Answer:
Yes, there are programs available where you can file your income tax returns online for free. However, there are limitations on who qualifies.
At the IRS web site there are links to several different online programs that can be used, and many contain free electronic filing of the state and federal returns. Each one has different limitations on who can use so you may have to check several.
The web site for the free filing at the IRS site is https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free The limitations on being able to file free are listed and when I wrote this are that your income must be $72,000 or less. However, if your income is above that amount you can still complete free forms there, but you must either print and mail or pay a company to electronic file.
The organizations listed there are all approved by the IRS and are the electronic filing of taxes companies you already see selling their programs in stores and on the Internet including places like Intuit TurboTax, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, and more.
Each organization has different rules on further qualifications and on what states, etc.
Doing your taxes electronically does not need to cost money and for most people and most tax programs they will guide you thru with questions, so you do not need a tax professional if your income situation is simple like for many people of just what make from your job and maybe a little interest on savings and checking accounts. These free or probably even buying tax programs probably will not work for people like Warren Buffett or Bill Gates or the Waltons, however I do not expect people in those situations to be asking me for advice on a freeway to file their income taxes. However, they can get free electronic forms from IRS just like we used to could get free paper tax forms to fill out at the Post Offices.
Send me your questions about computers to my e-mail dwight@dwightwatt.com and tell me you read this in this paper. I will pick a question to answer each week.
Dwight Watt does computer work for businesses, individuals and organizations and teaches about computers at a technical college in northwest Georgia. His webpage is www.dwightwatt.com.
