H&R Mobile Block – iOS, Android

The H&R Block Mobile app makes it easy to file your taxes by connecting you directly with tax professionals. Basically, the app allows you to upload your documents and send them to a tax professional. You can create a custom checklist of required documents and allows you to view tax returns from previous years. If you need to schedule a face-to-face meeting with an H&R agent, the app can also help you find the closest office in your area. In addition, the app allows you to check the status of your federal tax return and estimate the amount of your return with a built-in calculator.

H&R Block 1040EZ – iPad

While the H&R Block Mobile app is focused on connecting you with tax professionals, H&R 1040EZ helps you file your taxes electronically independently. To use the app, take photos of the necessary documents and then file the information. It’s free to prepare your taxes, but it costs $9.99 to file electronically. The app checks for errors so you can correct errors and omissions, and customer service agents are available to provide live support if you need it. Plus, with the 1040EZ app, you can easily view past tax returns if you’ve used H&R Block before.

Turbo Tax – iPad

TurboTax for iPad guides you through the tax filing process. Here, again, you take a photo of your tax documents; The app then guides you through each step of the filing process, double-checking to make sure you’ve entered all the information correctly. TurboTax also verifies deductions and credits, and once your return arrives, it’s stored in the TurboTax Cloud. If you have questions, you can request assistance from a live agent right from the app. TurboTax is free to download, but costs $29.99 for federal tax filing and an additional $36.99 per state for state tax filing.

TaxCaster: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

The lightweight TaxCaster app helps you estimate your tax refund on the go. Simply enter basic information about your lifestyle and business, and TaxCaster will calculate what you owe and how much you can expect to recover. The app uses the same tax calculator you’ll find in the desktop version of TurboTax to provide estimates even before you file your taxes. Based on the information you provide, it may also recommend a product to help you complete the submission process.

Shoebox – iOS, Android

With Shoeboxed, keeping your receipts, bills, and other financial documents organized is as easy as taking a photo. Once you upload your document through the Shoeboxed app, it automatically pulls in important information like vendor, date, total, and payment type. This creates a fully searchable digital database of your transactions. For small business owners, Shoeboxed will pay off in a big way at tax time. The app can save you time and money; Managing paper documents yourself is time-consuming and hiring someone else to do it is expensive.

Evernote: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

More than just a robust note-taking tool, Evernote also offers a way to manage the documents you’ll need to file your taxes. Because Evernote allows you to easily store and organize images, you can scan your receipts and then throw them away. And because the app can read printed text, it’s easy to search for a specific receipt. You have a few options for entering your receipts into Evernote. First, there’s the expensive ScanSnap scanner, created by the developer of Evernote, which directly scans high-quality images and automatically uploads them to your Evernote account. For a cheaper solution, try the DocScanner app for iOS and Android, which you can use to “scan” receipts by taking a photo with your smartphone or tablet.

IDonatedIt – iOS, Android

Charitable donations are tax deductible expenses. They reduce your taxable income and ultimately reduce your tax bill. But keeping track of your donations throughout the year can be a chore. A mobile app called iDonatedIt streamlines the process by helping you quickly and easily document your donations. Simply open the app when you donate a non-cash item to charity to track the date of the donation, the charity you donated to, and the fair market value of the item. By tax day, you’ll have a complete and permanent record of donated items that meet IRS compliance requirements. You can also attach photos of donated items and email the detailed donation report to yourself or your accountant.

All these applications are free and for more information you can consult our Quickbooks support blog.