4 Ways to File Your Taxes for Free

Morning, hustlers!

Anyone already file their taxes and feeling good about it?

Yeah, me neither 😉

But I have started putting all the paperwork in one neat pile, if that count for anything?! Haha…

The good news though is that there are a handful of *free* places you can file your taxes this year, so before you get into it be sure to check ’em out and see if any match up well for you.

Got them from a press release H&R Block just sent me so they’re a little biased, but a lot of these options are really really good – particularly if you earned less than $66k this year or are in the military!

Hope this helps!

#1. Free way to file if you have a simple set up –> H&R Block’s free online tax filing

This includes a free federal and state return, along with twice as many forms than you’d get with TurboTax’s free product. Also includes the ability to claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit, deduct student loan interest for new graduates, and 40+ other forms to help take advantage of credits & deductions. But again, this is mainly for people with simpler situations like those with only W-2s and who rent vs. own, etc.

#2. Free way to file if you earned under $66,000! –> MyFreeTaxes.com

This one we showcased here last year and it’s awesome. (And def. not spammy, even though it sounds like it would be!) It’s a partnership with United Way, and so long as your total household income doesn’t exceed $66,000 (AGI) for 2018, you can file federal and state taxes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for FREE. It’s the only free, national, online tax filing product offered by a nonprofit, and is powered by H&R Block’s premium software. You can find my original write up on them here: MyFreeTaxes – A Free Way to File Your Taxes This Year!

(They also have an option for filing taxes in person too through “Volunteer Income Tax Assistance” sites (VITAs), and the locations of these can be found on their site)

#3. Free way to file your federal taxes –> FreeFileAlliance.org

The Free File Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of industry-leading tax software companies partnered with the IRS to help people prepare and e-file their federal tax returns for free. Pretty much a database of all the free software and forms you can use all in one main spot, and includes a dozen+ name brand tax companies (TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, etc).

#4. Free tax prep and filing software for those in the military –> MilitaryOneSource.mil

This is another partnership backed by H&R Block and aimed at the servicemen and women in our country. Here’s a clip directly off their website: “MilTax is a suite of free tax services for the military, including easy-to-use tax preparation and e-filing software, personalized support from tax consultants, and current information about filing taxes in the military. It’s designed to address the realities of military life – including deployments, combat and training pay, housing and rentals and multistate filings”

Oorah!

Let me know if you end up using any of these, or what you think if you’ve tried them before!

I still pay $300+ a year for my accountant to do ours, so that’s always another option as well 😉 No shame in hiring out if it makes more sense for you! I also find it helpful having a direct line for advice when a billion and one questions pop up throughout the year too, haha… That alone can be worth the money.

*****

UPDATE: Here’s another option recommended by a reader –> AARP: “FYI, AARP also offers free tax filing for low and moderate income folks. They use trained volunteers, and meet in person at libraries, etc. You have to make an appointment through whichever location you’re using. I have been using them for years. You don’t have to be a senior… they serve all ages with this service.”

UPDATE #2: “For those that can’t file for free, Costco sells discounted turbo tax packages!”

UPDATE #3: There’s more recommendations in the comments now too… Not gonna post them all up here or else we’ll be on update #87 by the end of the day 🙂 Love seeing them all though – thanks guys!!

 

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from Finance http://www.budgetsaresexy.com/4-free-ways-to-file-your-taxes/