Free File Alliance Offers Tax Preparation Software

WASHINGTON – Those who pay federal income taxes and had $62,000 or less in adjusted gross income in 2015 can file their federal returns for free, the Internal Revenue Service and Free File say.

Free federal tax preparation and e-filing software is available at www.IRS/FreeFile. Many state returns can be e-filed at no cost as well.

The site, powered by the Free File Alliance, a coalition of 13 tax software companies in partnership with the IRS, provides visitors with free access to the software needed to easily prepare and electronically file their 2015 tax returns.

More than 70% of all taxpayers, some 100 million people, are eligible to use Free File, Tim Hugo says. Not only has the income limitation been raised by $2,000 above tax year 2014 for free federal tax services, he notes, the site offers more options for free state tax return services.

Hugo is executive director of the Free File Alliance.

In a prepared statement, Hugo says, “If your income is $62,000 or less, Free File is there to take the guesswork out of doing your federal tax returns. Our software offers step-by-step help to get your federal taxes done quickly, safely and at absolutely no cost, and we offer more free state tax services than ever. Just visit www.IRS.gov/FreeFile and click ‘Help Me Find Free File Software’ to see what options are available to you.”

Free File also helps taxpayers comply with the requirements of the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare. In using Free File, most filers simply need to check a box to report their health care coverage in 2015.

The Free File program has provided nearly $1.4 billion in free tax software during the last 13 years, Hugo says.

Beginning today, basic federal e-filing services, “Free File Fillable Forms,” will be available to all filers, regardless of their income level. The fillable forms allow taxpayers familiar with tax law and in no need of help in preparing their forms to complete and electronically file their federal income taxes.

A recent IRS survey found that 96% of users of Free File said they found it easy to use, Hugo reports, and 98% said they would recommend Free File to others.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.