IRS Free File is closed. Check back January 2025.​
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What is IRS Free File?
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The IRS Free File Program is a partnership between the IRS and a few tax preparation and filing software companies who provide their online tax preparation and filing for free. It provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:
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Guided Tax Software provides free online tax preparation and filing at an IRS partner site. The IRS partners deliver the service at no cost to qualifying taxpayers. Taxpayers whose AGI is $79,000 or less qualify for a free federal tax return.
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Free File Fillable Forms are electronic federal tax forms, equivalent to a paper 1040 form. You should know how to prepare your own tax return using form instructions and IRS publications if needed. It provides a free option to taxpayers whose income (AGI) is greater than $79,000.
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What you need to get started.
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Personal information you need
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A copy of last year's tax return in order to access your AGI
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Valid Social Security numbers for yourself, your spouse, and any dependent, if applicable
Income and receipts
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Social Security benefits
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Unemployment Compensation
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All receipts pertaining to your small business, if applicable
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Income receipts from rental, real estate, royalties, partnerships, S corporation, trusts
Other income
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W-2s, showing your annual wages from all of your employers
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Form 1099-INT, showing interest paid to you throughout the year
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Form 1099-G, showing any refund, credit or offset of state and local taxes
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Forms 1099-DIV and 1099-R, showing dividends and distributions from retirement and other plans paid to you during the year
Affordable Care Act filers (Obama Care)
File electronically
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When self-preparing your taxes and filing electronically, you must sign and validate your electronic tax return. To validate your return, you need to verify your identity, use last year’s AGI or last year’s self-select signature personal identification number (PIN) to accomplish this. To sign your current electronic tax return, use a 5 digit self-select PIN, any five numbers (except all zeros) that you choose which will serve as your electronic signature.
Contact information
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To get a notification from the Free File software partner that your return was accepted by the IRS, you need a valid email address.
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Tax Preparation Software
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The following software programs were available for the 2024 tax season that has now ended. The 2025 tax season will be available in January 2025 and may not include the same list of participants. We will update this list when announced by the IRS.
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1040Now
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Drake (1040.com)
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ezTaxReturn.com
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FileYourTaxes.com
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On-Line Taxes
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TaxAct
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TaxHawk (FreeTaxUSA)
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TaxSlayer
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