TurboTax is rolling out new features for its online tax-filing software ahead of the 2025 tax season, including improvements to its generative AI and a new tracking tool you can use when handing off your taxes to an expert.
Owned by Intuit, TurboTax has been CNET’s top pick for online tax filing two years in a row, winning an Editors’ Choice award in 2024. Its intuitive interface and helpful guidance make it easy to file your taxes fast — and these new features could speed up the process for more filers.
While we haven’t tested either options yet — stay tuned for our 2025 tax review — here’s what we know so far.
What’s new with TurboTax’s generative AI?
From what I can tell, the enhancements to TurboTax’s generative AI, also known as Intuit Assist, this year are minor compared to what the company rolled out last year. But I look forward to testing these features in my upcoming review.
TurboTax says taxfilers can expect to fill out even fewer forms manually this upcoming tax season, since it expanded the number of tax documents its AI software can analyze and autofill tax returns with.
Existing TurboTax, CreditKarma and QuickBooks customers will benefit most from this. But, first time users can now transfer their prior year’s tax return from most online tax prep services — including returns filed with expert assistance — to help automate the returns process.
TurboTax’s Intuit Assist launched last year with a few different features, including:
- Analyzing your uploaded tax documents and creating a personalized checklist for you to complete your taxes on your own.
- Real-time flagging of potential mistakes during the filing process, rather than just scanning for them before you file.
- Matching you with a tax expert based on your tax situation.
The new features could speed up your tax filing time, but I suggest double-checking any fields that are automatically filled in. Just like humans, AI can make mistakes, so verifying your information is important to avoid any complications.
TurboTax’s Live Full Service tracker keeps tabs on your return
Just like last year, if you want an expert to file your taxes for you, you can hand them off by signing up for TurboTax Live Full Service, which currently starts at $89. New this year, you’ll have access to a tracker to check the status of your tax return after delivering it to a tax expert. The tool, available only on TurboTax’s iOS mobile app at launch, will notify you when your taxes have been filed or if the tax expert has any questions.
Previously, Full-Service tax prep required you to stay connected with the tax preparer throughout the process.
“We’ve heard from our Full Service customers that some like the option to stay on the line with an expert as they file their taxes,” said Lisa Greene-Lewis, a CPA and TurboTax tax expert. “However, many did not want to be tethered to the expert.”
TurboTax Full Service customers can expect to have their taxes filed in as little as two hours this year, according to the company.
If you opt for expert assistance, either through Full Service or TurboTax Live Assisted, you can now choose your tax expert from a list of options based on your tax situation. TurboTax’s Assisted tier gives you access to a tax expert to answer your tax questions live.
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