1,800 different locations where you can also get in-person help.

Gurantees

For online filing, Liberty Tax offers an accuracy guarantee and a maximum refund guarantee. The maximum refund guarantee only refunds preparation fees if you get a bigger refund elsewhere, and the accuracy guarantee refunds interest and penalty payments if the company's software results in errors.

If you file in person instead, you'll also receive audit assistance and assistance corresponding with the IRS.

Pros and cons of Liberty Tax

Pros

Liberty offers some significant advantages, especially for people who have complex tax situations. Here are some of the key benefits.

In-person assistance: If you get stuck during the filing process, Liberty online can transfer all of your forms and information to a Liberty Tax office where a professional can help you complete the filing process.
Lower price on more premium plan than some platforms: If you need access to more forms and deductions, you'll pay a little less with Liberty Tax than you would with TurboTax.
Multiple guarantees: Liberty Tax provides a maximum refund and accuracy guarantee for online filers, although both of these are standard for online tax software.

Cons

Unfortunately, there are also some downsides to using Liberty Tax as well. Here are some of the biggest disadvantages.

No free option: Unlike some online filing services, Liberty does not offer an option to file taxes for free. If you have an income less than $72,000 and qualify for free e-file, you may want to consider another service.
State tax returns are expensive: You'll have to pay $36.95 for each state tax return you file.
No expert support for online filing: If you file yourself using the company's software, you won't have the option to access tax experts or pay for extra support. Although expert assistance is very common with other platforms, Liberty Tax will only transfer your case to a local office if you need help once you've started.

How to contact Liberty Tax

You can contact Liberty Tax via phone at 866-871-1040 if you want help finding a local office, or you can call its headquarters toll-free at 800-790-3863. You can also email Liberty at libertyonlinesupport@libtax.com if you need help with its online services or office@libtax.com to email a local office by you.

There is no online chat feature available from Liberty Tax, but you do have the option to visit one of more than 1,800 local offices and talk with a tax preparer if you need support.

FAQs

Does Liberty Tax do rapid refunds?

Liberty Tax does not offer a rapid refund option. You can choose to receive your refund via paper check; direct deposit; or a Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard — but additional fees will apply if you choose the card option. You can also opt for a Refund Transfer, which allows you to avoid paying an upfront fee for tax preparation services.

Rapid refunds are generally a costly option, and using them could be a big tax mistake. It's best to request a refund via direct deposit from the IRS after e-filing if you want to avoid owing fees while still getting your money as quickly as possible.

Which is better, Liberty Tax or H&R Block?

Liberty Tax and H&R Block both offer the option of filing your taxes online or getting help with your tax planning from a tax professional at an in-person location. When choosing between them, the best option will depend on your personal situation.

H&R Block offers the opportunity for those with simple returns to file for free, which makes it a better choice if you're eligible to submit a no-cost return. However, if you are self-employed or have other uncommon income sources, H&R Block's online filing for self-employed individuals is more expensive than the option Liberty Tax offers.

Which is cheaper, Liberty Tax or Jackson Hewitt?

When comparing the cost of filing your taxes with Liberty Tax vs. Jackson Hewitt, it's obvious which is cheaper. Jackson Hewitt offers a $25 flat fee e-filing service, Federal and state returns included. This is less expensive than Liberty's services.

What is the best tax preparation company?

The best tax preparation company depends on your needs.

For qualifying taxpayers, TurboTax Free Edition offers an incredibly easy-to-use program. Cash App Taxes also offers the opportunity to file both state and federal taxes for free, which sets it apart from almost all other competitors that charge for state returns. TaxAct also provides a free option, which includes some features that other competitors don't allow, such as declaring retirement income and claiming dependents. And Liberty Tax offers free double-check, which most competitors don't. However, it charges to file any return.

Ultimately, you'll need to compare the features that each company offers to decide which is the best tax software or service for your needs. If you plan to pay your taxes with a credit card, you may also want to look into programs that facilitate that option.

Bottom line

If you qualify for free or basic services with other tax prep providers, that may be the better option, but Liberty Tax could be a more affordable choice for those with complex tax situations. Liberty Tax does not offer a free plan or expert support when filing online, and its guarantees are average. Its interface is also more difficult to use than others we've tried, and the company is not as good at keeping its website and information up to date as many platforms.

If it doesn't sound like the best option for you, check out our picks for the best tax software.