Easy, secured, convenient, and fewer mistakes are the perks of filing taxes online. The IRS doesn’t only urge every American taxpayer to do their taxes online, it also offers free tax filing for low-income individuals. You can also use an online tax software program that is far more cost-effective than getting a professional to prepare your taxes. Most of them actually guarantee a fast income tax refund, as well. So if you want to know how to file your taxes for free, all you need to do is scroll down and follow the simple steps below!
Filing Taxes Online | How to File Taxes for Free
Step 1: Pull up the IRS Website
The first thing you need to do is go to the IRS website —irs.gov. Once you are on the IRS home page, you’ll see different links you can visit depending on your purpose. You can search for forms, file and pay taxes, check for refunds, credits, and deductions. If you scroll down further on the page, you’ll find out the latest news in the tax world, such as new tax laws.
Step 2: Click the Free File Tab
Look for the “Free File” tab and click it if your income is below $66,000. Another way to file taxes is to click the “File” tab in the upper right part of the page. You can also get all the information you want to know about filing when you click on this tab.
Step 3: Click the “Start Free File Now” Tab
After clicking the “Free File” tab, you’ll see several options. Look for the box with “Income below $66,000: Free File Software” and click the “Start Free File Now” tab if it fits you. However, if your adjusted gross income is higher than the said amount, there’s also a box with “Income above $66,000: Free File Fillable Form.” Click the “Start Fillable Forms Now” tab to get a free form.
Step 4: Choose a Free Tax Filing Service
If you choose the “Start Free File Now” tab, you will go to the Free File Software Offer page. Here, you can choose from the best online tax filing services affiliated with the IRS to help you. Services such as TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxSlayer, and TaxAct provide free tax filing services and assure a fast refund if you qualify.
Most of these tax prep services will ask you to create an account if you still don’t have one. But if you do, just sign in and you’re all set. One more thing: most of them also require a specific browser to work.
On the other hand, if you click the “Start Fillable Forms Now” tab, it will lead you to a page where it’ll ask you to make a new account. This page will give you all the information and requirements you need to get a free fillable form.
TurboTax and H&R Block are two of the best tax filing services to use. To find out which one is better for filing taxes online, check out this video from Business Insider:
April is the time when most flowers blossom and flaunt their colors, but it is also the dreaded tax month. You can go to a professional tax preparer for help. But if your financial situation is not too complex, then better do it yourself. Filing taxes online is not that finicky as long as you have an idea of how to do it. Plus, you can rest assured all your information is safe because tax software developers follow the same IRS rules of confidentiality.
Have you tried filing taxes online? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below!