Liberty Tax: What You Need to Know

When taxes are due, many of us fall into a similar routine: Scratching our heads at all the different forms we need to submit, digging out that forgotten receipt from the bottom of the drawer, and searching for professional help when all else fails. For many people, that means relying on professionals to ease the headache of filing tax returns, claiming credits, and declaring multiple sources of income. Often, they’ll turn to a tax preparation company like Liberty Tax. Here’s an overview.

What is Liberty Tax?

Liberty Tax is one of the most popular tax prep companies and has over 3,000 offices in the United States and Canada. The company officially launched in 1998, after John Hewitt, co-founder of Jackson Hewitt. Since then, the company has grown to encompass a wide network of franchises under the holding company Franchise Group, Inc, which eventually became the third-largest tax preparation franchise in the United States.

What services does Liberty Tax offer?

You can either file in person, with the help of a tax professional, or file online, with Liberty Tax’s own tax prep software. Its online services feature a three-tiered pricing system, with the Basic tier ($44.95) catering to simple returns, the Deluxe tier ($44.95) being aimed at more complex returns, and the Premium feature ($44.95) being aimed at freelancers and self-employed customers. All of their services are also available in Spanish.

Liberty Tax also offers you the option of reaching out to their “virtual tax pro,” a tax professional from one of the Liberty Tax offices who can offer remote help, as well as allowing you to upload files into a secured portal so that a pro can have a look at them.

Liberty Tax also offers a free service called “Tax School,” where you can attend in-person or online classes and learn more about basic income tax preparation, including courses on filing requirements, tax credits, standard and itemized deductions, tax tables, and more.

Do I have to pay to have my taxes filed?

Yes. While it’s completely free to sign up for Liberty Tax, once you want to e-file your taxes, you’ll have to pay.

Note that there are tax preparation software options on the market that come with free filing services, with some even offering a $0-flat fee for all of their services. It’s worth doing some research.

Where are the Liberty Tax offices?

Liberty Tax’s brick-and-mortar offices are located in many major Canadian and U.S. cities. Liberty Tax has multiple offices in every U.S. state.

In Canada, there are Liberty Tax offices located in the following provinces:

Ontario

Manitoba

Newfoundland & Labrador

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Prince Edward Island

Saskatchewan

Alberta

British Columbia

Yukon

Northwest Territories

There are no Liberty Tax offices in Quebéc or Nunavut.