A Guide to Filing Taxes Online FREE
It does not have to be quite so scary or complicated or even so costly for some that takes advantage of some of the free online tax filing companies available, more and more so, each and every year! Let’s take a quick overview of some of the places where you can go to get your taxes filed at either a low fee or even, in some cases, for FREE! Yes people I did say, FREE!
(You can find the websites for these online companies in the reference section of this article.)
For all listings below AGI stands for Adjusted Gross Income.
CompleteTax allows you to file your Federal returns and e-file, for free, IF you have an AGI of $33,000 or less.
OnLineTaxes allows you to fill out your taxes for free and e-file for free online, IF you are age 20 or younger or are eligible for an Earned Income Tax Credit and you have an AGI of $28,000 or less.
H & R Block offers free filing of federal tax preparation and free e-filing, online, if you have an AGI of $34,000 or less.
Free Tax Return will allow you to e-file and prepare your taxes online for free if your AGI is $28,500 or less.
Turbo Tax has online e-file and preparation available for free if you are 22 or younger or 62 or older. You can also file for free if you are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit or active duty Military.
FreeTaxUSA allows free e-filing and free federal online preparation if you live in CA, NY, PA, NJ, OH, IL, GA, NC, VA, IN, LA, AZ, CO, or UT.
TaxEngine offers free e-filing and free Federal Tax preparation if your AGI is $35,000 or less.
TAXSLAYER/AMERICAN PLEDGE offers free e-filing and free federal online tax preparation if your AGI is $30,000 or less. Also if you are Active Military and have a W2 you can take advantage of this free offer as well.
TAX$IMPLE offers free online tax preparation and e-filing with an AGI of $28,500 or less.
Efile Tax Returns Inc gives you the chance to e-file for free and to free online preparation if your AGI is $35,000 or less.
And last but not least:
TaxACT offers free e-filing and online tax filing/preparation for ALL taxpayers. NO restrictions. EVERYONE qualifies!
A few words to the wise for those who have not filed taxes online before: It is not as hard as some lead you to think. Have everyone’s social security numbers, everyone’s name, birthdays and W2’s or other form of income statements with you when you sit down to start filling out your taxes. It will be a much smoother transaction and go much more quickly if you already have the information you need before you start. IF you normally file an Earned Income Worksheet or get the EIC, then make sure you have all the information you normally would if you were to go somewhere else and have them fill out the taxes for you. If you use your expenses, such as you are a business or sales person, then make sure you have that information with you as well. Also, most of the above companies will have you begin with signing on as you may with many other websites, with a user name and password so, if you would have to stop for any reason, in most cases, you can save your information and go back to it later when you are ready. Some of the companies even have an “offline” version of their software for even more ease so you don’t even have to be online to fill out your taxes. You fill everything out when you have time and then when you are done, you go online and e-file and you will be done! The only thing left to do then would be if you were to be getting a refund check back, is to anticipate having that check either sent to you or deposited into your account. I personally have filed online for the last 3 years and usually have any money we may receive in 3 weeks or less! Now how is that for the WEB and the service it provides for us! Good Luck!
