What a tax service actually does with your refund
No tax preparation service—whether it's TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, or any other—can increase the size of your refund. Your refund is determined by how much tax you paid during the year versus how much you actually owe. A tax service calculates that difference; it does not change it.
What varies between services is accuracy, the deductions they help you find, and how much they charge. A more thorough service might uncover deductions you missed, which could lower your tax bill and increase your refund. But the refund itself comes from the IRS based on your actual income, withholding, and tax liability—not from the service you choose.
Reddit threads asking which service gives the largest refund often reflect confusion about what tax software does. The service is a tool for calculating and filing your return correctly. The IRS determines the refund amount.
Key Takeaways
- Your refund amount is set by your income, withholding, and deductions—not by which tax service you use.
- Different services may find different deductions if you work through them carefully, which could change your refund slightly.
- Free services like IRS Free File, TaxAct Free, and Credit Karma Tax cost nothing and calculate refunds as accurately as paid software.
- What matters is entering your information correctly and claiming all deductions you're may have access to to, regardless of which service you choose.
- If you're concerned about missing deductions, a tax professional (CPA or enrolled agent) may spot things software misses, but they also cannot create refunds that don't exist.
Why different services might show slightly different refund amounts
If you run the same tax information through multiple services and get different refund numbers, the difference usually comes from how thoroughly each one walks you through deductions and credits. One service might ask more detailed questions about education expenses, childcare, or home office use. Another might miss a question that triggers a deduction you may have access to for.
The IRS does not care which service you used. Whichever return you file—whether through TurboTax, H&R Block, a CPA, or by hand—gets checked against the same rules. If you claim a deduction you're not may have access to to, the IRS will catch it. If you miss a deduction you should have claimed, that's on you, not the service.
This is why some people report getting larger refunds after switching to a tax professional. The professional asks better questions or knows about deductions the taxpayer did not think to mention. The software itself did not create the refund; the additional information did.
Free services versus paid services and refund size
The IRS Free File program offers free tax preparation through participating companies for households earning under a certain threshold (usually around $73,000, though this changes yearly). These free versions calculate your refund the same way paid versions do. TaxAct Free, Credit Karma Tax, and others in the Free File program are not limited in accuracy—they use the same calculation engine as their paid counterparts.
Paid services like TurboTax Premium or H&R Block Deluxe cost more because they include extra features: audit support, more detailed guidance on specific situations, or access to a tax professional for questions. These features might help you find deductions, but the refund calculation itself is not more accurate in a paid version than a free one.
If you earn below the Free File threshold and your return is straightforward, a free service will calculate your refund correctly. If your situation is complex—self-employment income, rental property, significant investment gains—a paid service or a tax professional might help you find deductions you would otherwise miss.
When a tax professional might find a larger refund
A CPA, enrolled agent, or tax attorney can sometimes identify deductions or credits that tax software does not prompt you to consider. This is especially true if you have self-employment income, rental property, significant charitable giving, or business expenses. A professional asks open-ended questions rather than following a software questionnaire, which can surface deductions you did not realize applied to you.
However, a tax professional is also bound by the same tax code as the software. They cannot create deductions that do not exist. What they do is ask better questions and know the rules more deeply. If you have a complex situation, paying for a professional consultation might result in a larger refund—but only because you will have claimed deductions you were actually may have access to to.
The cost of hiring a tax professional (typically $150 to $500 or more) should be weighed against the likely increase in your refund. If a professional thinks they can find an extra $200 in deductions, paying $400 for their time is not worth it. If they spot $2,000 in missed business expenses or credits, it probably is.
How to make sure you get the refund you're actually owed
Regardless of which service you use, the key is entering accurate information and claiming every deduction and credit you may have access to for. Keep records: receipts for charitable donations, mortgage interest statements, education expenses, childcare costs, medical bills, and anything else that might be deductible. When you file, have these documents ready to reference.
If you use tax software, take time with each section. Do not skip questions or rush through the deduction screens. If a question does not apply to you, that is fine—but read it carefully before moving on. Some taxpayers miss deductions because they did not realize the software was asking about them.
If your situation changed during the year—job loss, business income, large medical expenses, education costs—make sure you mention it. The software can only work with information you provide. The more complete and accurate your information, the more likely you are to get the refund you actually owe.
Red flags: services that promise larger refunds
Be cautious of any tax service, website, or person who promises to get you a larger refund than other services, or who guarantees a specific refund amount before seeing your information. This is not how taxes work. Your refund is determined by law, not by the service's skill or promises.
Some predatory services have offered "refund advances" or "refund loans"—borrowing against your expected refund before the IRS sends it. These come with high fees and interest rates and are almost never worth the cost. If you need money before your refund arrives, a personal loan or credit card advance is usually cheaper.
Legitimate tax services compete on accuracy, customer support, and price—not on the size of refunds they produce. If something sounds too good to be true, it is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file my taxes with multiple services to see which gives the largest refund?
You can prepare your return with multiple services before filing, but you can only submit one return to the IRS. If you file more than one, the IRS will flag it as a duplicate and reject the later ones. Use multiple services to compare if you want, but file only once, with whichever service you trust most.
Does TurboTax find more deductions than H&R Block or TaxAct?
All three use similar logic to identify deductions based on your answers. The differences are usually in how thoroughly they ask questions and how clearly they explain each deduction. The best service for you depends on your situation and how comfortable you are with tax software, not on which one produces larger refunds.
If I hire a tax professional, will my refund definitely be larger?
Not necessarily. A tax professional can help you claim deductions you might have missed, which could increase your refund. But if your situation is straightforward and you have already claimed all applicable deductions, a professional will not create a larger refund—they will just confirm what you already calculated.
What if I disagree with the refund amount my tax software calculated?
Double-check your income figures, withholding amounts, and deductions against your W-2s, 1099s, and receipts. If the numbers are correct, the refund is correct. If you believe you should be getting more, consult a tax professional or contact the IRS directly—not a different tax software service.
Can I increase my refund by changing my filing status or claiming dependents I am not sure about?
No. Filing status and dependent claims must be accurate. Falsifying either is tax fraud and can result in penalties, interest, and criminal charges. If you are unsure whether you can claim someone as a dependent, ask a tax professional or check the IRS rules—do not guess.