Tax Help Center

Welcome to The College Investor Tax Help Center. We know that taxes can be challenge. There are a lot of "rules" to follow, there are a lot of software options, and there are a lot of scams to avoid. 

That's why we put this tax help center together - to put our best tax content in one single place.​

Whether you're getting ready to prepare your tax return, or are waiting on your tax refund, here is what you need to know about taxes.​

Preparing To File Your Tax Return

When you're preparing to file your tax return, you need to make sure that you're focusing on the right areas. Here are some key reminders when preparing to file your return.

1. Preparing Your First Tax Return - If you've never done it before, here's what you need to know.​

2. Millennial? Here are the top tax tips for millennials and young adults.​

3. Which is better - a tax credit or a tax deduction? We explain the difference and show you why you should be focused on maximizing your tax credits.​

4. Should you go to a paid tax preparer or do it yourself? This is a common question, and we believe that most tax filers should do it themselves and save hundreds of dollars. ​

5. Early Tax Filing Tips To Get Your Refund - If you're expecting a tax refund, it's best to file as fast as possible. You don't need to let the government hold your money any longer!​

6. How To Get Organized For Taxes - The biggest trick to making tax time easier is to keep organized with all of your financial and tax related documents. Here's our tax document organization strategy to make filing easy.​

Advanced Tax Preparation Information

- What If I'm Still Waiting On Tax Forms? It happens - some companies are really slow to mail out certain tax forms, and others (such as K-1s) aren't even prepared until March. Here's what you need to do if you're missing a tax form.​

- Beware: REITs often issue corrected 1099s. Here's what you need to know and how to prepare.​

Comparing The Best Tax Software

There are a lot of options when it comes to filing your tax refund. Here we compare the best tax return software options for your needs.

Check out our reviews of all the major providers here:

TurboTax Review - TurboTax is one of the most popular and well know tax software programs. We like TurboTax's interface, but it's higher price makes it hard to justify compared to other options.​

H&R Block Review - H&R Block is another one of the "Big 3" tax companies. They have a sleek interface but are priced in the middle of the road. They don't offer help and try to get you to their offices. Their software this year is okay.

TaxAct Review - TaxAct is the cheapest tax software option of the "Big 3" tax companies. They beat the competition on every tier. Their interface is a little hard to navigate, but otherwise they offer a great product for the price.

eSmart Tax Review - eSmart Tax is the online option offered by Liberty Tax Service. They have a semi-clunky interface, but they offer affordable prices for tax filers who itemize their taxes.

FreeTaxUSA Review - FreeTaxUSA is a low-priced tax filing option. They offer a low-priced solution, but their user interface is hard to navigate, and it does require moderate tax knowledge to input your information. Do not recommend for novice tax filers.

After Filing Tax Topics

Once you've filed your tax return, here are some of the most important topics to keep in mind.