IRS Free File: Free Brand-Name Software for Incomes Under 79,000 Dollars

IRS Free File is a public-private partnership between the IRS and major tax software companies that offers free online tax preparation to taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is at or below 79,000 dollars per year. The number changes each year. But it has stayed near 79,000 dollars for several seasons. Free File exists because the IRS does not publish its own tax software, and the agreement with the industry covers the cost of free returns in exchange for the companies remaining the main retail tax-software providers. The program runs from mid-January through October 15, including the extension deadline. A senior who can use a web browser, type, and follow on-screen instructions can file a complete federal return at no cost, including Social Security, pension and annuity income, IRA distributions, capital gains on stocks, and most state add-on returns.

The Free File program differs from the free editions advertised on television. Major brands such as TurboTax Free Edition or H and R Block Free Online apply only to the simplest returns and often charge an upgrade fee the moment a 1099-R or a Schedule B appears. The IRS Free File version of the same brands handles those forms at no cost as long as the taxpayer accesses the software through the official irs.gov/freefile portal. Going directly to the brand website bypasses the free agreement and lands the taxpayer in the paid product. The right entry point is always irs.gov/freefile, and the wrong entry point is the brand's normal home page.

Free File offerings rotate each year. Recent partners have included TaxSlayer, TaxAct, FreeTaxUSA, OLT, FileYourTaxes, EzTaxReturn, and 1040.com. Each partner sets its own age and state rules. Some support every state, some support only 23 states, some require the taxpayer to be 65 or older, and some have a hard adjusted gross income ceiling well below 79,000 dollars. The irs.gov/freefile page includes a free wizard that asks for age, state, AGI, military status, and Earned Income Tax Credit eligibility, then narrows the offerings to the ones that fit. Source pages include irs.gov/freefile and the consumer guide at irs.gov/individuals/irs-free-file-do-your-taxes-for-free.