Chime® Tax Filing and Refund Review
- Federal starting price
- $0
- State returns starting price
- $0
Our verdict
Free to file federal and state tax returns, but might not be the best choice for complicated tax situations.
Chime is a fintech company that provides banking services backed by its bank partners. If you have a Chime account, you can file your taxes for free through the Chime app. There are no fees to file your federal or state tax returns, and Chime says it accepts most situations and filings, such as salary income, unemployment, crypto or stock sales, freelance, gig work and more. Chime states that most customers file their taxes seven times faster than average, and if you direct deposit your refund to your Chime account, you may receive it up to six days faster. But if you prefer in-person tax filing and don’t want a Chime account, this might not be the right fit for you.
Best for: Current Chime account holders with simple filings.
Pros
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Free to file state and federal tax returns
-
Accepts most typical filings
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No upselling
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Guaranteed accurate calculations and max refund
Cons
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Online only
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Requires Chime account
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May not be best for complicated filings
Who is Chime’s tax filing service best for?
Since filing your taxes through Chime requires the app and account, this service is best for existing customers or those looking to open a Chime® Checking Account.
Chime offers unlimited support, and there’s no fee to file. But if you have a complicated tax situation and prefer in-person support, Chime’s tax filing service may not be a great fit. Chime states it accepts most tax situations, but that is by no means “all,” so complicated filings might be better filed in person with a tax expert.
What we like about Chime’s tax service
Chime offers tax filing through Column Tax and April Tax Solutions Inc. These companies are specifically designed to give fintechs and banking apps the ability to let their customers file taxes online.
Max refund and accurate calculations guaranteed
Column Tax and April are where the tax refund and accurate calculation guarantees come from.
When using Chime to file your taxes — and, by extension, those tax prep software — you’re guaranteed to receive the maximum refund. If you pay less than required or receive a larger income tax return through another tax return preparation provider, Column Tax will reimburse you up to $250.
Similarly, if the software makes a mathematical error that results in your payment of a penalty and/or interest to the IRS, you may be reimbursed up to $10,000 by April Tax Solutions.
No fees to file
Chime says it covers most common tax situations, such as salary or self-employed income, unemployment income, crypto or stock sales, as well as freelancers and gig workers.
Chime doesn’t have complicated tiers, different plans with varying costs or different fee structures for different kinds of filers. For all filers, there are no fees to file your state or federal tax returns. Chime states, “Yes, it’s actually free for both federal and state.”
Other tax services, such as TurboTax or H&R Block, can be fee-free to file but typically only for specific filers with uncomplicated returns. And if you don’t qualify for a free return, you’re probably looking at fees and being upsold to more expensive plans.
Receive refunds fast
One of the better perks of Chime’s tax filing service is receiving your tax refund (if you’re owed one) up to six days early if you direct deposit into your Chime account. But if you direct deposit it somewhere else, you won’t get that early delivery. However, Chime does not require you to deposit your refund into your Chime account to qualify for the free filing.
Filing through the Chime app is also designed to be fast. The fintech states that most finish filing their taxes seven times faster on average, based on a comparison for IRS filers from 2023 non-business taxpayers.
Where it falls short
Like most online tax preparation software, the main shortcoming is the lack of in-person support. If you file your taxes through Chime’s app, it’ll be a fully online experience. If you prefer talking to a tax professional in person, you might want to look somewhere else.
And while Chime says it can accommodate most tax situations, that doesn’t mean everyone will be able to file through the app. If you historically have complicated tax returns, online tax software might not be the most streamlined option for you.
How to sign up for Chime tax filing
To file your state and federal taxes through Chime, you’ll need to be a Chime member. Luckily, the Chime Checking Account has no monthly fees or opening deposit requirements, so it’s easy to maintain.
Compare tax filing services
Customer reviews and ratings
| BBB accredited | No |
|---|---|
| BBB rating | B- |
| BBB customer reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars, based on 2756 customer reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 10,170 customer reviews |
| Apple App Store Score | 4.8 out of 5 stars, based on 1,000,000 customer reviews |
| Google Play Score | 4.7 out of 5 stars, based on 746,000 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 04 February 2025 |
Chime’s tax filing service is new, but the fintech itself isn’t. It has a large number of reviews, complaints and testimonials and has been in business for about 12 years.
Recent Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaints are about typical banking issues, such as attempts to resolve fraudulent charges, Chime Pay Anyone issues (its peer-to-peer money service), sudden account closures or unauthorized tips for the SpotMe® service. But all in all, most grievances are typical, and Chime makes a marked effort to resolve problems on the BBB.
Overall, feedback swings mostly positive in BBB and Trustpilot reviews. Happy customers say the support is helpful and quick to respond, they like the Chime SpotMe feature, many praise the Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card, call out the early direct deposit, ease in mobile check deposits and other shout-outs for various Chime savings features.
Your reviews
Bethany Finder
Banking editor
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