If you have a relatively simple tax situation — for example, if you work for a single employer and don’t qualify for many itemized deductions — you can take advantage of more than a dozen free online tax preparation software programs for your federal tax return.
That’s great news if you don’t want to eat into your federal refund or fork over your credit card number before sending your tax return off to the IRS (though there are solid arguments to be made for paying taxes with a credit card).
Several services, including top players like H&R Block, also offer free state tax returns, raising the possibility of a completely fee-free tax season. With the exception of some members of the Free File Alliance — an IRS-sponsored consortium of online tax preparation companies that don’t always provide free returns in every state — these services are available to residents of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. nationals serving abroad.
Free Online Tax Preparation Software and Services
Not interested in using a Free File Alliance product? Consider these 100% free online tax prep options instead.
1. H&R Block Online Free Edition
H&R Block is one of the United States’ best-known tax preparation firms. It has thousands of storefront tax prep outlets scattered about the United States, along with a powerful, user-friendly online tax prep option for at-home filers. If your tax situation isn’t particularly complex, you likely qualify for its free federal filing program, which includes unlimited free state returns.
H&R Block’s free filing plan is ideal for people with simple tax situations, including those who qualify for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. However, it’s not set up to support filers with capital gains or losses, self-employment income, interest and ordinary dividend income, and rental property income. It also doesn’t allow you to store or access past-year returns — you need to upgrade to a paid plan for that. There’s a stiff fee to pay your filing fees with your refund using H&R Block’s Refund Transfer service too.
On the other hand, H&R Block’s free edition has some nice perks. For starters, it’s available to residents of all 50 states and comes with no other restrictions. All filers automatically qualify for free, in-person audit support, which includes hands-on advice and assistance with audit preparation. And, if you ever get badly stuck, you can always walk into an H&R Block office near you, though you may have to pay extra for in-person assistance.
See our full H&R Block review for a complete analysis.
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2. TurboTax Federal Free Filing Option
The Federal Free Filing option from TurboTax is ideal for simple tax situations. It includes most of the features and functionality of TurboTax’s paid options, including a best/fastest refund guarantee, support via live chat, W-2 importing, and your choice of e-filing or print-and-mail filing. And it lets you file your first state return for free. That’s a value of approximately $40.
TurboTax’s tax prep interface is incredibly intuitive, with simple, straightforward questions that guide you through every step of the filing process, reducing the likelihood of a preventable error. It’s available to residents of all 50 states, too. And there’s no maximum income limit.
TurboTax’s free edition isn’t appropriate for complex tax situations. If you have significant interest or capital gains income, rental property income, or business income, or qualify for certain common tax credits (such as the Student Loan Interest Deduction), you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
Moreover, customer support for anything but technical issues is more limited at this price point. If you want to pay your tax prep fees with your federal refund, you must pay a hefty refund payment processing fee.
The good news: TurboTax has several plans at multiple price points. If you feel like the free version is no longer suitable for your needs, it’s easy to upgrade to a paid plan at any time without losing any information.
See our full TurboTax review for a complete analysis.
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3. TaxSlayer.com Free File Federal
TaxSlayer‘s free file option plan has no residency or citizenship restrictions. Federal filing is free for low- and middle-income filers. One state return is included; additional state returns are available for about $37 apiece.
TaxSlayer’s Free File Federal has some key downsides, however. Once built to support tax situations across the complexity spectrum, the Simply Free plan is now for the simplest situations only. Common situations that aren’t covered by the Simply Free plan include:
Plus, you can’t take advantage of TaxSlayer’s audit assistance services or use the website’s live chat feature. And though phone support is available from TaxSlayer’s nonprofessional customer service team, TaxSlayer pushes higher-paying clients — those using the Premium and Self-Employed editions — to the front of the line when they call. So if you call at a busy time, plan to get comfortable.
See our full TaxSlayer review for a complete analysis.
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4. Cash App Taxes
Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) has one plan, and it’s totally free for all filers. It doesn’t get better than that.
There are some devils in the details. Unlike larger competitors, Cash App Taxes has no expert support to speak of, so it’s not a great choice if the complexity of your tax situation exceeds your familiarity with tax law. The platform does have some functionality gaps that may impact filers with unusual tax situations (for instance, those who earned income from foreign sources). And you’ll need to download the Cash App if you haven’t already.
On the bright side, Cash App Taxes boasts free state returns and 24/7 customer support. Like the rest of the Cash App, the tax prep interface is colorful and mobile-friendly. In fact, you can easily complete the entire tax prep process from your phone.
See our Cash App Taxes review for a full analysis.
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5. TaxAct Free Edition
TaxAct‘s Free Edition is a user-friendly platform that’s appropriate for simple situations (Form 1040EZ and 1040A).
If you’re filing through the Free File Alliance, you need to meet certain income and age requirements. Generally, you can’t use the Free File Alliance if you earn more than $73,000 in taxable income. However, qualification requirements are subject to change, so check with TaxAct or the IRS before completing your return.
TaxAct’s free version was once quite expansive, appropriate for virtually any tax situation. That’s no longer the case. If you want to itemize deductions or report passive income from stock sales or rental properties, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
On the bright side, TaxAct’s free version waives filing fees on state returns, so it’s truly a nothing-out-of-pocket deal, though paying your federal filing fees with your refund will set you back a few bucks.
See our full TaxAct review for a complete analysis.
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6. FreeTaxUSA Free Edition
Though it’s not as well-known, FreeTaxUSA offers free federal tax filing for tax situations of all complexity levels. Known as Totally Free, it supports all major forms and schedules, as well as useful features like prior-year return importing and storage.
FreeTaxUSA also offers free live support from customer service professionals, though its roster of tax professionals doesn’t measure up to bigger competitors like TurboTax and H&R Block. FreeTaxUSA is available to filers across the United States, although state returns cost $14.99 each.
FreeTaxUSA has some noteworthy drawbacks, including a lack of audit assistance (which, with the Deluxe version, includes help interpreting IRS notices, drafting responses, and preparing the documents necessary to navigate your audit). It’s also not very mobile-friendly, making it a poor choice for filers utilizing tablets or smartphones.
See our FreeTaxUSA review for more information.
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7. FileYourTaxes.com
FileYourTaxes.com is a low-key online tax preparation provider that offers free tax prep to Americans under the age of 65. Its income eligibility requirements are quite generous: $9,500 to $73,000 AGI. It’s open to Earned Income Tax Credit qualifiers who meet all other eligibility requirements. Active-duty military filers qualify for free filing as well.
And state filing is free for filers eligible for free federal tax returns in four states: Iowa, Idaho, North Dakota, and Vermont. Otherwise, a separate state tax return fee applies.
One of the biggest selling points of FileYourTaxes.com’s free tax filing option is its flexibility. It’s ideal not just for people with simple tax situations and lower-income folks who qualify for the EITC or subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. It’s suitable for more complex situations as well: capital gains and losses, self-employment income, interest and ordinary dividend income, rental property income, and more.
There are some functionality tradeoffs, but all in all, FileYourTaxes.com is a solid free income tax filing option for a broad cross-section of taxpayers.
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8. Free File Fillable Forms
If your AGI is more than $69,000 and you don’t mind taking the DIY tax-filing route, you can still take advantage of an IRS-administered free electronic filing system. The IRS makes its entire database of tax forms and schedules available in PDF format at FreeFileFillableForms.com.
To complete your tax return, fill out the appropriate forms through the online system and submit them through the IRS’s e-filing system. You’ll receive your refund (if eligible) on the same schedule as you would with a branded online tax preparation service.
With Free File Fillable Forms, your work is automatically saved as you go, so you don’t need to fill out your entire return in one sitting. And regardless of how complex your tax situation is, you can find the forms and schedules necessary to complete your tax return here, subject to some limitations outlined by the IRS. There aren’t any income, age, citizenship status, or other eligibility restrictions for Free File Fillable Forms.
Free File Fillable Forms might sound like the ultimate free filing option, but there’s a major catch: The IRS provides no support whatsoever for taxpayers who opt to use this resource. In other words, you have to know how to fill out each form and schedule on your own, or at least be confident enough to navigate the IRS’s library of tax preparation resources to find out how.
If you have a straightforward tax situation and have prepared your taxes on your own in the past, this might not be an impossible bar to clear. If your situation is more complicated or you’re just not comfortable with the idea of preparing your tax return unaided, Free File Fillable Forms isn’t a great option. Even a seemingly trivial preparation error could lead the IRS to reject your return and ask you to re-file, delaying your return in the process. In the worst case, you could be flagged for an audit.
And note that functionality is severely constrained here — you can’t import prior-year returns, for example.
IRS Free File Alliance
The above aren’t the only free tax prep options for low- to moderate-income filers. If your adjusted gross income (AGI) was less than $73,000 last year and you have a relatively straightforward tax situation, you may be eligible to file your taxes for free through an IRS Free File Alliance provider.
The Free File Alliance is a listing service offering direct access to about a dozen free filing services from a consortium of participating tax preparation companies, all of which have to meet strict quality and security standards set by the IRS.
According to the Free File Alliance, roughly 70% of the U.S. taxpaying population is eligible for free filing, and tens of millions of returns have been filed since the Alliance’s inception in the early 2000s. Use the Free File Alliance Lookup Tool to find options that apply to your specific tax situation.
Who Participates in the Free File Alliance?
Free File Alliance participants include well-known online and offline tax preparation firms, including Jackson Hewitt and TurboTax, as well as lesser-known options like Online Taxes at OLT.com and ezTaxReturn.com. (Unfortunately, some better-known tax prep providers have backed out in recent years, including H&R Block.)
Aside from the $73,000 AGI cap, each participating company has specific eligibility criteria. Some things to keep in mind regarding Free File Alliance eligibility and access:
- Accessing Free File Platforms. To qualify for a free return with any of the participating companies, you need to access their filing platform through the Free File website. It’s like an affiliate promotion — you don’t get the deal unless you click the affiliate link on the partner site.
- Age Limits. Free File Alliance eligibility skews younger. Not all platforms impose age limits, but those that do tend to cap participation somewhere between age 50 and 70.
- Income Limits. Some Free File Alliance members impose stricter upper income thresholds, below the $73,000 cap. These limits can verge below $60,000 in some cases.
- Citizenship Status. Some free filing options are limited only to U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents. If you’re in the United States on a work visa or other temporary arrangement, check with your preferred tax prep option to determine whether you’re eligible.
- Tax Situation Complexity. Some Free File Alliance companies only offer free filing to people with simple tax situations. If you’re an independent contractor, business owner, investor, or have a complicated situation for other reasons, you may still need to pay a filing fee. Therefore, it’s important to evaluate your options carefully and choose from those that offer free preparation for people who need to file Schedules C, D, E, or other forms common to complex tax situations.
- Filer Location. Some Free File Alliance companies decline to serve filers in certain states. Before you sign up for a service, make sure it’s available in your area.
- Platform Functionality. Functionality may vary from program to program. For instance, some limit whether you can import prior-year returns and forms into your current-year tax return. Others have limited customer support resources. It’s best to read the fine print on each service’s features before making a choice.
State Free File Programs
The IRS also maintains links with about two dozen state-level Free File programs (indicated in deep blue on the map below), which also leverage relationships with name-brand tax filing services that meet states’ security and quality criteria. As with the federal Free File program, filer eligibility requirements may vary by company and state.
Final Word
I don’t know many people who love filing their taxes, even if they’re reasonably confident they’ll get a juicy refund. Filing taxes takes time and effort, and even the best software programs can’t totally protect you against mistakes. Filing for free can’t make up for the inconvenience, but at least it keeps more of your money where it belongs: in your wallet.
Still, free filing options aren’t for everyone. If you have a complicated tax situation — particularly if you’re self-employed, own a business, or have investment income from multiple sources — it’s likely not worth the small upfront savings. A mistake could easily offset the money you saved on your return. And you might set yourself up for a stressful, potentially costly IRS audit.
There’s no shame in opting for a paid plan or even hiring a certified public accountant who can provide hands-on attention. If you do choose to hire a CPA, our top choice would be Circle CPA. Their CPAs provide quality tax prep service with a pay-what-you-want model.
Source: moneycrashers.com