Tax Planning Software Compared

TaxPlanIQ vs. Holistiplan

Quick Answer

TaxPlanIQ is the better fit if you want to identify tax-saving strategies and turn them into paid planning engagements, with a strategy library, branded plans, pricing guidance, and access to consultants who review your recommendations.

Holistiplan is the better fit if you mainly need to model what-if scenarios such as how a Roth conversion, additional income, or charitable contribution would affect a client’s taxes.

TaxPlanIQ vs. Holistiplan at a Glance

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Feature	TaxPlanIQ	Holistiplan
Getting started
Who it’s built for	Primarily for accountants, secondarily for financial advisors	Primarily for financial advisors, secondarily for accountants
Upload one 1040
Upload many returns at once	Up to 100 in planning, up to 25 in Projections
Ranks clients by planning opportunities across your list	Screening flags which clients to prioritize and approach first	No ranking: custom reports pull and filter data across clients’ returns, and you decide who to approach
Client uploads their own return		Yes, through an upload link (Premium)
Start a client without a filed return	Draft return or manual entry	Blank scenario
Pricing
How it’s priced	Billed monthly or annually by tier. Basic from $397/month; Standard from $697/month; Growth from $997/month. Discounts available for annual pay.	By number of client households, billed annually. Two tiers: Basic Tax and Premium Tax
Cost at 100 / 250 / 500 households	Not priced by household. Starting cost stays the same at any client count.	Basic: $1,949 / $4,049 / $7,549 per year. Premium: $2,499 / $5,499 / $10,499 per year
What the entry tier leaves out	Basic has only 1 firm user, 12 plans a year, no projections, no 1:1 plan reviews and no ROI Guarantee.	Basic is federal only. State tax scenarios, multi-year Roth projections, tax letters, the tax explainer, cash flow diagrams, client upload links, and 1:1 support calls require Premium
Projections
Project next year’s federal tax
Project other tax years	One year forward from the most recent return in the current version	Scenarios can cover multiple years
State tax	Estimated from federal figures; the accountant can enter the exact number	Full state calculation with state-specific numbers (Premium)
Compare two states	One state per client	Premium
Safe harbor amount
Calculate each quarterly payment
Track payments made or skipped	Remaining quarters recalculate	Enter payments made
Underpayment penalty	Penalty calculator	Its help center says it cannot calculate this
Project full-year wages from year-to-date pay	Pay stub tool	Income Annualizer
Read a pay stub automatically		Pay Stub Scanner
Bracket headroom	Insight cards	Tax Report
Standard vs. itemized	Insight cards	Tax Report
Medicare IRMAA tier	IRMAA IQ Tool	Tax Report and solver
Social Security taxability	IQ Tool	Calculated automatically in scenarios and the Tax Report
Scenarios
Number of scenarios	Up to 5	Up to 100
Show the difference between scenarios	Comparison row	Change column
Notes on scenarios
Schedule C vs. S-Corp
Schedule C vs. partnership
Schedule C vs. C-Corp		Its help center says corporate taxes are outside its scope
Reasonable compensation	Suggests a starting salary the accountant adjusts	Entered by the user
Maximum Solo 401(k)
Maximum SEP
Maximum SIMPLE IRA
Roth conversion for one year
Roth conversions over many years, with RMDs		Roth Projection Tool (Premium)
Tax rate across an income range
Search for the highest-savings option	Solve for Max	Strategy Library estimates the tax impact of each strategy
Tax-saving strategies*
Suggest strategies from the client’s return	jAIne recommends from a library of 130+ advanced strategies	Strategy Library; number of strategies not published
Estimate savings for each strategy	jAIne recommends strategies from a library of 130+ advanced strategies to find a specific dollar amount in savings per client.	A list inside the Tax Report includes short suggestions written to the client about strategies they might be able to use. It does not show dollar amounts in savings.
Guidance on carrying out each strategy	When it applies and how to move it forward, including implementation partners.	Explains how each estimate was calculated, but no implementation guidance
Turn chosen strategies into a plan with your fee	Branded plan with your fee and an ROI report	Chosen strategies become a Scenario Analysis scenario
Number of strategies	130+	Not published
Roth conversion		Multi-year Roth projection (Premium)
Roth IRA contributions		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers.
Backdoor Roth
Mega Backdoor Roth
Traditional IRA contributions		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
401(k) deferrals		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
SEP IRA
SIMPLE IRA
Solo 401(k)
Defined benefit / cash balance plan		Its help center says it has no calculator for this
HSA		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers.
Donor advised fund
Qualified charitable distribution		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
Donating appreciated assets
Bunching itemized deductions		No dedicated tool, but Tax Report observations mention it, and the user can enter the numbers
Charitable remainder trust
Private family foundation
S corporation election
Reasonable compensation analysis		The user can enter the figure
QBI deduction
Minimizing self-employment tax
Accountable plan
Augusta Rule		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
Hiring your kids
Home office deduction
Accelerated depreciation
Pass-through entity tax (PTET)
Filing status optimization		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
1031 exchange		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
Home sale exclusion		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
Cost segregation
Real estate professional status
Short-term rental strategy
Capital loss harvesting
NIIT minimization		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers.
Opportunity zones
Installment sale
Section 1202 exclusion
Stock options and RSUs		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it, and the user enters the numbers
R&D credit
529 plans		No dedicated tool, but a help article or in-app guide explains how to model it (nonqualified distributions), and the user enters the numbers
No tax on tips or overtime
Deduction for Seniors
Car loan interest deduction
New SALT cap
Trump Accounts
Client-facing documents
Client-facing document	A firm-branded tax plan with your planning recommendations, estimated tax savings, your fee, and an ROI report comparing the investment vs how much taxes they’ll save.	A firm-branded tax report summarizing their tax return with some suggestions on strategies they could look further into or model.
Tax plan with your fee and an ROI report
Summary of the client’s current return
Line-by-line return explainer		Tax Explainer (Premium)
Projection report comparing scenarios
Tax letters to the client		Premium
Cash flow diagram		Premium
Firm branding
Choose which report sections appear
Plan and fee
Fee for the engagement	The ROI Method of Value Pricing suggests a fixed fee based on several factors, set up front	The user must figure out whether to sell it and for how much.
Preferred vendors to implement strategies
Support and training
Email support
Phone support
1:1 review of your client’s tax plan	Tax planning consultants (Growth Plan)
1:1 support call	Office hours with tax planning consultants (Growth)	15 minutes, one per user per week (Premium)
Coaching on pricing and presenting plans	1:1 tax plan reviews with tax planning consultants available on certain plans, the Advisor Accelerator Program is designed to help you sell your first tax plan in approximately 60 days
Live group sessions	Strategy Hours, weekly Tax Labs, Ask Me Anything sessions	Webinars
Courses	CCTA program	Holistiplan 101 and 201
Continuing education credits	Up to 50 CPE per user per year (Growth Plan)	10+ CFP CE (Premium)
Certification	Certified Concierge TaxPlanIQ Advisor (CCTA)
Free trial		7 days
Guarantee	ROI Guarantee on certain plans, which offers a refund of your first-year subscription if you meet the conditions and your planning fees don’t cover the cost of your subscription

*“No” means the software has no tool, guide, or help article for that strategy. As with any scenario, the numbers might be able to still be entered by hand. Information current as of October 2026.

TaxPlanIQ vs. Holistiplan: Training & Support

TaxPlanIQ

TaxPlanIQ offers email and phone support, a knowledgebase, live webinars, tax labs, strategy hours, AMAs, and the Advisor Accelerator program on certain plans. TaxPlanIQ also goes further with tax planning consultants who can review your plans with you one-to-one. TaxPlanIQ’s Advisor Accelerator Program option adds a business coach to help you present and sell the tax plan.

Holistiplan

Holistiplan offers email support, a knowledge base, a video library, webinars on demand, and a chat bot. Its Premium plan includes one-on-one video sessions with senior support specialists.

If you're an accountant comparing tax planning software, the deciding question is which job you need done.

Do you only need to explain a client's current tax return and model what-ifs, or do you need a repeatable way to sell paid tax planning engagements? Holistiplan can work if you only need tax projections and to model scenarios for basic tax savings strategies like retirement accounts or charitable contributions. If you really want to go deep with advanced tax planning, TaxPlanIQ is the clear choice for you.

Book a TaxPlanIQ Demo

What Holistiplan Does Well

Holistiplan is an established tax planning software with a strong track record among financial advisors. It’s been listed in Kitces Report studies for 2021 through 2023, and has more than 30,000 customers.

The Holistiplan Tax Report covers:

Key figures

total income, AGI, taxable income, total tax, marginal bracket, and average rate
Tax brackets

how much income falls in each ordinary income and capital gains bracket
Medicare premiums

which income tier the client falls in for Part B and Part D surcharges
Schedule detail

Schedules A, B, C, D, and E, plus deductions and credits
Phase-outs

credits such as the Child Tax Credit, marked “Above” or “Under” each income limit
Observations

short notes, such as how close the client is to the Net Investment Income Tax threshold

Scenario Analysis is where Holistiplan tax planning software goes deepest. The advisor copies last year's return into a new scenario for next year, edits any section, and compares scenarios in side-by-side columns, with a "Change" column showing the difference in total tax and effective rate.

A solver steps income up or down to find where the client's effective tax rate or Medicare premium tier changes. A range chart shows the tax on additional income, with phase-outs such as the QBI and SALT deductions marked. It also contains “Scenario Recipes” which are built-in guides for common situations, such as a Roth conversion or LLC vs. S Corp.

Holistiplan has a Roth conversion projection that charts the client's income and required minimum distributions year by year with and without conversions, client tax letters that list the tax documents the client should expect, and a diagram of household income flowing to taxes, living expenses, and savings.

If your main job is explaining a client's current tax return and modeling basic what-if scenarios inside a wealth management relationship, Holistiplan is an excellent tax planning software that does that job well.

Where TaxPlanIQ and Holistiplan Differ in Tax Planning

While TaxPlanIQ also has excellent scenario modeling abilities, Roth conversion analysis, entity comparisons and more, the main difference between the two tax planning softwares are in TaxPlanIQ’s ability to do advanced tax planning.

TaxPlanIQ

Holistiplan

TaxPlanIQ analyzes the client’s information and recommends relevant strategies from a library of 130+ advanced tax planning strategies. Each strategy includes guidance on when it applies and how to move forward. In TaxPlanIQ, the strategies you choose become a client-facing tax plan with your firm’s branding. The client sees a high-level overview of what you recommend, the estimated tax savings, what your firm will charge, and an ROI report comparing what the engagement may be worth to what it costs.

Holistiplan’s observations are written to the client in suggestion form, pointing the reader to a tax professional. One advisor quoted on Holistiplan’s homepage says the software gives insight into a client’s tax situation without the advisor providing advice. That makes the observations useful for educating a client. Deciding what to recommend, and building it into a plan you can sell, is left to the user.

TaxPlanIQ suggests a fee for every tax plan and gives a ready-to-send proposal.

Holistiplan does not help with suggesting a fee for a tax plan nor helps with producing a proposal for a paid engagement.

TaxPlanIQ lets you upload up to 100 returns at once and ranks them in order of highest potential tax savings to least, so you know where to look first. In short, TaxPlanIQ ranks your entire client list based on who is most suited for tax planning.

In Holistiplan, each return is uploaded inside a single client household, and you have to find yourself which clients might have more planning opportunities compared to other clients.

Has scheduled one-to-one time where someone reviews a specific client’s plan with you, coaching on what to charge and how to present the plan to the client. That one-to-one work is the center of TaxPlanIQ’s support model.

No scheduled one-to-one time where someone reviews a specific client’s plan with you, or coaching on what to charge and how to present the plan to the client.

TaxPlanIQ offers an ROI Guarantee on eligible plans, subject to program requirements and terms.

Holistiplan’s seven-day free trial lets you test the tax planning software, it doesn’t measure whether the software earns your firm planning fees.

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Who Should Choose Holistiplan, and Who Should Choose TaxPlanIQ

TaxPlanIQ isn't the right Holistiplan alternative for every firm. Holistiplan can fit a financial advisor who wants to add tax analysis to a wealth management practice. If you want a client-ready summary of each return, some what-if modeling, Roth conversion projections, and reviews of home, auto, and umbrella policies in one place, and you don't plan to sell tax planning as a separate paid service, it's a strong choice.

TaxPlanIQ is tax planning software for an accountant or financial advisor that wants tax planning to be a paid, repeatable service.

If you're looking for a Holistiplan alternative built around building and selling tax plans, TaxPlanIQ is built for that work. Firms that want formal training can take the Certified Concierge TaxPlanIQ Advisor program: five days of live sessions across 10 modules covering client selection, plan building, pricing, and closing, applied to your own clients.

Explore Tax Planning Certification

FAQ

TaxPlanIQ vs. Holistiplan: Common Questions

Is TaxPlanIQ a Holistiplan alternative for accountants?

Yes, for accountants whose goal is selling paid tax planning engagements. Both platforms read an uploaded 1040, suggest strategies and let you model tax scenarios. The big difference is what each one helps you do next.

TaxPlanIQ is built to take a client from return to paid engagement. It screens up to 100 returns at once to see which clients have planning opportunities worth a closer look, then recommends strategies from a library of 130+ advanced tax planning strategies, each with guidance on when it applies and how to move it forward. The ROI Method of Value Pricing suggests a fee, and the strategies you choose become a client-facing plan with your firm’s branding, the estimated tax savings, your fee, and an ROI report comparing the two. The Advisor Accelerator Program adds a business coach to help you price, present, and sell your first plans.

Holistiplan may suit you better if your main need is explaining a client’s current return or running multi-year Roth conversion and state-by-state projections for wealth management clients.

Does Holistiplan recommend tax strategies?

Holistiplan’s Tax Report includes an Observations section that flags return-specific items, such as a possible Roth conversion or grouping charitable gifts into alternating years. The observations are written to the client as suggestions and sometimes refer the reader to a tax professional.

Which tax planning software offers one-to-one support?

In Holistiplan, the strategies you select become a scenario to model. In TaxPlanIQ, they become a client-facing plan with the estimated savings, your fee, and an ROI report. Growth Plan users get 1:1 reviews of those plans with TaxPlanIQ’s tax planning consultants before they present them to a client. The Advisor Accelerator Program adds a business coach to help with pricing, presenting, and closing. Holistiplan’s support in their Premium plan for their scenario modeling and projections includes a 15-minute call each week.

Does Holistiplan offer insurance or estate planning?

Holistiplan's has insurance planning for home, auto, and umbrella policies, and lists estate planning as coming soon.

Note: this comparison covers tax planning and tax projections only. Holistiplan offers insurance planning for home, auto, and umbrella policies, and its site lists estate planning as coming soon. Details on Holistiplan come from its public website, pricing page, help center, and a recorded product demo, reviewed in September 2026. Pricing reflects each company’s published rates as of October 2026. Software changes frequently, so check the Holistiplan website for its current features.