Tax File Guide

Gone are the days when it took hours to file your taxes. Today you can file your taxes online in as little as 20 minutes. Apart from saving you time, there are many benefits to filing your taxes online. Click here to read why you should file your taxes online.

There are many tax filing companies online that will file your taxes for a small fee. However, this guide will show you how you can file your taxes for free. This is a step by step instruction guide to show you how you can file your taxes for free.

Here is how you can File your taxes for Free

Step 1. Get Started:
Below is a list of companies that file taxes for free.

Step 2. Find if you are eligible
Each company has their own eligibility criterion for filing taxes for free. You must first determine from the company’s website if you meet the eligibility requirements for filing your taxes for free.

Step 3. Link to Free File Company Service:
After choosing a company, click on the company’s name, which will take you directly to the company’s web site. You will then begin the preparation of your tax return.

Step 4. You may exceed eligibility criteria after selecting a company
After beginning to start preparing your taxes with a company, you may find that you exceed the eligibility criterion for free tax filing and the company will want to charge you a small fee.

If this happen, you can do one of the following:

• find a new company that will let you file your taxes for free
• continue your tax return but understand that you will be subject to a fee

Step 5. Prepare and e-file Your Federal Income Tax Return:
The company’s software prepares and e-files your income tax returns for you using their tax filing software. Electronically filed returns are sent by the company to the IRS using the established e-file system. An acknowledgment email, notifying you that the return has been either accepted or rejected, is sent from the company.

LIST OF FREE E-FILE COMPANIES:

TurboTax® Freedom Edition: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is $31,000 or less or if you are active military with an AGI of $57,000 or less or you qualify for Earned Income Tax Credit. This federal offer is valid in all states. Free extension.

ICANEFILE: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $32,000 or less or if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. This federal offer is valid in all states. Free extension.

TaxSlayer: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is less than $57,000 and you are age 25 or younger, age 65 or older or active military. Also, if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit or if your adjusted gross income is less than $10,000. This federal offer is valid in all states. Free extension.

Online Tax Pros: Free federal online tax preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is between $3,500 and $57,000 and you live in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV. Free extension. En Español.

CompleteTax: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $32,000 or less. This federal offer is valid in all states. Free extension.

TaxSimple Ultimate Version: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $57,000 or less and you are age 66 or less and you live in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, HI, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV, or WY.

CitizenTax: Free federal online tax preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less, you are age 70 or younger and you live in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, ND, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, TX, VA and WI. Free extension.

H&R Block’s Free File: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less and you are age 51 or younger. This federal offer is valid in all states.

1040NOW.NET: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less, your age is 67 years or younger and you live in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, HI, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WI, or WV.

Free Tax Return: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $57,000 or less and you live in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, VA, WI, or WV. Free extension.

Free1040TaxReturn.com: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less and you are age 71 or younger and live in AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, UT, VA, WI, WV. Free extension.

EfileTaxReturns.net: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is between $5,000 and $57,000, and you live in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, UT, VA, VT, WI or WV.

123Easytaxfiling: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if you are 70 years old or younger, your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $57,000 or less and you live in one of the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, HI, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, UT, VA, VT, WI and, WV. Free extension.

FileYourTaxes.com: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $57,000 or less and you are age 15 through 52 years old. This federal offer is valid in all states. Free extension.

FreeTaxUSA.com: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $57,000 or less and you live in one of the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, UT, VA, WI, or WV. Free extension.

Free TaxACT: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $57,000 or less and you are age 19 through 55 years old. This federal offer is valid in all states. Extensions e-filed for free. Free extension.

eSmart Tax by LibertyTax Service: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $57,000 or less, and you are 50 years old or younger. This federal offer is valid in all states. Free extension. En Español.

OnLine Taxes at OLT.com: Free federal online tax preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less and age 51 or younger. This federal offer is valid in all states. Free extension.

ezTaxReturn.com: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less and you live in the following states: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, LA, MA, MI, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, TX, VA AND WI.

ISECURETAX, INC.: Free federal online tax return preparation and e-file if your adjusted gross income is between $5,000 and $23,000. This federal offer is valid in all states. En Español.