In a Nutshell
Jackson Hewitt offers tax refund anticipation loans around the beginning of tax season. But a couple warnings: To qualify for the tax refund loans, you’ll have do your taxes with Jackson Hewitt — and those loans may come with high interest rates.Pros
- Certain tax-advance loans come interest free
- Tax-advance loans range from $250 to $6,500
Cons
- Larger tax-advance loans have high interest rates
- Jackson Hewitt must do your taxes in order to be eligible for tax refund loan options
Jackson Hewitt’s loan options
Jackson Hewitt is a tax advisory firm that offers tax refund anticipation loans around the beginning of tax season. Here’s a look at the options and how they work.
If it’s tax time and you’re ready to file
- No Fee Refund Advance Loan — Once you’ve filed your tax return with Jackson Hewitt, you could qualify to apply for a No Fee Refund Advance Loan. With this loan, available amounts are $250, $500, $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,500, $3,500, $4,500 and $6,500. And just like the name says, there are no fees or costs for this loan, though they’re not available for the entire tax season. (For the 2023 tax year, No Fee Refund Advance Loans is available from Jan. 2, 2024, through Feb. 11, 2024.) To pay back the loan, the borrowed amount is deducted directly from your tax refund.
If it’s not quite tax time
- Early Refund Advance Loan — If you qualify, you could also apply for an Early Refund Advance Loan before you file your tax return (for the 2023 tax year, the window to apply is from Dec. 11, 2023, to Jan. 14, 2024). A catch to the Early Refund option is that it works like an advance on another Jackson Hewitt tax refund loan, like the No Fee Refund Advance Loan or Go Big Refund Advance Loan. If approved, you can access $100, $300, $500 or $1,000.
Other details about Jackson Hewitt loans
The tax refund advance loans are funded by Republic Bank. Here are some other things to keep in mind.
- Limited availability of bigger loans: Jackson Hewitt’s tax advance loans may not be available at every Jackson Hewitt office.
- Hiring Jackson Hewitt to do your taxes: If you want a tax refund advance loan from Jackson Hewitt, you’ll need to do your taxes with the firm. This can be a drawback if you’re already comfortable with another tax preparer, want to do your taxes yourself, or may not want to pay tax preparation fees.
Who is a Jackson Hewitt tax advance loan good for?
If you think you’ll get a tax refund and want a cash advance on it, a Jackson Hewitt loan may be worth considering.
And since hiring Jackson Hewitt to do your taxes is a requirement for the tax refund advance loans, you may want to look elsewhere if you’d rather stick with your current tax preparation method.
How to apply with Jackson Hewitt
To apply for any Jackson Hewitt loan, you’ll need to visit a local Jackson Hewitt office.
To apply for the Early Refund Advance Loan, you’ll need to provide your most recent pay stub or evidence of income.
For the No Fee Refund Advance Loan, you’ll need to file your taxes with a W2 form or other income verification, and then fill out an application in person.
Not sure if a Jackson Hewitt loan is right for you? Consider these alternatives.
- Mariner Finance personal loan: If you’re looking to borrow more, a Mariner Finance personal loan may be a good fit.
*Approval Odds are not a guarantee of approval. Credit Karma determines Approval Odds by comparing your credit profile to other Credit Karma members who were approved for the personal loan, or whether you meet certain criteria determined by the lender. Of course, there’s no such thing as a sure thing, but knowing your Approval Odds may help you narrow down your choices. For example, you may not be approved because you don’t meet the lender’s “ability to pay standard” after they verify your income and employment; or, you already have the maximum number of accounts with that specific lender.