It's Time to File our Income Taxes: Check out 3 Top Online Income Tax Return Companies for the Best Deals

Did you know that the last day to file income taxes this year (2012) is April 17th? We've still got a lot of time so check out these income tax companies to file your tax return. I've chosen information about what I think are the 3 top online income tax filing companies in the United States so that you can be prepared to file quickly and easily. There are many companies we can choose from, either online or off. The companies I've listed below are H&R Block, Turbo Tax and TaxACT. H&R Block has offices all over the country and is available both online and off, and Turbo Tax and TaxACT are available online only. They each offer help from professionals, guaranteed refunds, safety and security, and can either be downloaded on your computer or their software can be purchased.

H&R BLOCK

This is one of the countries more popular income tax companies. They offer guaranteed maximum refunds within 8 days for most tax returns and if there are any mistakes made when filing, they reimburse their customers for filing fees and penalties. They also offer early filing if your employer enables you to access your W2's online.

H&R Block has five different packages. The Free 1040 EZ package is recommended for first time filers. It costs nothing and is available for those filing simple tax returns. The Basic package costs $19.95 and it can be used with both W2's and 1099 tax forms. To save time you can use information from last years returns rather than filling out basic information from scratch each year. The Deluxe package is for investors and homeowners and costs $29.95. This is for more complex tax returns. The Premium costs $49.95 and is for those who are self employed and for those who own rental properties, and with the Best of Both, an income tax specialist will review your tax returns and correct any errors. Support is offered by either phone or email. You get everything from the Premium package plus more. State taxes for any of the above packages can be prepared for an additional fee.

Turbo Tax is an online income tax return agency that offers free audit support, a free help center with professional tax consultants, and also guarantees the maximum refund on your tax returns.

Turbo Tax offers a free 1040 EZ edition, although there is an extra filing fee for State returns. The Deluxe edition, available for $29.95, is for those who have children, homes, medical expenses and give donations to charities. The Premier edition is used by investors of mutual funds, stocks and bonds, and also rental property owners. For $49.95 both State and Federal returns are included. The Home and Business edition, for $74.95, is for consultants, sole proprietors, contractors, and single owner LLC's. There is an additional fee for State filing. The Business edition costs $129.95 and is for those who are in a business partnership, corporation or multi member LLC. All are available for downloading or software purchases and are guaranteed to be safe and reliable.

TaxACT is an online income tax company that offers its customers free support when filing plus support in case of an audit. They guarantee maximum refunds and you can either purchase their software or download their income tax forms. The Free Federal Edition is for forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ. There are no income restrictions and you can file for an extension for free. The Deluxe Federal Edition allows you to use last years information to save time filing out basic info, tracks all charitable donations, includes a beneficial list of 35 life changes and over 2500 tax tips to maximize your refund. It costs $9.95 for the Federal tax filing or $17.95 for both State and Federal refunds. The Ultimate Bundle is for those who are filing for both the home and business. It includes the 1065, the 1120S and the 1120 tax forms for both State and Federal returns for $54.95.

As with anything online, it is always wise to check to be sure they are listed with the Better Business Bureau, check their privacy policies and read customer reviews to check their ratings. Look for four and five star ratings, and things such as how long it takes to receive your refund, how they pay you, and how you pay their fees. Even though all three companies are used by many people in the U.S. it is still wise to be cautious.

My personal opinion: I have used H&R Block, as have many of my family members, and have been satisfied with them. I've also used Turbo Tax and haven't had any problems with them either, although, if you do not have to file State taxes be careful to skip this section. They will charge you if you click on "file State taxes" whether you use it or not. I made this mistake and couldn't find a way to reverse the charges. I have not used Tax Act so I can't give an opinion about them.