This year, OLT.com has an improved navigation and interface, but it’s kept its prices low. Unfortunately the improvements aren’t enough to make this a recommended software, even for bargain hunters.
If you’re an experienced filer who wants an audit assistance guarantee at a low cost, OLT may be the right software for you.
It’s not a perfect filing solution, but with it’s rock bottom pricing, many filers may be tempted by the offering, here’s what you need to know about filing your taxes using OLT.com in 2019-2020.
See how OLT.com also compares to our top tax filing software options.
Quick Summary
- Improved navigation but still bare bones
- Low price for audit assistance and live support
- Pricing is one of the lowest for all tax forms included
OLT.com Details | |
|---|---|
Product Name | Online Taxes |
Federal Price | $0 |
State Price | $9.95 per State |
Preparation Type | Self-Prepared |
Promotions | None |
OLT.com Review Video
OLT.com - Is It Really Free?
OLT.com allows all filers to file Federal taxes for free. However, the state return costs $9.95. The software is competitively priced for filers with more complex tax filing situations.
OLT.com Pricing And Plans
OLT.com has two pricing tiers. The Free tier includes all major forms for filing, but it doesn’t come with tech support. The Premium edition comes with live chat and phone technical support, and a guarantee of audit assistance.
The primary difference between the two plans is that the second plan comes with audit assistance protection, customer support via phone, and live chat. The customer support representatives are both knowledgeable and helpful, but they offer tech support not tax support.
Both plans give you access to all the major tax filing schedules, and you can import your data from the previous year.
Plan | Free Edition | Premium Edition |
|---|---|---|
Best For | Anyone comfortable filing their own taxes very manually | If you want customer service and audit support |
Federal Pricing | $0 | $7.95 |
State Pricing | $9.95 | $7.95 |
Total Cost | $9.95 | $15.90 |
OLT.com Navigation
This year, OLT.com has dramatically improved it’s navigation. The software has a semi-guided form of navigation. It guides users through relevant income, deduction, credit, and health care information. Users can quickly decide whether a section is relevant, and skip it if it’s not.
Another much improved feature is OLT.com’s “Where do I enter?” button at the top of the software. If you’re struggling to figure out where to enter information, the search function really helps.
That only drawback to OLT.com’s navigation is it’s “intra-section” navigation. When you enter a section, you must complete all screens before moving on. Since OLT.com is not a streamlined software system, it can feel annoying to click so often. Plus, many of the screens are wordy, so you have to read a lot to be sure you’re not skipping something important.
OLT.com's new in-section navigation menu
Overall, OLT.com’s navigation is best for experienced users who know exactly what they need. Inexperienced filers who want guided navigation should skip over OLT.com altogether. See our OLT.com review video for some of the more confusing aspects of the navigation.
OLT.com Ease Of Use
Overall, I found that OLT.com was cumbersome to use. The software includes excessive amounts of text, and a lot of the text includes tax jargon. Unlike great tax filing software, OLT.com expects users to know the jargon before filing. For example, many screens are "which will you use"? What if you don't know... it's tough.
Each screen contained a lot of text which made it hard to complete the forms quickly. On top of that, OLT.com doesn’t allow any imports of this year’s tax forms. That means that it is possible to make errors while entering information.
OLT.com’s built in calculators are decent. For example the rental depreciation calculators work as expected. That said, the rental property calculator took over a dozen screens whereas many software services help users get through the process in just 2-3 screens.
OLT.com Knowledge Articles
Each section in OLT.com contains a “Useful Information” button on the top right side of the screen. The button serves up links to the IRS.gov website for detailed (overly detailed) information about relevant topics. It also includes a short summary about the section, so users can decide whether it is relevant to them.
Personally, I think that linking out to the IRS website is a poor choice for OLT.com. It certainly doesn’t make tax filing easier. The short summary articles are decent though.
OLT.com also has a knowledge base. You have to search specifically articles that are relevant to you.
OLT.com Extras
If you upgrade to OLT.com Premium, you’ll get audit assistance and Live Chat tech support. The audit assistance can be a good value, although FreeTaxUSA offers a similar guarantee at a similar price, and it has a superior interface.
Can OLT.com Help Me With My Crypto Investments?
OLT.com asks users about virtual currencies at the start of the process. However, it does not include specific directions on adding the information.
If you’ve done it before, you may be able to figure out which forms are important to use. Otherwise, you’ll have to do the research on your own.
Who Should Use OLT.com in 2019-2020?
Despite the low price, OLT.com doesn’t offer a compelling reason to use the software in 2020. Users who want a better software at a similar price should consider FreeTaxUSA rather than OLT.com. Users who want robust audit assistance and a decent price might consider upgrading to TaxSlayer Premium. And, if you qualify for the free services H&R Block or TurboTax are still the leaders in this area.
In particular, people who get annoyed by guided navigation may find that OLT.com is not a good choice. However, FreeTaxUSA offers a superior experience for just a few dollars more.
It’s also important to note that inexperienced filers should probably stay away from OLT.com in 2019-2020. In most cases, H&R Block’s Free Plan for a better user interface at a lower cost.
OLT.com Review
- Navigation - 60
- Ease Of Use - 60
- Features and Options - 70
- Customer Service - 80
- Plans and Pricing - 90
Overall
Summary
Online Taxes (or OLT.com) is a barebones tax preparation software that has bargain prices but is more difficult to use.
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him here and here.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared towards anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, ABC, NBC, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.
susan says
Olt.com is not even letting me go past the w-2 section, says a problem with the resources I’m trying to access. When I did live chat, they say it is a problem with my browser and others are having this problem – I have a google chromebook. They say to use another device. So wasted time already because they are not concerned with a fix. olt.com is both clunky and error riddled and won’t fix their real problems.
Robert Farrington says
Sorry you found our review after you encountered these issues.
ray says
They are bad this year I tried 5 times to sent id code to my mobile
phone nothing They really went down hill this year
Tom Neinkman says
Good review too bad I read this article after trying to use them. I have a simple straight forward tax situation, so I usually just file online using my iPad. Unfortunately for me I used OLT. Tabs were not working and pages pulled up all disoriented. Couldn’t even get the Schedule A form. Anyway wasted 45 minutes on this. Wish I read your review first.
Kyal says
Nice article. Wish I had found it before I got involved with OLT. I actually used them last year.
This year the online software locked me into the 1099-B input page. Couldn’t Save. Couldn’t back up to previous page. Couldn’t move forward to Credits input.
I emailed Service. Response was quick, but ineffective. Service suggested I examine the input screen to see whether I had committed an error or neglected to fill in a required screen. She told me to look for the “PINK” highlight that would indicate the error. NO PINK HIGHLIGHTS. The website timed me out and I put the data in again.
Each screen requires re-inputting from previous screen… like address, phone etc.
zzcodi says
Any way to not to add every 1099-INT payers address and TIN ?
Robert Farrington says
I believe you need to add them for each one. How many do you have?
dennis says
OK i’m another user that wished he read this review first, i have simple tax returns and at age 66 i’m on Medicare but i’m getting deducted 695.00 for Health Care Individual Responsibility and i can’t find a way to remove that and this program has all the information from my ssa 1099 ugh!!
dolores wieland says
I’m getting desperate now. I have 50 pages of 8949 to input but cannot find the form other than the one that is NOT incorporated into the tax return (nor does it add or substract). I also had problems this year with getting into the return although my password was correct. Hate having to get another preparer after all the work already done and I’d have to access last year’s tax return for carryovers. I have several requests for them to help but I get nothing… All I want is form 8949 incorporated into my return,..What is so hard about that???
Cynthia Ross says
I’d just like to say BEWARE. Yes, the IRS is telling me I can do both state and federal returns for free, but I just wasted a Sunday because of OLT’s poorly-conceived attempt to “improve” their product by initiating a “single account to manage all of your OLT accounts.” I was able to complete an “OLT One” account after numerous attempts. It finally dawned on me that no, I couldn’t use the same username I’d had for my 2017 return. After that, I worked all Sunday afternoon completing my federal return, stopped to make dinner, and when I returned, I’d been logged out (which didn’t surprise me) and now I can’t access my dandy new account–the website keeps telling me that my username and password “don’t match.” I don’t know what they’re on about; I carefully noted both and know they are what I had set up. Anyway, I’m now in limbo, thinking with dread that I’m going to have to start the whole process over again somewhere else. As I say, BE. WARE.
Gary Hamelin says
OLT worked for me. This was my first time filing taxes on-line and it was relatively straight forward given that my taxes are pretty simple any way. Also,filing my New York state taxes via OLT was FREE (that may be unique to NY,I don’t know). Just two hours after filing I received an e-mail from OLT that the IRS had accepted my return.
So my experience was positive.
DDB says
How was your NYS tax return free?
Mary says
Read the review and disregarded it. Never again! I keep getting logged out while entering data. About to go back and try to enter dimple dividends for the 4th time. I could understand it if I paused for several minutes, but I’m steadily typing. Erg!
Heyworth says
Worked fine. Based on the comments I logged out and back in after every other form so there wouldn’t be any surprises.
Eileen says
Yes, I Was also frustrated to the point of wanting to delete my acct and walk away. How will I do this? No options that I can find without more time wasted. I’m going back to rock, paper, scissors. I can control these. I could have had my return done faster by mail if I would not have wasted my time here.
Anthonysmomm says
2019 – I loved OLT! First time user, (with an accounting background), I loved how intuitive it was, in many cases it “correctly automatically” selected answers for me as I went from screen to screen which saved me a lot of time; it did not stop to “cheer” me on, or to “baby me” through the process(s). Each year I try at least three different online tax preparer’s, and (oddly) enough even though I have entered the exact some data with each preparer, I do not get the same end result from each. This year OLT was #3, and they actually asked two very important questions, which the first two preparer’s did not… I ended up with a refund with OLT, where the first two preparer’s showed taxes owed. There were complicated calculations with my return, & OLT carried them out beautifully & completed/included all required forms, the net result being 10 pages for my 1040, and five pages of worksheets. At no time did they try to up-sell me during or after, in fact at the end it said, “congratulations, your return is complete for $0”. I was able to print all completed forms for my own hard file, also save a PDF, after which they submitted my return electronically, & they followed up notifying me my return had been accepted by the IRS. I did my OLT return last minute on 4/15 around 10 pm and their site was up & running with no problems. I will mention that OLT may not be for you if you want your preparer to “hold your hand” from beginning to end, and “cheer” you on each time you enter a response… If you already know what you are doing, OLT works very well!
Mf says
A piece of garbage.Today is 10/14/2019. I almost finished my federal return but have not filed yet. The website is down. I have to start from scratch using another tax software.
I was planning to use its paid version.
Don’t use it.
Jason says
Massive upgrade in September 2019? I need to file my taxes now, my extension is up tomorrow and olt will not even load. You would think the night before taxes are due for filers who received a 6 month extension they would make sure the site is up and running.
Some upgrade. I have been filing my taxes through them for over 10 years with no issues. If the site doesn’t load soon they may lose the next 10 years of filings. This really stinks.
William SMITH says
I was very happy with OLT.com this year. It is the only IRS free file company to prepare free returns for my AGI range and age and to do any state free if you qualify for the free federal return. I found the navigation simple and fast. It took me one session of a couple of hours to complete both returns and within a couple of hours of submitting the returns I was informed they were accepted. I have no hesitation in recommending this preparer and I was happy to find this preparer works well even if it is the only preparer on free file to qualify me for free returns.
Adrianna says
OLT rejected my return 2ce, I went to H&R Block to file for free and it went through without an issue. Never again. That was ridiculous
Ramon M says
Keeps logging me out when I click “continue with return “
Robert w Roberge says
Being on a fixed income it is nice to find something that did not try to sell something else at the end. Used it for the first time. Found it easy to navigate for simple tax return. Price was good FREE compared to HR block wanted $60. It had several glitches having to go back and redo stuff several times. In the end everything worked and FREE>
Thanks
Tom says
I was pleased. Navigation was OK and the price was right. Most importantly, it seems to support all situations. I had an uncommon, but easily supportable, stock sale situation. FreeTaxUSA didn’t support it. Credit Karma supported it for federal but offered no opportunity to make the needed adjustment for the California return. Credit Karma also made two minor mistakes when generating the federal forms although they didn’t affect the tax owed. One OLT tip: many of the fields are optional so leave them blank and see if the software complains.
Mia says
This program keeps bombing out for me when I attempt to e-file AFTER PAYING FOR IT! I hope it will accept it at some point tonight and …. I really hope I’m not repeatedly being charged in the process! Otherwise, if it doesn’t stop bombing out on me, I will have to print out and mail the tax forms in to be sure they are filed before the deadline! (Unfortunately, I feared this is what would happen due to the program appearing to be clunky.) Too bad OLT, as I really wanted to give this application a thumbs up.
Lubi says
I’ve been with them for the past 4 years and no serious problems. I am not an accountant but take the time to research what I don’t understand. I have to agree with previous comments that their customer service is superior. Despite not having a paid account they were sincerely interested in helping me and answered my email questions with good information. Also, If you don’t wait to file until the just before the deadline, when you’re pressed and everyone else is filing, your chances of having a good experience with them are much better.